The Tempest by William Shakespeare (best adventure books to read .txt) 📕

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 skilless 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

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

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 surprised 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, 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 thy head. Trinculo Where should they be set else? he were a brave monster indeed, if they were set in his tail. Stephano My man-monster hath drown’d his tongue in sack: for my part, the sea cannot drown me; I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five and thirty leagues off and on. By this light, thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard. Trinculo Your lieutenant, if you list; he’s no standard. Stephano We’ll not run, Monsieur Monster. Trinculo Nor go neither; but you’ll lie like dogs and yet say nothing neither. Stephano Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf. Caliban

How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe.
I’ll not serve him; he’s not valiant.

Trinculo Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case to justle a constable. Why, thou deboshed fish thou, was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half a fish and half a monster? Caliban Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord? Trinculo “Lord” quoth he! That a monster should be such a natural! Caliban Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I prithee. Stephano Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head: if you prove a mutineer⁠—the next tree! The poor monster’s my subject and he shall not suffer indignity. Caliban I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased to hearken once again to the suit I made to thee? Stephano Marry, will I: kneel and repeat it; I will stand, and so shall Trinculo. Enter Ariel, invisible. Caliban As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island. Ariel Thou liest. Caliban

Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou:
I would my valiant master would destroy thee!
I do not lie.

Stephano Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in’s tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth. Trinculo Why, I said nothing. Stephano Mum, then, and no more. Proceed. Caliban

I say, by sorcery he got this isle;
From me he got it. If thy greatness will
Revenge it on him⁠—for I know thou darest,
But this thing dare not⁠—

Stephano That’s most certain. Caliban Thou shalt be lord of it and I’ll serve thee. Stephano How now shall this be compassed? Canst thou bring me to the party? Caliban

Yea, yea, my lord: I’ll yield him thee asleep,
Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.

Ariel Thou liest; thou canst not. Caliban

What a pied ninny’s this! Thou scurvy patch!
I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows
And take his bottle from him: when that’s gone
He shall drink nought but brine; for I’ll not show him
Where the quick freshes are.

Stephano Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt the monster one word further, and, by this hand, I’ll turn my mercy out o’ doors and make a stock-fish of thee. Trinculo Why, what did I? I did nothing. I’ll go farther off. Stephano Didst thou not say he lied? Ariel Thou liest. Stephano Do I so? take thou that. Beats Trinculo. As you like this, give me the lie another time. Trinculo I did not give the lie. Out o’ your wits and hearing too? A pox o’ your bottle! this can sack and