ACT IV.

SCENE 1

Before PROSPERO’S cell Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA PROSPERO If I have too austerely punish’d you, Your compensation makes amends; for Have given you here a third of mine own life, Or that for which I live; who once again I tender to thy hand. All thy vexations Were but my trials of thy love, and thou Hast strangely stood the test; here, afore heaven, I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand!

Do not smile at me that I boast her off, For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise, And make it halt behind her.

FERDINAND I do believe it Against an oracle.

PROSPERO Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition Wort’hily purchas’d, take my daughter. But If thou dost break her virgin-knot before All sanctimonious ceremonies may With full and holy rite be minist’red, No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall To make this contract grow; but barren hate, Sour-ey’d disdain, and discord, shall bestrew The union of your bed with weeds so loathly That you shall hate it both. Therefore take heed, As Hymen’s lamps shall light you.

FERDINAND As I hope For quiet days, fair issue, and long life, With such love as ‘tis now, the murkiest den, The most opportune place, the strong’st suggestion Our worser genius can, shall never melt Mine honour into lust, to take away The edge of that day’s celebration, When I shall think or Phoebus’ steeds are founder’d Or Night kept chain’d below.

PROSPERO Fairly spoke. Sit, then, and talk with her; she is thine own. What, Ariel! my industrious servant, Ariel! Enter ARIEL ARIEL What would my potent master? Here I am. PROSPERO Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service Did worthily perform; and I must use you In such another trick. Go bring the rabble, O’er whom I give thee pow’r, here to this place.

Incite them to quick motion; for I must Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple Some vanity of mine art; it is my promise, And they expect it from me.

ARIEL Presently? PROSPERO Ay, with a twink.

ARIEL Before you can say ‘come’ and ‘go,’ And breathe twice, and cry ‘so, so,’ Each one, tripping on his toe, Will be here with mop and mow.

Do you love me, master? No? PROSPERO Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach Till thou dost hear me call.

ARIEL Well! I conceive. Exit