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- THE TEMPEST
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- Act 3 Scene 1
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- (Enter Ferdinand, bearing a log)
- l1l Ferdinand There be some sports are painful, and their labour
- l2l Delight in them sets off. Some kinds of baseness
- l3l Are nobly undergone, and most poor matters
- l4l Point to rich ends. This my mean task
- l5l Would be as heavy to me as odious, but
- l6l The mistress which I serve quickens whatÆs dead,
- l7l And makes my labours pleasures. O, she is
- l8l Ten times more gentle than her fatherÆs crabbed,
- l9l And heÆs composed of harshness. I must remove
- l10l Some thousands of these logs and pile them up,
- l11l Upon a sore injunction. My sweet mistress
- l12l Weeps when she sees me work, and says such baseness
- l13l Had never like executor. I forget,
- l14l But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours,
- l15l Most busilÆest when I do it.
- (Enter Miranda, and Prospero following at a distance)
- Miranda Alas now, pray you
- l16l Work not so hard. I would the lightning had
- l17l Burnt up those logs that you are enjoined to pile.
- l18l Pray set it down, and rest you. When this burns
- l19l ÆTwill weep for having wearied you. My father
- l20l Is hard at study. Pray now, rest yourself.
- l21l HeÆs safe for these three hours.
- Ferdinand O most dear mistress,
- l22l The sun will set before I shall discharge
- l23l What I must strive to do.
- Miranda If youÆll sit down
- l24l IÆll bear your logs the while. Pray give me that;
- l25l IÆll carry it to the pile.
- Ferdinand No, precious creature.
- l26l I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
- l27l Than you should such dishonour undergo
- l28l While I sit lazy by.
- Miranda It would become me
- l29l As well as it does you; and I should do it
- l30l With much more ease, for my good will is to it,
- l31l And yours it is against.
- Prospero (aside) Poor worm, thou art infected.
- l32l This visitation shows it.
- Miranda (to Ferdinand) You look wearily.
- l33l Ferdinand No, noble mistress, Ætis fresh morning with me
- l34l When you are by at night. I do beseech you,
- l35l Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers,
- l36l What is your name?
- Miranda Miranda. O my father,
- l37l I have broke your hest to say so!
- Ferdinand Admired Miranda!
- l38l Indeed the top of admiration, worth
- l39l WhatÆs dearest to the world. Full many a lady
- l40l I have eyed with best regard, and many a time
- l41l ThÆ harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
- l42l Brought my too diligent ear. For several virtues
- l43l Have I liked several women; never any
- l44l With so full soul but some defect in her
- l45l Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed
- l46l And put it to the foil. But you, O you,
- l47l So perfect and so peerless, are created
- l48l Of every creatureÆs best.
- Miranda I do not know
- l49l One of my sex, no womanÆs face remember
- l50l Save from my glass mine own; nor have I seen
- l51l More that I may call men than you, good friend,
- l52l And my dear father. How features are abroad
- l53l I am skilless of; but, by my modesty,
- l54l The jewel in my dower, I would not wish
- l55l Any companion in the world but you;
- l56l Nor can imagination form a shape
- l57l Besides yourself to like of. But I prattle
- l58l Something too wildly, and my fatherÆs precepts
- l59l I therein do forget.
- Ferdinand I am in my condition
- l60l A prince, Miranda, I do think a kingù
- l61l I would not soùand would no more endure
- l62l This wooden slavery than to suffer
- l63l The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak.
- l64l The very instant that I saw you did
- l65l My heart fly to your service; there resides
- l66l To make me slave to it. And for your sake
- l67l Am I this patient log-man.
- Miranda Do you love me?
- l68l Ferdinand O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound,
- l69l And crown what I profess with kind event
- l70l If I speak true! If hollowly, invert
- l71l What best is boded me to mischief! I,
- l72l Beyond all limit of what else iÆ thÆ world,
- l73l Do love, prize, honour you.
- Miranda (weeping) I am a fool
- l74l To weep at what I am glad of.
- Prospero (aside) Fair encounter
- l75l Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
- l76l On that which breeds between Æem.
- Ferdinand (to Miranda) Wherefore weep you?
- l77l Miranda At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer
- l78l What I desire to give, and much less take
- l79l What I shall die to want. But this is trifling,
- l80l And all the more it seeks to hide itself
- l81l The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning,
- l82l And prompt me, plain and holy innocence.
- l83l I am your wife, if you will marry me.
- l84l If not, IÆll die your maid. To be your fellow
- l85l You may deny me, but IÆll be your servant
- l86l Whether you will or no.
- Ferdinand (kneeling) My mistress, dearest;
- l87l And I thus humble ever.
- l88l Miranda My husband then?
- l89l Ferdinand Ay, with a heart as willing
- l90l As bondage eÆer of freedom. HereÆs my hand.
- l91l Miranda And mine, with my heart in Æt. And now farewell
- l92l Till half an hour hence.
- Ferdinand A thousand thousand.
- (Exeunt Ferdinand and Miranda)
- l93l Prospero So glad of this as they I cannot be,
- l94l Who are surprised with all; but my rejoicing
- l95l At nothing can be more. IÆll to my book,
- l96l For yet ere supper-time must I perform
- l97l Much business appertaining.
- (Exit)
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