The Tempest | Page 6

appointed Master of this design,--did give us, with Rich garments,
linens, stuffs, and necessaries, Which since have steaded much: so, of
his gentleness, Knowing I lov'd my books, he furnish'd me, From mine
own library with volumes that I prize above my dukedom.
MIRANDA. Would I might But ever see that man!
PROSPERO. Now I arise:--
[Resumes his mantle]
Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Here in this island we
arriv'd: and here Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit Than
other princes can, that have more time For vainer hours, and tutors not
so careful.
MIRANDA. Heavens thank you for't! And now, I pray you, sir,-- For
still 'tis beating in my mind,--your reason For raising this sea-storm?
PROSPERO. Know thus far forth. By accident most strange, bountiful
Fortune, Now my dear lady, hath mine enemies Brought to this shore;
and by my prescience I find my zenith doth depend upon A most
auspicious star, whose influence If now I court not but omit, my
fortunes Will ever after droop. Here cease more questions; Thou art
inclin'd to sleep; 'tis a good dulness, And give it way;--I know thou
canst not choose.--
[MIRANDA sleeps]
Come away, servant, come! I am ready now. Approach, my Ariel;
Come!

[Enter ARIEL]
ARIEL. All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come To answer thy
best pleasure; be't to fly, To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride On the
curl'd clouds; to thy strong bidding task Ariel and all his quality.
PROSPERO. Hast thou, spirit, Perform'd to point the tempest that I
bade thee?
ARIEL. To every article. I boarded the King's ship; now on the beak,
Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin, I flam'd amazement;
sometime I'd divide, And burn in many places; on the topmast, The
yards, and boresprit, would I flame distinctly, Then meet and join:
Jove's lightning, the precursors O' th' dreadful thunder-claps, more
momentary And sight-outrunning were not: the fire and cracks Of
sulphurous roaring the most mighty Neptune Seem to besiege and make
his bold waves tremble, Yea, his dread trident shake.
PROSPERO. My brave spirit! Who was so firm, so constant, that this
coil Would not infect his reason?
ARIEL. Not a soul But felt a fever of the mad, and play'd Some tricks
of desperation. All but mariners Plunged in the foaming brine and quit
the vessel, Then all afire with me: the King's son, Ferdinand, With hair
up-staring--then like reeds, not hair-- Was the first man that leapt; cried
'Hell is empty, And all the devils are here.'
PROSPERO. Why, that's my spirit! But was not this nigh shore?
ARIEL. Close by, my master.
PROSPERO. But are they, Ariel, safe?
ARIEL. Not a hair perish'd; On their sustaining garments not a blemish,
But fresher than before: and, as thou bad'st me, In troops I have
dispers'd them 'bout the isle. The king's son have I landed by himself,
Whom I left cooling of the air with sighs In an odd angle of the isle,
and sitting, His arms in this sad knot.
PROSPERO. Of the King's ship The mariners, say how thou hast
dispos'd, And all the rest o' th' fleet?
ARIEL. Safely in harbour Is the King's ship; in the deep nook, where
once Thou call'dst me up at midnight to fetch dew From the still-vex'd
Bermoothes; there she's hid: The mariners all under hatches stowed;
Who, with a charm join'd to their suff'red labour, I have left asleep: and
for the rest o' th' fleet Which I dispers'd, they all have met again, And
are upon the Mediterranean flote Bound sadly home for Naples,

Supposing that they saw the king's ship wrack'd, And his great person
perish.
PROSPERO. Ariel, thy charge Exactly is perform'd; but there's more
work: What is the time o' th' day?
ARIEL. Past the mid season.
PROSPERO. At least two glasses. The time 'twixt six and now Must by
us both be spent most preciously.
ARIEL. Is there more toil? Since thou dost give me pains, Let me
remember thee what thou hast promis'd, Which is not yet perform'd me.
PROSPERO. How now! moody? What is't thou canst demand?
ARIEL. My liberty.
PROSPERO. Before the time be out! No more!
ARIEL. I prithee, Remember I have done thee worthy service; Told
thee no lies, made no mistakings, serv'd Without or grudge or
grumblings: thou didst promise To bate me a full year.
PROSPERO. Dost thou forget From what a torment I did free thee?
ARIEL. No.
PROSPERO. Thou dost; and think'st it much to tread the ooze Of the
salt deep, To run upon the sharp wind of the north, To do me business
in the veins o' th' earth When it is bak'd with frost.
ARIEL. I do not, sir.