 | The Tempest, or The Enchanted Island |  |
62
SCENE III.
The Cypress-trees and Cave.Enter Ferdinand, Hippolito, (with their swords drawn.)
Ferd.
Come, Sir, our Cave affords no choice of place,
But the ground's firm and even: are you ready?
Hip.
As ready as your self, Sir.
Ferd.
You remember on what conditions we must fight?
Who first receives a wound is to submit.
Hip.
Come, come, this loses time; now for the
Women, Sir.
[They fight a little, Ferdinand hurts him.
Ferd.
Sir, you are wounded.
Hip.
No.
Ferd.
Believe your bloud.
Hip.
I feel no hurt, no matter for my bloud.
Ferd.
Remember our Conditions.
Hip.
I'll not leave, till my Sword hits you too.
[Hip. presses on, Ferd. retires and wards.
Ferd.
I'm loth to kill you, you are unskilful, Sir.
Hip.
You beat aside my Sword, but let it come as near
As yours, and you shall see my skill.
Ferd.
You faint for loss of bloud, I see you stagger,
Pray, Sir, retire.
Hip.
No! I will ne'r go back—
Methink the Cave turns round, I cannot find—
Ferd.
Your eyes begin to dazle.
Hip.
Why do you swim so, and dance about me?
Stand but still till I have made one thrust.
[Hippolito thrusts and falls.
Ferd.
O help, help, help!
Unhappy man! what have I done?
Hip.
I'm going to a cold sleep, but when I wake,
I'll fight agen. Pray stay for me.
[Swounds.
Ferd.
He's gone! he's gone! O stay, sweet lovely Youth!
Help! help!
[Enter Prospero.
Prosp.
What dismal noise is that?
Ferd.
O see, Sir, see!
What mischief my unhappy hand has wrought.
63
Alas! how much in vain doth feeble Art endeavour
To resist the will of Heaven?
[Rubs Hippolito:
He's gone for ever; O thou cruel Son of an
Inhumane Father! all my designs are ruin'd
And unravell'd by this blow.
No pleasure now is left me but revenge.
Ferd.
Sir, if you knew my innocence—
Prosp.
Peace, peace,
Can thy excuses give me back his life?
What Ariel? sluggish Spirit, where art thou?
[Enter Ariel.
Ariel.
Here, at thy beck, my Lord.
Prosp.
I, now thou com'st, when Fate is past and not to be
Recall'd. Look there, and glut the malice of
Thy Nature, for as thou art thy self, thou
Canst not but be glad to see young Virtue
Nipt i'th' Blossom.
Ariel.
My Lord, the Being high above can witness
I am not glad; we Airy Spirits are not of a temper
So malicious as the Earthy,
But of a Nature more approaching good.
For which we meet in swarms, and often combat
Betwixt the Confines of the Air and Earth.
Prosp.
Why did'st thou not prevent, at least foretel,
This fatal action then?
Ariel.
Pardon, great Sir,
I meant to do it, but I was forbidden
By the ill Genius of Hippolito,
Who came and threaten'd me, if I disclos'd it,
To bind me in the bottom of the Sea,
Far from the lightsome Regions of the Air,
(My Native fields) above a hundred years.
Prosp.
I'll chain thee in the North for thy neglect,
Within the burning bowels of Mount Heila;
I'll singe thy airy wings with sulph'rous flames,
And choak thy tender nostrils with blew smoak,
At ev'ry Hick-up of the belching Mountain,
Thou shalt be lifted up to taste fresh air,
And then fall down agen.
64
Pardon, dread Lord.
Prosp.
No more of pardon then just Heav'n intends thee
Shalt thou e'r find from me: hence! fly with speed,
Unbind the Charms which hold this Murtherer's
Father, and bring him, with my Brother, streight
Before me.
Ariel.
Mercy, my potent Lord, and I'll outfly thy thought.
[Exit Ariel.
Ferd.
O Heavens! what words are those I heard?
Yet cannot see who spoke 'em: sure the Woman
Whom I lov'd was like this, some aiery Vision.
Prosp.
No, Murd'rer, she's, like thee, of mortal mould,
But much too pure to mix with thy black Crimes;
Yet she had faults, and must be punish'd for 'em.
