The Tempest

1 Enter Ferdinand bearing a log.
2 FERDINAND.
3 There be some sports are painful, and their labour
4 Delight in them sets off: some kinds of baseness
5 Are nobly undergone; and most poor matters
6 Point to rich ends. This my mean task
7 Would be as heavy to me as odious, but
8 The mistress which I serve quickens what’s dead,
9 And makes my labours pleasures: O, she is
10 Ten times more gentle than her father’s crabbed,
11 And he’s compos’d of harshness. I must remove
12 Some thousands of these logs, and pile them up,
13 Upon a sore injunction: my sweet mistress
14 Weeps when she sees me work, and says such baseness
15 Had never like executor. I forget:
16 But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours,
17 Most busy, least when I do it.
18 Enter Miranda and Prospero behind.
19 MIRANDA.
20 Alas now, pray you,
21 Work not so hard: I would the lightning had
22 Burnt up those logs that you are enjoin’d to pile!
23 Pray, set it down and rest you. When this burns,
24 ’Twill weep for having wearied you. My father
25 Is hard at study; pray, now, rest yourself:
26 He’s safe for these three hours.
27 FERDINAND.
28 O most dear mistress,
29 The sun will set, before I shall discharge
30 What I must strive to do.
31 MIRANDA.
32 If you’ll sit down,
33 I’ll bear your logs the while. Pray give me that;
34 I’ll carry it to the pile.
35 FERDINAND.
36 No, precious creature;
37 I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
38 Than you should such dishonour undergo,
39 While I sit lazy by.
40 MIRANDA.
41 It would become me
42 As well as it does you: and I should do it
43 With much more ease; for my good will is to it,
44 And yours it is against.
45 PROSPERO.
46 [_Aside._] Poor worm! thou art infected.
47 This visitation shows it.
48 MIRANDA.
49 You look wearily.
50 FERDINAND.
51 No, noble mistress; ’tis fresh morning with me
52 When you are by at night. I do beseech you—
53 Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers—
54 What is your name?
55 MIRANDA.
56 Miranda—O my father!
57 I have broke your hest to say so.
58 FERDINAND.
59 Admir’d Miranda!
60 Indeed, the top of admiration; worth
61 What’s dearest to the world! Full many a lady
62 I have ey’d with best regard, and many a time
63 Th’ harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
64 Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
65 Have I lik’d several women; never any
66 With so full soul but some defect in her
67 Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow’d,
68 And put it to the foil: but you, O you,
69 So perfect and so peerless, are created
70 Of every creature’s best.
71 MIRANDA.
72 I do not know
73 One of my sex; no woman’s face remember,
74 Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen
75 More that I may call men than you, good friend,
76 And my dear father: how features are abroad,
77 I am skilless of; but, by my modesty,
78 The jewel in my dower, I would not wish
79 Any companion in the world but you;
80 Nor can imagination form a shape,
81 Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle
82 Something too wildly, and my father’s precepts
83 I therein do forget.
84 FERDINAND.
85 I am, in my condition,
86 A prince, Miranda; I do think, a King;
87 I would not so!—and would no more endure
88 This wooden slavery than to suffer
89 The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak:
90 The very instant that I saw you, did
91 My heart fly to your service; there resides,
92 To make me slave to it; and for your sake
93 Am I this patient log-man.
94 MIRANDA.
95 Do you love me?
96 FERDINAND.
97 O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound,
98 And crown what I profess with kind event,
99 If I speak true; if hollowly, invert
100 What best is boded me to mischief! I,
101 Beyond all limit of what else i’ the world,
102 Do love, prize, honour you.
103 MIRANDA.
104 I am a fool
105 To weep at what I am glad of.
106 PROSPERO.
107 [_Aside._] Fair encounter
108 Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
109 On that which breeds between ’em!
110 FERDINAND.
111 Wherefore weep you?
112 MIRANDA.
113 At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer
114 What I desire to give; and much less take
115 What I shall die to want. But this is trifling;
116 And all the more it seeks to hide itself,
117 The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!
118 And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!
119 I am your wife if you will marry me;
120 If not, I’ll die your maid: to be your fellow
121 You may deny me; but I’ll be your servant,
122 Whether you will or no.
123 FERDINAND.
124 My mistress, dearest;
125 And I thus humble ever.
126 MIRANDA.
127 My husband, then?
128 FERDINAND.
129 Ay, with a heart as willing
130 As bondage e’er of freedom: here’s my hand.
131 MIRANDA.
132 And mine, with my heart in ’t: and now farewell
133 Till half an hour hence.
134 FERDINAND.
135 A thousand thousand!
136 [_Exeunt Ferdinand and Miranda severally._]
137 PROSPERO.
138 So glad of this as they, I cannot be,
139 Who are surpris’d withal; but my rejoicing
140 At nothing can be more. I’ll to my book;
141 For yet, ere supper time, must I perform
142 Much business appertaining.
143 [_Exit._]