Ari. To every article. I boarded the king's ship; now on the beak, Pro. Would not infect his reason? Ari. Not a soul But felt a fever of the mad, and played Some tricks of desperation: all, but mariners, Plunged in the foaming brine, and quit the vessel, Then all a-fire with me: the king's son, Ferdinand, With hair up-staring, (then like reeds, not hair,) Was the first man that leaped; cried, "Hell is empty, And all the devils are here." Pro. But was not this nigh shore? Ari. Pro. Ari. Why, that's my spirit! Close by, my master. Not a hair perished; But are they, Ariel, safe? On their sustaining garments not a blemish, Ari. Whom, with a charm joined to their suffered labor, Which I dispersed, they all have met again; Supposing that they saw the king's ship wrecked, Pro. Ariel, thy charge Exactly is performed; but there's more work: What is the time o' the day? Ari. Past the mid season. Pro. At least two glasses: the time 'twixt six and now, Must by us both be spent most preciously. Ari. Is there more toil? Since thou dost give me pains Let me remember thee what thou hast promised, Which is not yet performed me. Pro. What is 't thou canst demand? Ari. How now moody? My liberty. Pro. Before the time be out? no more. I pray thee Remember, I have done thee worthy service; Pro. Dost thou forget No. From what a torment I did free thee? Ari. Pro. Thou dost; and think'st It much, to tread the ooze of the salt deep; I do not, sir. Ari. No, sir. Ari. Pro. Oh, was she so? I must, Which thou forget'st. This damned witch, Sycorax, To enter human hearing, from Argier, Thou know'st, was banished; for one thing she did, Ari. Aye, sir. Pro. This blue-eyed hag was hither brought with child, And here was left by the sailors: thou, my slave, As thou report'st thyself, wast then her servant: To act her earthy and abhorred commands, Into a cloven pine; within which rift A dozen years; within which space she died, And left thee there; where thou didst vent thy groans, A freckled whelp, hag-born,) not honored with Pro. Dull thing, I say so; he, that Caliban, gape Ari. Thou hast howled away twelve winters. Ari, Pardon, master: Do so; and after two days That's my noble master! What shall I do? say what? what shall I do? Pro. Go make thyself like to a nymph of the sca ; Be subject to no sight but mine; invisible SHAKSPEARE THE PUNNING MESSENGER. SPEED PROTEUS. Speed. Sir Proteus, save you saw you my master? Pro. But now he parted hence, to embark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to one, then, he is shipped already; And I have played the sheep in losing him. Pro. Indeed, a sheep doth very often stray, An if the shepherd be awhile away. Speed. You conclude that my master is a shepherd, then, and I a sheep? Pro. I do. Speed. Why, then, my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep. Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep. Speed. This proves me still a sheep. Pro. True, and thy master a shepherd. Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me. therefore, I am no sheep. Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd; the shepherd for food follows not the sheep: thou for wages followest thy master; thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore, thou art a sheep. Speed. Such another proof will make me cry baa. Pro. But dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia? Speed. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a aced mutton; and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labor. Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such a store of muttons Speed. If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick her. Pro. Nay, in that you are astray; 't were best pound you. Speed. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter. Pro. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold. Speed. From a pound to a pin ? fold it over and over; 'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover. Pro. But what said she? did she nod? Speed. I. Pro. Nod, I? why, that's noddy. (Speed nols.) Speed You mistook, sir; I say, she did nod: and you ask me, if she did nod; and I say, I. Pro. And that set together, is-noddy. Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains. Pro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive, I must be fain to bear with you. Speed. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing bur the word, noddy, for my pains. Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: what said she? Speed. Open your purse, that the money and the matter may be both at once delivered. Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains: what said she? Pro. Why? couldst thou perceive so much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter: and being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she 'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Give her no token but stones; fo she 's as hard as steel. Pro. What, said she nothing? Speed. No, not so much as "Take this for thy pains." To testify your bounty, I thank you; you have testerned me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll commend you to my master. Pro. Go, go, begone, to save your ship from wreck ; SHAKSPEARE INDICATIONS OF BEING IN LOVE. SPEED- VALENTINE. Speed. Sir, your glove. Val. Not mine; my gloves are on. Speed. Why, then, this may be yours, for this is but one. Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine! Ah, Silvia! Silvia! |