The Tempest

The Tempest

ACT III SCENE I	Before PROSPERO'S Cell.
	Enter FERDINAND, bearing a log
FERDINAND	There be some sports are painful, and their labour
	Delight in them sets off: some kinds of baseness
	Are nobly undergone and most poor matters
	Point to rich ends. This my mean task	5
	Would be as heavy to me as odious, but
	The mistress which I serve quickens what's dead
	And makes my labours pleasures: O, she is
	Ten times more gentle than her father's crabbed,
	And he's composed of harshness. I must remove	10
	Some thousands of these logs and pile them up,
	Upon a sore injunction: my sweet mistress
	Weeps when she sees me work, and says, such baseness
	Had never like executor. I forget:
	But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours,	15
	Most busy lest, when I do it.
	Enter MIRANDA; and PROSPERO at a distance, unseen
MIRANDA	Alas, now, pray you,
	Work not so hard: I would the lightning had
	Burnt up those logs that you are enjoin'd to pile!
	Pray, set it down and rest you: when this burns,	20
	'Twill weep for having wearied you. My father
	Is hard at study; pray now, rest yourself;
	He's safe for these three hours.
FERDINAND	O most dear mistress,
	The sun will set before I shall discharge	25
	What I must strive to do.
MIRANDA	If you'll sit down,
	I'll bear your logs the while: pray, give me that;
	I'll carry it to the pile.
FERDINAND	No, precious creature;	30
	I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
	Than you should such dishonour undergo,
	While I sit lazy by.
MIRANDA	It would become me
	As well as it does you: and I should do it	35
	With much more ease; for my good will is to it,
	And yours it is against.
PROSPERO	Poor worm, thou art infected!
	This visitation shows it.
MIRANDA	You look wearily.	40
FERDINAND	No, noble mistress;'tis fresh morning with me
	When you are by at night. I do beseech you--
	Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers--
	What is your name?
MIRANDA	Miranda.--O my father,	45
	I have broke your hest to say so!
FERDINAND	Admired Miranda!
	Indeed the top of admiration! worth
	What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady
	I have eyed with best regard and many a time	50
	The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
	Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
	Have I liked several women; never any
	With so fun soul, but some defect in her
	Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed	55
	And put it to the foil: but you, O you,
	So perfect and so peerless, are created
	Of every creature's best!
MIRANDA	I do not know
	One of my sex; no woman's face remember,	60
	Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen
	More that I may call men than you, good friend,
	And my dear father: how features are abroad,
	I am skilless of; but, by my modesty,
	The jewel in my dower, I would not wish	65
	Any companion in the world but you,
	Nor can imagination form a shape,
	Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle
	Something too wildly and my father's precepts
	I therein do forget.	70
FERDINAND	I am in my condition
	A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;
	I would, not so!--and would no more endure
	This wooden slavery than to suffer
	The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak:	75
	The very instant that I saw you, did
	My heart fly to your service; there resides,
	To make me slave to it; and for your sake
	Am I this patient log--man.
MIRANDA	Do you love me?	80
FERDINAND	O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound
	And crown what I profess with kind event
	If I speak true! if hollowly, invert
	What best is boded me to mischief! I
	Beyond all limit of what else i' the world	85
	Do love, prize, honour you.
MIRANDA	I am a fool
	To weep at what I am glad of.
PROSPERO	Fair encounter
	Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace	90
	On that which breeds between 'em!
FERDINAND	Wherefore weep you?
MIRANDA	At mine unworthiness that dare not offer
	What I desire to give, and much less take
	What I shall die to want. But this is trifling;	95
	And all the more it seeks to hide itself,
	The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!
	And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!
	I am your wife, it you will marry me;
	If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow	100
	You may deny me; but I'll be your servant,
	Whether you will or no.
FERDINAND	My mistress, dearest;
	And I thus humble ever.
MIRANDA	My husband, then?	105
FERDINAND	Ay, with a heart as willing
	As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand.
MIRANDA	And mine, with my heart in't; and now farewell
	Till half an hour hence.
FERDINAND	A thousand thousand!	110
	Exeunt FERDINAND and MIRANDA severally
PROSPERO	So glad of this as they I cannot be,
	Who are surprised withal; but my rejoicing
	At nothing can be more. I'll to my book,
	For yet ere supper-time must I perform
	Much business appertaining.	115
	Exit