SCENE IV.
Enter Ferdinand, and Ariel and Milcha invisible.
Ferd. How far will this invisible musician Conduct my steps? he hovers still about me; Whether for good or ill, I cannot tell, Nor care I much; for I have been so long A slave to chance, that I'm as weary of Her flatteries as her frowns; but here I am——
Ariel. Here I am.
Ferd. Ha! art thou so? the spirit's turned an echo: This might seem pleasant, could the burden of My griefs accord with any thing but sighs; And my last words, like those of dying men, Need no reply. Fain I would go to shades, Where few would wish to follow me.
Ariel. Follow me.
Ferd. This evil spirit grows importunate, But I'll not take his counsel.
Ariel. Take his counsel.
Ferd. It may be the devil's counsel, I'll never take it.
Ariel. Take it.
Ferd. I will discourse no more with thee, Nor follow one step further.
Ariel. One step further.
Ferd. This must have more importance than an echo; Some spirit tempts me to a precipice. I'll try if it will answer when I sing My sorrows, to the murmur of this brook.
HE SINGS.
Go thy way.
Ariel.Go thy way.
Ferd.Why shouldst thou stay?
Ariel.Why shouldst thou stay?
Ferd. Where the winds whistle, and where the streams creep, Under yon willow-tree fain would I sleep. Then let me alone, For 'tis time to be gone.
Ariel.For 'tis time to be gone.
Ferd. What cares or pleasures can be in this isle? Within this desart place, There lives no human race; Fate cannot frown here, nor kind fortune smile.
Ariel. Kind fortune smiles, and she Has yet in store for thee Some strange felicity. Follow me, follow me, And thou shalt see.
Ferd. I'll take thy word for once;
Lead on, musician.
[Exeunt and return.
SCENE V.—The Cypress-trees and Caves.
Scene changes, and discovers Prospero and Miranda.
Prosp. Advance the fringed curtains of thine eyes, And say what thou seest yonder.
Mir. Is it a spirit? Lord, how it looks about! Sir, I confess it carries a brave form. But 'tis a spirit.
Prosp. No, girl, it eats, and sleeps, and has such senses As we have. This young gallant, whom thou see'st, Was in the wreck; were he not somewhat stained With grief, (beauty's worst canker) thou might'st call him A goodly person; he has lost his company, And strays about to find them.
Mir. I might call him A thing divine, for nothing natural I ever saw so noble.
Prosp. It goes on, As my soul prompts it: Spirit, fine spirit, I'll free thee within two days for this. [Aside.
Ferd. She's sure the mistress on whom these airs attend. Fair excellence! if, as your form declares, You are divine, be pleased to instruct me how You will be worshipped; so bright a beauty Cannot sure belong to human kind.
Mir. I am, like you, a mortal, if such you are.
Ferd. My language, too! O heavens! I am the best Of them who speak this speech, when I'm in my Own country.
Prosp. How, the best? what wert thou, if The duke of Savoy heard thee?
Ferd. As I am now; Who wonders to hear thee speak of Savoy; He does hear me, and that he does, I weep. Myself am Savoy, whose fatal eyes (ne'er since at ebb) beheld The duke, my father, wrecked.
Mir. Alack! for pity!
Prosp. At the first sight they have changed eyes. Dear Ariel, I'll set thee free for this.— [Aside.
Young sir, a word. With hazard of yourself you do me wrong.
Mir. Why speaks my father so ungently? This is The third man that I ever saw, the first Whom e'er I sighed for; sweet heaven, move my father To be inclined my way.
Ferd. O! if a virgin, And your affections not gone forth, I'll make you Mistress of Savoy.
Prosp. Soft, sir, one word more.—— They're in each other's power; but this swift business I must uneasy make, lest too light winning Make the prize light.—One word more. Thou usurp'st The name not due to thee, hast put thyself Upon this island as a spy, to get The government from me, the lord of it.
Ferd. No, as I'm a man.
Mir. There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple: If the evil spirit hath so fair a house, Good things will strive to dwell with it.
Prosp. No more. Speak not for him, he is a traitor. Come! thou art my prisoner, and shalt be in bonds. Sea-water shalt thou drink, thy food shall be The fresh brook-muscles, withered roots and husks, Wherein the acorn cradled;——follow.