Miranda and Dorinda! where are ye?
The will of Heaven's accomplish'd: I have
Now no more to fear, and nothing left to hope,
Now you may enter
[Enter Miranda and Dorinda.
Mir.
My Love! is it permitted me to see you once agen?
Prosp.
You come to look your last; I will
For ever take him from your eyes.
But, on my blessing, speak not, nor approach him.
Dor.
Pray, Father, is not this my Sister's Man?
He has a noble form; but yet he's not so excellent
As my Hippolito.
Prosp.
Alas, poor Girl, thou hast no Man: look yonder;
There's all of him that's left.
Dor.
Why, was there ever any more of him?
He lies asleep, Sir, shall I waken him?
[She kneels by Hippolito, and jogs him.
Ferd.
Alas! he's never to be wak'd agen.
Dor.
My Love, my Love! will you not speak to me?
I fear you have displeas'd him, Sir, and now
He will not answer me, he's dumb and cold too;
But I'll run streight, and make a fire to warm him.
[Exit Dorinda running.
65
Alonz.
Never were Beasts so hunted into Toils,
As we have been pursu'd by dreadful shapes.
But is not that my Son? O Ferdinand!
If thou art not a Ghost, let me embrace thee.
Ferd.
My Father! O sinister happiness! Is it
Decreed I should recover you alive, just in that
Fatal hour when this brave Youth is lost in Death,
And by my hand?
Ant.
Heaven! what new wonder's this?
Gonz.
This Isle is full of nothing else.
Prosp.
You stare upon me as
You ne'r had seen me; have fifteen years
So lost me to your knowledge, that you retain
No memory of Prospero?
Gonz.
The good old Duke of Millain!
Prosp.
I wonder less, that thou, Antonio, know'st me not,
Because thou didst long since forget I was thy Brother,
Else I never had been here.
Ant.
Shame choaks my words.
Alonz.
And wonder mine.
Prosp.
For you, usurping Prince.
[To Alonzo.
Know, by my Art, you were shipwrack'd on this Isle,
Where, after I a while had punish'd you, my vengeance
Wou'd have ended, I design'd to match that Son
Of yours, with this my Daughter.
Alonz.
Pursue it still, I am most willing to't.
Prosp.
So am not I. No Marriages can prosper
Which are with Murderers made; Look on that Corps,
This, whilst he liv'd, was young Hippolito, that
Infant Duke of Mantua, Sir, whom you, expos'd
With me; and here I bred him up, till that blond-thirsty
Man, that Ferdinand—
But why do I exclaim on him, when Justice calls
To unsheath her Sword against his guilt?
Alonz.
What do you mean?
Prosp.
To execute Heav'ns Laws.
66
Though you have dispossess'd me of my Millain.
Bloud calls for bloud; your Ferdinand shall die,
And I, in bitterness, have sent for you,
To have the sudden joy of seeing him alive,
And then the greater grief to see him die.
Alonz.
And think'st thou I, or these, will tamely stand,
To view the Execution?
[Lays hand upon his sword.
Ferd.
Hold, dear Father! I cannot suffer you
T'attempt against his life, who gave her being
Whom I love.
Prosp.
Nay then appear my Guards—I thought no more to
Use their aid; (I'm curs'd because I us'd it)
[He stamps, and many Spirits appear.
But they are now the Ministers of Heaven,
Whilst I revenge this Murder.
Alonz.
Have I for this found thee, my Son, so soon agen,
To lose thee? Antonio, Gonzalo, speak for pity:
Ferd.
to Mir.
Adieu, my fairest Mistris.
Mir.
Now I can hold no longer; I must speak.
Though I am loth to disobey you, Sir,
Be not so cruel to the Man I love,
Or be so kind to let me suffer with him.
Ferd.
Recall that Pray'r, or I shall wish to live,
Though death be all the mends that I can make.
Prosp.
This night I will allow you, Ferdinand, to fit
You for your death, that Cave's your Prison.
Alonz.
Ah, Prospero! hear me speak. You are a Father,
Look on my Age, and look upon his Youth.
Prosp.
