 | The Virgin Queen |  |
SCENE II.
THE KING'S CABIN.The Thunder is still heard; and Trinculo and Stephano, crying, without.
TRINCULO and STEPHANO.
For heaven's sake, most mighty king,
prince, duke, and lords, open the cabin door!
Enter Alonso, Prospero, Ferdinand, and Gonzalo, severally.
ALONSO.
What may these clamours and strange portents mean?
GONZALO.
No good, I fear, my liege!—remember, sir,
[to Prospero.]
Your magick power's forgone—then let's beware!
PROSPERO.
Fear nothing, sir! in magick what we lack,
Trusting in him who ne'er the just forsook,
Prudence and fortitude shall now supply!
STEPHANO.
[Without—the thunder still heard.
Oh lord! we shall be devour'd in another
minute—open the door, open the door!
Most merciful and mighty lords, open the
door of your most princely cabin, and save two
miserable wretches from this most devilish devil.
PROSPERO.
[Opens the door.
Trinculo and Stephano enter, and kneel.
Now, sirrahs! why this clamorous outcry here?
And whence this mingled fear and boldness?—speak!
STEPHANO.
Oh, I can't speak! do you, Trinculo.
TRINCULO.
Fear will sometimes make a coward bold! the
sailors had no bowels, so we were forc'd to
crave pity here; to save ourselves from being
devour'd by a spirit, or devil, (I know not
which) that just now appear'd upon deck!
PROSPERO.
A spirit on deck! arise, and let me pass—
ALONSO.
Be careful for your safety, good my lord!
FERDINAND.
Remember Ariel's caution ere we sail'd;—
It may be Sycorax, the monster's dam.
The very same, my lord! I heard the monster
call her dam, and Sycorax;—and a damn'd
Sycorax she is!
Enter the Master of the Ship.
PROSPERO.
How now, ship-master! what's the news with you?
MASTER.
Bad news, in troth, my lord! I fear'd some
ill would come of taking that hellish monster
on board; a devil, I believe, has been
upon deck a plotting with him.
PROSPERO.
Observe me well! go, charge the pilot strait
That, as he would shun death, he land avoid;—
Upon not touching earth our lives depend!
MASTER.
Our lives depend more upon touching
food, I take it, my lord! and a shore we must go,
the first land we can make, or to the bottom;
for not a biscuit is there left on board.
PROSPERO.
What say you, sir! the ship was fully stor'd
For twice our voyage, and number, ere we sail'd.
It was, my lord; but, yon terrible beast, Caliban,
and the confederate lords, have thrown
the whole ship's provision into the sea.
PROSPERO.
Then are we lost, indeed! this foul event
Is hell's contrivance! for the senseless beast
Could ne'er have hit on such a sure device,
T'enmesh us in the snares of that arch-fiend!
GONZALO.
Bear up, good sir! all things may yet go well.
MASTER.
If your highness had not left off your magical
art now—
PROSPERO.
I do almost repent me that I did—
But I foresaw not such a dire mischance!
Yet, will I not despair, nor idly grieve:—
The haggard fiend has here no pow'r to harm;
I'll, therefore, send the beast, her son, on shore,
(Soon as our ship shall near the land arrive)
To gather fruits, or what else he may find
Of wholsome viands:—should he not return
We're rid of him!—I, then, myself will go,
Striving to save, a sacrifice for all!
Exeunt all but Trinculo and Stephano.
TRINCULO.
Why, Stephano! what in the name of hunger, is
to become of us now? the provision all thrown
overboard! and a sort of poor souls like us at
sea, with nothing but ropes' ends to eat, and
salt water to wash'em down with! by the mass,
I shall never grow fat upon such diet!—I feel a
strange gnawing here, already;—for, I supp'd
chiefly on sack last night: hast nothing hid in
a corner, Stephano?
STEPHANO.
Yes, wine in plenty;—if the mischievous
monster have not broke open my locker, and
drunk or spilt the contents.
TRINCULO.
But, hast nothing to eat, boy?
STEPHANO.
Nothing, but sack;—which is meat and drink to
me! and he that can't make a good meal on
that, ought to go hungry all his days!—but,
hark, Trinculo! dost not hear a noise upon
deck?—that bloody-minded savage is roaring
in the hold, for fear of the worst.
TRINCULO.
Oh, lord! what will become of me! in the
middle of the sea, as hungry as a hyena, and not
a morsel of any thing to eat!—at this rate, the
hold won't long hold me! and, for want of
food, I shall myself become food for herrings
and mackrel!
Exeunt.
| The Virgin Queen | |