Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers—
What is your name?
MIRANDA.
Miranda—O my father!
I have broke your hest to say so.
FERDINAND.
Admir’d Miranda!
Indeed, the top of admiration; worth
What’s dearest to the world! Full many a lady
I have ey’d with best regard, and many a time
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
Have I lik’d several women; never any
With so full soul but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow’d,
And put it to the foil: but you, O you!
So perfect and so peerless, are created
Of every creature’s best.
MIRANDA.
I do not know
One of my sex; no woman’s face remember,
Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen
More that I may call men than you, good friend,
And my dear father: how features are abroad,
I am skill-less of; but, by my modesty,—
The jewel in my dower,—I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you;
Nor can imagination form a shape,
Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle
Something too wildly, and my father’s precepts
I therein do forget.
FERDINAND.
I am, in my condition,
A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;—
I would not so!—and would no more endure
This wooden slavery than to suffer
The flesh-fly blow my mouth.—Hear my soul speak:—
The very instant that I saw you, did
My heart fly to your service; there resides,
To make me slave to it; and for your sake
Am I this patient log-man.
MIRANDA.
Do you love me?
FERDINAND.
O heaven! O earth! bear witness to this sound,
And crown what I profess with kind event,
If I speak true: if hollowly, invert
What best is boded me to mischief! I,
Beyond all limit of what else i’ the world,
Do love, prize, honour you.
MIRANDA.
I am a fool
To weep at what I am glad of.
PROSPERO.
[Aside] Fair encounter
Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between them!
FERDINAND.
Wherefore weep you?
MIRANDA.
At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer
What I desire to give; and much less take
What I shall die to want. But this is trifling;
And all the more it seeks to hide itself,
The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!
And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!
I am your wife, if you will marry me;
If not, I’ll die your maid: to be your fellow
You may deny me; but I’ll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.
FERDINAND.
My mistress, dearest;
And I thus humble ever.
MIRANDA.
My husband, then?
FERDINAND.
Ay, with a heart as willing
As bondage e’er of freedom: here’s my hand.
MIRANDA.
And mine, with my heart in’t: and now farewell
Till half an hour hence.
FERDINAND.
A thousand thousand!
[Exeunt FERDINAND and MIRANDA severally.]
PROSPERO.
So glad of this as they, I cannot be,
Who are surpris’d withal; but my rejoicing
At nothing can be more. I’ll to my book;
For yet, ere supper time, must I perform
Much business appertaining.
[Exit]
SCENE II. Another part of the island
[Enter CALIBAN, with a bottle, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO.]
STEPHANO. Tell not me:—when the butt is out we will drink water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and board ‘em.—Servant-monster, drink to me.
TRINCULO. Servant-monster! The folly of this island! They say there’s but five upon this isle; we are three of them; if th’ other two be brained like us, the state totters.
STEPHANO. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee: thy eyes are almost set in thy head.
TRINCULO. Where should they be set else? He were a brave monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.
STEPHANO. My man-monster hath drown’d his tongue in sack: for my part, the sea cannot drown me; I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five-and-thirty leagues, off and on, by this light. Thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard.
TRINCULO.
Your lieutenant, if you list; he’s no standard.
STEPHANO.
We’ll not run, Monsieur monster.
TRINCULO. Nor go neither: but you’ll lie like dogs, and yet say nothing neither.
STEPHANO. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf.
CALIBAN.
How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe.
I’ll not serve him: he is not valiant.
TRINCULO. Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case to justle a constable. Why, thou deboshed fish thou, was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half fish and half a monster?
CALIBAN.
Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord?
TRINCULO. ‘Lord’ quoth he!—That a monster should be such a natural!
CALIBAN.
Lo, lo again! bite him to death, I prithee.
STEPHANO. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head: if you prove a mutineer, the next tree! The poor monster’s my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.
CALIBAN. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleas’d to hearken once again to the suit I made to thee?