Tales from Shakespeare | Page 3

continued Prospero, 'I was duke of Milan,
and you were a princess, and my only heir. I had a younger brother,
whose name was Antonio, to whom I trusted everything: and as I was
fond of retirement and deep study, I commonly left the management of
my state affairs to your uncle, my false brother (for so indeed he
proved). I, neglecting all worldly ends, buried among my books, did
dedicate my whole time to the bettering of my mind. My brother
Antonio being thus in possession of my power, began to think himself
the duke indeed. The opportunity I gave him of making himself popular
among my subjects awakened in his bad nature a proud ambition to
deprive me of my dukedom: this he soon effected with the aid of the
king of Naples, a powerful prince, who was my enemy.'
'Wherefore,' said Miranda, 'did they not that hour destroy us?'
'My child,' answered her father, 'they durst not, so dear was the love
that my people bore me. Antonio carried us on board a ship, and when
we were some leagues out at sea, he forced us into a small boat,
without either tackle, sail, or mast: there he left us, as he thought, to
perish. But a kind lord of my court, one Gonzalo, who loved me, had
privately placed in the boat, water, provisions, apparel, and some books
which I prize above my dukedom.'
'O my father,' said Miranda, 'what a trouble must I have been to you
then!'

'No, my love,' said Prospero, 'you were a little cherub that did preserve
me. Your innocent smiles made me bear up against my misfortunes.
Our food lasted till we landed on this desert island, since when my
chief delight has been in teaching you, Miranda, and well have you
profited by my instructions.'
'Heaven thank you, my dear father,' said Miranda 'Now pray tell me, sir,
your reason for raising this sea-storm?'
'Know then,' said her father, 'that by means of this storm, my enemies,
the king of Naples, and my cruel brother, are cast ashore upon this
island.'
Having so said, Prospero gently touched his daughter with his magic
wand, and she fell fast asleep; for the spirit Ariel just then presented
himself before his master, to give an account of the tempest, and how
he had disposed of the ship's company, and though the spirits were
always invisible to Miranda, Prospero did not choose she should hear
him holding converse (as would seem to her) with the empty air.
'Well, my brave spirit,' said Prospero to Ariel, 'how have you
performed your task?'
Ariel gave a lively description of the storm, and of the terrors of the
mariners; and how the king's son, Ferdinand, was the first who leaped
into the sea; and his father thought he saw his dear son swallowed up
by the waves and lost. 'But he is safe,' said Ariel, 'in a corner of the isle,
sitting with his arms folded, sadly lamenting the loss of the king, his
father, whom he concludes drowned. Not a hair of his head is injured,
and his princely garments, though drenched in the sea-waves, look
fresher than before.'
'That's my delicate Ariel,' said Prospero. 'Bring him hither: my daughter
must see this young prince. Where is the king, and my brother?'
'I left them,' answered Ariel, 'searching for Ferdinand, whom they have
little hopes of finding, thinking they saw him perish. Of the ship's crew
not one is missing; though each one thinks himself the only one saved:

and the ship, though invisible to them, is safe in the harbour.'
'Ariel,' said Prospero, 'thy charge is faithfully performed: but there is
more work yet.'
'Is there more work?' said Ariel. 'Let me remind you, master, you have
promised me my liberty. I pray, remember, I have done you worthy
service, told you no lies, made no mistakes, served you without grudge
or grumbling.'
'How now!' said Prospero. 'You do not recollect what a torment I freed
you from. Have you forgot the wicked witch Sycorax, who with age
and envy was almost bent double? Where was she born? Speak; tell
me.'
'Sir, in Algiers,' said Ariel.
'O was she so?' said Prospero. 'I must recount what you have been,
which I find you do not remember. This bad witch, Sycorax, for her
witchcrafts, too terrible to enter human hearing, was banished from
Algiers, and here left by the sailors; and because you were a spirit too
delicate to execute her wicked commands, she shut you up in a tree,
where I found you howling. This torment, remember, I did free you
from.'
'Pardon me, dear master,' said Ariel, ashamed to seem ungrateful; 'I will
obey your commands.'
'Do so,' said Prospero, 'and I will set you