No more! all you can say is urg'd in vain,
I have no room for pity left within me.
Do you refuse! help, Ariel, with your Fellows
To drive 'em in; Alonzo and his Son bestow in
Yonder Cave, and here Gonzalo shall with
Antonio lodge.
[Spirits drive 'em in, as they are appointed.
Enter Dorinda.
Dor.
Sir, I have made a fire, shall he be warm'd?
67
He's dead, and vital warmth will ne'r return.
Dor.
Dead, Sir, what's that?
Prosp.
His Soul has left his Body.
Dor.
When will it come agen?
Prosp.
O never, never!
He must be laid in Earth, and there consume.
Dor.
He shall not lie in Earth, you do not know
How well he loves me: indeed he'l come agen;
He told me he would go a little while,
But promis'd me he would not tarry long.
Prosp.
He's murder'd by the man who lov'd your Sister.
Now both of you may see what 'tis to break
A Father's Precept; you would needs see men, and by
That sight are made for ever wretched.
Hippolito is dead, and Ferdinand must die
For murdering him.
Mir.
Have you no pity?
Prosp.
Your disobedience has so much incens'd me, that
I this night can leave no blessing with you.
Help to convey the Body to my Couch,
Then leave me to mourn over it alone.
[They bear off the Body of Hippolito.
Enter Miranda and Dorinda again. Ariel behind 'em.
Ariel.
I've been so chid for my neglect by Prospero,
That I must now watch all, and be unseen.
Mir.
Sister, I say agen, 'twas long of you
That all this mischief happen'd.
Dor
Blame not me for your own fault, your
Curiosity brought me to see the Man.
Mir.
You safely might have seen him, and retir'd, but
You wou'd needs go near him, and converse, you may
Remember my Father call'd me thence, and I call'd you.
Dor.
That was your envy, Sister, not your love;
You call'd me thence, because you could not be
Alone with him your self; but I am sure my
Man had never gone to Heaven so soon, but
That yours made him go.
[Crying.
68
Sister, I could not wish that either of 'em shou'd
Go to Heaven without us, but it was his fortune,
And you must be satisfi'd?
Dor.
I'll not be satisfi'd: my Father says he'll make
Your Man as cold as mine is now, and when he
Is made cold, my Father will not let you strive
To make him warm agen.
Mir.
In spite of you mine never shall be cold.
Dor.
I'm sure 'twas he that made me miserable,
And I will be reveng'd. Perhaps you think 'tis
Nothing to lose a Man.
Mir.
Yes, but there is some difference betwixt
My Ferdinand, and your Hippolito.
Dor.
I, there's your judgment. Your's is the oldest
Man I ever saw, except it were my Father.
Mir.
Sister, no more. It is not comely in a Daughter,
When she says her Father's old.
Dor.
But why do I stay here, whilst my cold Love
Perhaps may want me?
I'l pray my father to make yours cold too.
Mir.
Sister, I'l never sleep with you again.
Dor.
I'll never more meet in a Bed with you,
But lodge on the bare ground, and watch my Love.
Mir.
And at the entrance of that Cave I'll lie,
And eccho to each blast of wind a sigh.
[Exeunt severally, looking discontentedly on one another.
Ariel.
Harsh discord reigns throughout this fatal Isle,
At which good Angels mourn, ill spirits smile;
Old Prospero by his Daughters robb d of rest,
Has in displeasure left 'em both unblest.
Unkindly they abjure each others bed,
To save the living, and revenge the dead.
Alonzo and his Son are pris'ners made,
And good Gonzalo does their crimes upbraid.
Antonio and Gonzalo disagree,
And wou'd though in one Cave, at distance be.
The Seamen all that cursed Wine have spent,
Which still renew'd their thirst of Government;
69
Each wou'd to rule alone the rest devour.
The Monsters Sycorax and Caliban,
More monstrous grow by passions learn'd from Man.
Even I not fram'd of warring Elements,
Partake and suffer in these discontents.
Why shou'd a Mortal by Enchantments hold
In Chains a Spirit of Ætherial mold?
Accursed Magick we our selves have taught,
And our own pow'r has our subjection wrought!
[Exit.
| The Tempest, or The Enchanted Island | |