Mir. I must say, sister, it was 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 would needs Go near him, and converse :-You may remember, My father call'd me thence, and I call'd you. Dor. You call'd me thence, because you could not be Alone with him yourself:-But, I am sure, My man had never gone to heaven so soon, But that yours made him go. Mir. I could not wish, that either of them should Have gone to heaven without us; but it was His fortune, and you must be satisfy'd. Dor. I'll not be satisfy'd: perhaps, you think, Tis nothing to lose a man. Mir. Yes; but there is Some difference between my Ferdinand, And your Hippolyto. Dor. Ay, there's your judgment: Yours is the oldest man I ever saw, Except my father. Mir. Sister, I'll never sleep with you again. But lodge on the bare ground, and mourn my love : And echo to each blast of wind a sigh. [Exeunt. ACT THE FIFTH. SCENE I. A Grove behind the Cell of PROSPERO. Enter PROSPERO and MIRANDA. . Pro. You beg in vain; I cannot pardon him; He has offended Heaven. Mir. Then let Heaven punish him. Pro. It will, by me. Mir. Grant him at least some respite, for my sake. Pro. I, by deferring justice, should incense, The Deity against myself and you. Mir. Yet I have heard you say, the powers Are slow in punishing, and should not you Resemble them ?— And can you be his judge and executioner? Pro. I cannot force Gonzalo, or my brother, above And he's not here: but Ariel straight shall fetch him. Enter ARIEL, with a small Box of Unguent, and Ari. My potent lord, before thou call'st, I come To serve thy will. Pro. Then, spirit, fetch me hither My savage slave. Ari. My lord, it does not need. Pro. Art thou then prone to mischief? Wilt thou be Thyself the executioner? Ari. Think better of thy airy minister, Who, for thy sake, unbidden, this night hath flown O'er almost all the habitable world. Pro. But to what purpose was thy diligence? I search'd his wound with care, and found that life Pro. Give them to me: Be this your task, Mi randa, Because your sister is not present here; [Gives her the Sword and Box. While I go visit your dear Ferdinand, Tell me, my spirit, how fares Prince Ferdinand, Ari. Confin'd together In the same fashion as you gave in charge: G His tears run down his beard, like winter drops From eaves of reeds: Your charm so strongly works 'em That, if you now beheld them, your affections Would become tender. Pro. Dost thou think so, spirit ? Ari. Mine would, sir, were I human. Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling Yet with my nobler reason 'gainst my fury Will I take part: the rarer action is In virtue than in vengeance: they being penitent, SCENE II. The Inside of the Cave of Hippolyto. HIPPOLYTO on a Couch, and DORINDA by him, discovered. Dor. How do you find yourself? Hip. I'm somewhat cold: Can you not draw me nearer to the sun? I am too weak to walk. Dor. My love, I'll try. [She draws the Couch forward. They told me, you had died, and were asleep, Never to wake again :-What is't to die? Hip. Sure 'tis a dream, a kind of breathless swood, When once the soul's gone out. -Dor. What is the soul? Hip. A small blue thing, that runs about within us. Dor. Then I have seen it in a frosty morning Run smoking from my mouth. Hip. But, dear Dorinda, What is become of him, who fought with me? Hip. That must not be : My dear Dorinda, go, and beg your father Dor. But then he'll ne'er leave killing you, perhaps. Hip. Nay, but run quickly, lest you come too late. [Exit DORINDA, Enter MIRANDA, with the Sword and Box. Hip. Who's this, who looks so fair and beautiful, As nothing but Dorinda can surpass her? O, I believe, it is that angel woman Whom she calls sister. Mir. Sir, I am sent hither To dress your wound :-How do you find your strength? Hip. Fair creature, I am faint with loss of blood. [She uncovers the Sword. [She anoints the Sword. My wound shoots worse than ever. Mir. Do you find No ease? Hip. Yes:-on the sudden all the pain Is leaving me.- [She wraps the Sword up again. Sweet Heaven, how I'm reliev'd! [Rises. |