Scene I

Before Prospero's Cell.

[Enter Ferdinand, bearing a log]

FERD:

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
Would be as heavy to me as odious, but(5)
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
Some thousands of these logs and pile them up,(10)
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,
Most busil'est, when I do it.(15)

FERD:

There are some sports that are painful, and working at them
Makes them delightful: some kinds of baseness
Are endured nobly, and most little matters
Point to rich endings. This mean task of mine
Would be as heavy to me as hateful, except that
The mistress I serve makes alive what's dead,
And makes my labors pleasurable: Oh! She is
Ten times more gentle than her crabby father,
And he's made of harshness. I must move
Some thousands of these logs, and pile them up,
By a painful order: my sweet mistress
Weeps when she sees me work, and says similar low
Jobs never had such a worker. I forget:
But these sweet thoughts even refresh my work,
Keep me very busy, at least when I do it.

[Enter Miranda. Prospero enters 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 enjoined to pile!
Pray, set it down, and rest you. When this burns,
’Twill weep for having wearied you. My father(20)
Is hard at study. Pray now, rest yourself.
He's safe for these three hours.

MIRANDA:

Alas! Now please,
Don’t work so hard: I wish lightning had
Burned up those logs that you are ordered to pile up!
Please, set it down and rest: when this burns,
It will cry for having made you tired. My father
Is hard at study; please, now, rest yourself:
He's safe for these three hours.

FERD:

O most dear mistress,
The sun will set before I shall discharge
What I must strive to do.(25)

FERD:

O most dear mistress,
The sun will set before I finish
What I must work to do.

MIRINDA:

If you'll sit down
I'll bear your logs the while. Pray, give me that;
I'll carry it to the pile.

MIRINDA:

If you'll sit down,
I'll carry your logs the while. Please give me that;
I'll carry it to the pile.

FERD:

No, precious creature.
I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,(30)
Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.

FERD:

No, precious creature:
I had rather crack my muscles, break my back,
Than you should suffer a similar dishonor,
While I sit by lazily.

MIRANDA:

It would become me
As well as it does you; and I should do it
With much more ease, for my good will is to it,(35)
And yours it is against.

MIRANDA:

It would be as natural to me
As it is to you: and I should do it
Much more easily, because my good will is in it,
And yours is against it.

PROSP:

[aside] Poor worm, thou art infected!
This visitation shows it.

PROSP:

[Aside] Poor worm! You are infected:
This visit shows it.

MIRANDA:

You look wearily.

MIRANDA:

You look tired.

FERD:

No, noble mistress, ’tis fresh morning with me(40)
When you are by at night. I do beseech you—
Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers—
What is your name?

FERD:

No, noble mistress; it is fresh morning with me
When you are near at night. Please—
Chiefly that I might say it in my prayers—
What is your name?

MIRANDA:

Miranda. O my father,
I have broke your hest to say so!(45)

MIRANDA:

Miranda—O my father!
I have broken his command not to say so.

FERD:

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
Th’ harmony of their tongues hath into bondage(50)
Brought my too diligent ear. For several virtues
Have I liked several women; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed
And put it to the foil. But you, O you,(55)
So perfect and so peerless, are created
Of every creature's best!

FERD:

Admired Miranda!
Indeed, the top of admiration; worth
What's dearest to the world! I have looked at
Many a lady with best regard, and many a time
The harmony of what they say has my ear
Into slavery: I have liked several women
For several virtues; never any
With so full a soul that some defect in her
Was hidden with the noblest grace she had,
And put it to death: but you, O you!
So perfect and so peerless, are created
Out of every creature's best virtues.

MIRANDA:

I do not know
One of my sex; no woman's face remember
Save from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen(60)
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
Any companion in the world but you;(65)
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.

MIRANDA:

I don’t know
Anyone of my sex; I don’t remember any woman’s face,
Except, my own, from my mirror; I haven’t seen
Any more that I may call men except you, good friend,
And my dear father: how things are somewhere else,
I don’t know; but, by my modesty,—
The jewel in my dower,—I wouldn’t wish for
Any companion in the world but you;
And I can’t imagine a form, a shape, to like
Besides you yourself. But I jabber on
A little too wildly, and there I am forgetting
My father's lessons.

FERD:

I am in my condition
A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king—(70)
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:
The very instant that I saw you did
My heart fly to your service; there resides(75)
To make me slave to it; and for your sake
Am I this patient log-man.

FERD:

In my state, I am
A prince, Miranda; I think, a king;—
I wish it would not be so!—and would no more endure
This wooden slavery than to put up with
A blow fly in my mouth.—Listen to my soul speak:—
The very instant that I saw you,
My heart flew to your service; it lives there,
Making me slave to it; and for your sake
I am this patient log-man.

MIRANDA:

Do you love me?

MIRANDA:

Do you love me?

FERD:

O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound,
And crown what I profess with kind event(80)
If I speak true! If hollowly invert
What best is boded me to mischief! I,
Beyond all limit of what else i'th’ world,
Do love, prize, honour you.

FERD:

O heaven! O earth! Bear witness to this sound,
And crown what I profess with a kind outcome,
If I speak the truth: if I am lying, turn
What is best in me to mischief! I,
Beyond all limit of whatever else in the world,
Do love, prize, honor you.

MIRINDA:

[weeping] I am a fool(85)
To weep at what I am glad of.

MIRINDA:

I am a fool
To cry at what I am happy about.

PROSP:

[aside] Fair encounter
Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between ’em!

PROSP:

[Aside] Fair meeting
Of two most rare loves! Heavens rain grace
On that which grows between them!

FERD:

Wherefore weep you?(90)

FERD:

Why do you cry?

MIRAN:

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,
And all the more it seeks to hide itself
The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!(95)
And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!
I am your wife, if you will marry me.
If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow
You may deny me, but I'll be your servant
Whether you will or no.(100)

MIRAN:

At my unworthiness, that dares not offer to you
What I desire to give you, or much less take
What I shall die to want from you. But this is a little thing;
And it seeks to hide itself all the more,
It shows how big it is. Here, bashful cunning!
And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!
I am your wife, if you will marry me;
If not, I'll die your virgin. You may deny me
To be your friend; but I'll be your servant,
Whether you will want me or not.

FERD:

My mistress, dearest;
And I thus humble ever.

FERD:

My mistress, dearest;
And I am humble forever.

MIRAN:

My husband then?

MIRAN:

My husband, then?

FERD:

Ay, with a heart as willing
As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand.(105)

FERD:

Yes, with a heart as willing
As slavery was ever willing of freedom: here's my hand.

MIRAN:

And mine, with my heart in't, and now farewell
Till half an hour hence.

MIRAN:

And mine, with my heart in it: and now goodbye
Until half an hour later.

FERD:

A thousand thousand!

FERD:

A thousand thousand!

[Exeunt Ferdinand and Miranda severally]

PROSP:

So glad of this as they I cannot be,
Who are surprised withal, but my rejoicing(110)
At nothing can be more. I'll to my book,
For yet ere supper-time must I perform
Much business appertaining.

PROSP:

I am as happy of this as they are. I can’t be
Likewise surprised; only my rejoicing
At nothing can be more. I'll go to my book;
Because still, before supper time, I must complete
A lot of business relating to these two.

[Exit]