Ferd. No, I will resist such entertainment, Till my enemy has more power. [He draws, and is charmed from moving.
Mir. O dear father! make not too rash a trial Of him; for he is gentle, and not fearful.
Prosp. My child my tutor! put thy sword up, Traitor, who mak'st a show, but dar'st not strike: Thy conscience is possessed with guilt. Come from thy ward, For I can here disarm thee with this wand, And make thy weapon drop.
Mir. 'Beseech you, father.
Prosp. Hence: Hang not on my garment.
Mir. Sir, have pity! I'll be his surety!
Prosp. Silence! one word more Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee: What! An advocate for an impostor? sure Thou think'st there are no more such shapes as his; To the most of men this is a Caliban, And they to him are angels.
Mir. My affections are then most humble; I have no ambition to see a goodlier man.
Prosp. Come on, obey: Thy nerves are in their infancy again, And have no vigour in them.
Ferd. So they are: My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up: My father's loss, the weakness which I feel, The wreck of all my friends, and this man's threats, To whom I am subdued, would seem light to me, Might I but once a day thorough my prison Behold this maid: All corners else o' the earth Let liberty make use of: I have space Enough in such a prison.
Prosp. It works: Come on: Thou hast done well, fine Ariel: Follow me. Hark what thou shalt do for me. [Whispers Ariel.
Mir. Be of comfort! My father's of a better nature, sir, Than he appears by speech: This is unwonted, Which now came from him.
Prosp. Thou shalt be free as mountain winds: But then Exactly do all points of my command.
Ariel. To a syllable. [Exit Ariel.
Prosp. to Mir. Go in that way, speak not a word for him: I'll separate you. [Exit Miranda.
Ferd. As soon thou may'st divide the waters, when Thou strik'st 'em, which pursue thy bootless blow, And meet when it is past.
Prosp. Go practise your philosophy within, And if you are the same you speak yourself, Bear your afflictions like a prince.—That door Shews you your lodging.
Ferd. 'Tis in vain to strive, I must obey. [Exit Ferd.
Prosp. This goes as I would wish it. Now for my second care, Hippolito. I shall not need to chide him for his fault, His passion is become his punishment. Come forth, Hippolito.
Enter Hippolito.
Hip. 'Tis Prospero's voice.
Prosp. Hippolito, I know you now expect I should severely chide you: You have seen A woman, in contempt of my commands.
Hip. But, sir, you see I am come off unharmed; I told you, that you need not doubt my courage.
Prosp. You think you have received no hurt?
Hip. No, none, sir. Try me again; whene'er you please I'm ready: I think I cannot fear an army of them.
Prosp. How much in vain it is to bridle nature! [Aside. Well, what was the success of your encounter?
Hip. Sir, we had none, we yielded both at first; For I took her to mercy, and she me.
Prosp. But are you not much changed from what you were?
Hip. Methinks, I wish, and wish!—for what I know not,— But still I wish:—Yet if I had that woman, She, I believe, could tell me what I wish for.
Prosp. What would you do to make that woman yours?
Hip. I'd quit the rest o'the world, that I might live Alone with her; she never should be from me: We two would sit and look till our eyes ached.
Prosp. You'd soon be weary of her.
Hip. O, sir, never.
Prosp. But you'll grow old and wrinkled, as you see Me now, and then you will not care for her.
Hip. You may do what you please; but, sir, we two Can never possibly grow old.
Prosp. You must, Hippolito.
Hip. Whether we will or no, sir! who shall make us?
Prosp. Nature, which made me so.
Hip. But you have told me, that her works are various: She made you old, but she has made us young.
Prosp. Time will convince you.— Meanwhile, be sure you tread in honour's paths, That you may merit her: And that you may not Want fit occasions to employ your virtue, In this next cave there is a stranger lodged, One of your kind, young, of a noble presence, And, as he says himself, of princely birth; He is my prisoner, and in deep affliction: Visit, and comfort him; it will become you.
Hip. It is my duty, sir. [Exit Hip.
Prosp. True, he has seen a woman, yet he lives!— Perhaps I took the moment of his birth Amiss: Perhaps my art itself is false.— On what strange grounds we build our hopes and fears! Man's life is all a mist! and, in the dark, Our fortunes meet us. If fate be not, then what can we foresee? Or how can we avoid it, if it be? If by free will in our own paths we move, How are we bounded by decrees above? Whether we drive, or whether we are driven, If ill, 'tis ours: if good, the act of heaven. [Exit.
