him with a large premium at his return. If he should not return, the money advanced was to be forfeited to the insurer. The premium varied according to the supposed risk, often amounting to five times the principal. Alon. I will stand to and feed, Although my last: no matter, since I feel Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL, like a harpy; claps his wings upon the table; and, with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes. Ari. You are three men of sin, whom Destiny, That hath to instrument this lower world And what is in 't, the never-surfeited sea Hath caused to belch up you; and on this island Where man doth not inhabit; you 'mongst men Being most unfit to live. I have made you mad; And even with such-like valour men hang and drown Their proper selves. (Alon., Seb., etc., draw their swords. You fools! I and my fellows Are ministers of Fate: the elements, Of whom your swords are temper'd, may as well Wound the loud winds, or with bemock'd-at stabs Kill the still-closing waters, as diminish One dowle that's in my plume: my fellow-ministers Your swords are now too massy for your strengths Can be at once, shall step by step attend Which here, in this most desolate isle, else falls He vanishes in thunder; then, to soft music, enter the Shapes again, and dance, with mocks and mows, and carrying out the table. Pros. Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring: Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated In what thou hadst to say so, with good life And observation strange, my meaner ministers Their several kinds have done. My high charms work And these mine enemies are all knit up In their distractions; they now are in my power; Young Ferdinand, whom they suppose is drown'd, (Exit above. Gon. I' the name of something holy, sir, why stand you In this strange stare? Alon. O, it is monstrous, monstrous! Methought the billows spoke and told me of it; The winds did sing it to me, and the thunder, That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounced The name of Prosper: it did bass my trespass. Therefore my son i' the ooze is bedded, and I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded And with him there lie mudded. Seb. I'll fight their legions o'er. Ant. (Exit. But one field at a time, I'll be thy second. (Exeunt Seb. and Ant. Gon. All three of them are desperate: their great guilt, Like poison given to work a great time after, Now 'gins to bite the spirits. I do beseech you May now provoke them to. MIRANDA. Pros. If I have too austerely punish'd you, Hast strangely stood the test: here, afore Heaven, Do not smile at me that I boast her off, For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise Fer. Against an oracle. I do believe it Pros. Then, as my gift and thine own acquisition Worthily purchased, take my daughter: but If thou dost break her virgin-knot before With full and holy rite be minister'd, No sweet aspersion* shall the heavens let fall *From Lat. aspergere, to besprinkle, as with reports, good or bad. †Cf. Genesis: "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it."-II., 16-17. Fer. As I hope For quiet days, fair issue and long life, With such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den, The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion Our worser genius can, shall never melt Mine honour into lust, to take away The edge of that day's celebration When I shall think, or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd, Or Night kept chain'd below. Pros. Fairly spoke. Sit then and talk with her; she is thine own. Enter ARIEL. Ari. What would my potent master? here I am. Pros. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service Did worthily perform; and I must use you In such another trick. Go bring the rabble, Pros. Ay, with a twink. Ari. Before you can say 'come' and go,' Pros. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach Till thou dost hear me call. Ari. Well, I conceive, (Exit. |