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pray you,

       Work not so hard: I would the lightning had

       Burnt up those logs that you are enjoin’d to pile!

       Pray, set it down and rest you: when this burns,

       ‘Twill weep for having wearied you. My father

       Is hard at study; pray, now, rest yourself:

       He’s safe for these three hours.

       FERDINAND.

       O most dear mistress,

       The sun will set, before I shall discharge

       What I must strive to do.

       MIRANDA.

       If you’ll sit down,

       I’ll bear your logs the while. Pray give me that;

       I’ll carry it to the pile.

       FERDINAND.

       No, precious creature:

       I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,

       Than you should such dishonour undergo,

       While I sit lazy by.

       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,

       And yours it is against.

       PROSPERO.

       [Aside] Poor worm! thou art infected:

       This visitation shows it.

       MIRANDA.

       You look wearily.

       FERDINAND.

       No, noble mistress; ‘tis fresh morning with me

       When you are by at night. I do beseech you—

       Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers—

       What is your name?

       MIRANDA.

       Miranda—O my father!

       I have broke your hest to say so.

       FERDINAND.

       Admir’d Miranda!

       Indeed, the top of admiration; worth

       What’s dearest to the world! Full many a lady

       I have ey’d with best regard, and many a time

       The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage

       Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues

       Have I lik’d several women; never any

       With so full soul but some defect in her

       Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow’d,

       And put it to the foil: but you, O you!

       So perfect and so peerless, are created

       Of every creature’s best.

       MIRANDA.

       I do not know

       One of my sex; no woman’s face remember,

       Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen

       More that I may call men than you, good friend,

       And my dear father: how features are abroad,

       I am skill-less of; but, by my modesty,—

       The jewel in my dower,—I would not wish

       Any companion in the world but you;

       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.

       FERDINAND.

       I am, in my condition,

       A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;—

       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,

       To make me slave to it; and for your sake

       Am I this patient log-man.

       MIRANDA.

       Do you love me?

       FERDINAND.

       O heaven! O earth! bear witness to this sound,

       And crown what I profess with kind event,

       If I speak true: if hollowly, invert

       What best is boded me to mischief! I,

       Beyond all limit of what else i’ the world,

       Do love, prize, honour you.

       MIRANDA.

       I am a fool

       To weep at what I am glad of.

       PROSPERO.

       [Aside] Fair encounter

       Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace

       On that which breeds between them!

       FERDINAND.

       Wherefore weep you?

       MIRANDA.

       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!

       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.

       FERDINAND.

       My mistress, dearest;

       And I thus humble ever.

       MIRANDA.

       My husband, then?

       FERDINAND.

       Ay, with a heart as willing

       As bondage e’er of freedom: here’s my hand.

       MIRANDA.

       And mine, with my heart in’t: and now farewell

       Till half an hour hence.

       FERDINAND.

       A thousand thousand!

       [Exeunt FERDINAND and MIRANDA severally.]

       PROSPERO.

       So glad of this as they, I cannot be,

       Who are surpris’d withal; but my rejoicing

       At nothing can be more. I’ll to my book;

       For yet, ere supper time, must I perform

       Much business appertaining.

       [Exit]

       SCENE II. Another part of the island

       [Enter CALIBAN, with a bottle, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO.]

       STEPHANO. Tell not me:—when the butt is out we will drink water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and board ‘em.—Servant-monster, drink to me.

       TRINCULO. Servant-monster! The folly of this island! They say there’s but five upon this isle; we are three of them; if th’ other two be brained like us, the state totters.

       STEPHANO. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee: thy eyes are almost set in

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