SCENE VI.—A Cave.
Enter Hippolito and Ferdinand.
Ferd. Your pity, noble youth, doth much oblige me. Indeed, 'twas sad to lose a father so.
Hip. Ay, and an only father too; for sure You said, you had but one.
Ferd. But one father! He's wondrous simple. [Aside.
Hip. Are such misfortunes frequent in your world, Where many men live?
Ferd. Such are we born to.— But, gentle youth, as you have questioned me, So give me leave to ask you, what you are?
Hip. Do not you know?
Ferd. How should I?
Hip. I well hoped I was a man, but, by your ignorance Of what I am, I fear it is not so.— Well, Prospero! this is now the second time You have deceived me.
Ferd. Sir, there is no doubt You are a man: But I would know, of whence?
Hip. Why, of this world; I never was in yours.
Ferd. Have you a father?
Hip. I was told I had one, And that he was a man; yet I have been So much deceived, I dare not tell't you for A truth: But I have still been kept a prisoner, For fear of women.
Ferd. They, indeed, are dangerous; For, since I came, I have beheld one here, Whose beauty pierced my heart.
Hip. How did she pierce? You seem not hurt.
Ferd. Alas! the wound was made by her bright eyes, And festers by her absence. But, to speak plainer to you, sir, I love her.
Hip. Now, I suspect that love's the very thing, That I feel too!—Pray tell me truly, sir, Are you not grown unquiet since you saw her?
Ferd. I take no rest.
Hip. Just, just, my disease.— Do you not wish, you do not know for what?
Ferd. O, no! I know too well for what I wish.
Hip. There, I confess, I differ from you, sir: But you desire she may be always with you?
Ferd. I can have no felicity without her.
Hip. Just my condition.—Alas, gentle sir! I'll pity you, and you shall pity me.
Ferd. I love so much, that, if I have her not, I find I cannot live.
Hip. How! do you love her, And would you have her too? That must not be: For none but I must have her.
Ferd. But perhaps we do not love the same: All beauties are not pleasing alike to all.
Hip. Why, are there more fair women, sir, Besides that one I love?
Ferd. That's a strange question. There are many more, Besides that beauty which you love.
Hip. I will have all Of that kind, if there be a hundred of them.
Ferd. But, noble youth, you know not what you say.
Hip. Sir, they are things I love, I cannot be Without them!—O, how I rejoice!—More women!
Ferd. Sir, if you love, you must be tied to one.
Hip. Tied! How tied to her?
Ferd. To love none but her.
Hip. But, sir, I find it is against my nature. I must love where I like; and, I believe, I may like all,— All that are fair. Come, bring me to this woman, For I must have her.
Ferd. His simplicity Is such, that I can scarce be angry with him.— [Aside.
Perhaps, sweet youth, when you behold her, you Will find you do not love her.
Hip. I find already I love, because she is another woman.
Ferd. You cannot love two women both at once.
Hip. Sure 'tis my duty to love all who do Resemble her, whom I've already seen. I'll have as many as I can, that are So good, and angel-like, as she I love; And will have yours.
Ferd. Pretty youth, you cannot.
Hip. I can do any thing for that I love.
Ferd. I may, perhaps, by force, restrain you from it.
Hip. Why, do so, if you can. But either promise me To love no woman, or you must try your force.
Ferd. I cannot help it, I must love.
Hip. Well, you may love; For Prospero taught me friendship too. You shall Love me, and other men, if you can find them; But all the angel women shall be mine.
Ferd I must break off this conference, or he Will urge me else beyond what I can bear.— [Aside.
Sweet youth, some other time we will speak Farther concerning both our loves; at present I am indisposed with weariness and grief, And would, if you're so pleased, retire a while.
Hip. Some other time be it; but, sir, remember, That I both seek and much entreat your friendship; For, next to women, I find I can love you.
Ferd. I thank you, sir, I will consider of it. [Exit Ferd.
Hip. This stranger does insult, and comes into My world, to take those heavenly beauties from me, Which, I believe, I am inspired to love.— And yet he said, he did desire but one: He would be poor in love, but I'll be rich.— I now perceive that Prospero was cunning; For when he frightened me from womankind, Those precious things he for himself designed. [Exit.