And left me to a bootless inquisition; Concluding, Stay, not yet.— Pro. The hour's now come; The very minute bids thee ope thine ear; Obey, and be attentive. Can'st thou remember I do not think thou can'st; for then thou wast not Mira. Certainly, sir, I can. Pro. By what? by any other house, or person? Of any thing the image tell me, that Hath kept with thy remembrance. Mira. 'Tis far off; And rather like a dream, than an assurance Four or five women once, that tended me? Pro. Thou had'st, and more, Miranda: But how is it, That this lives in thy mind? What see'st thou else If thou remember'st aught, ere thou cam'st here, Mira. But that I do not. Pro. Twelve years since, Miranda, twelve years since, Thy father was the duke of Milan, and A prince of power. Mira. Sir, are not you my father? Pro. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and She said-thou wast my daughter; and thy father Was duke of Milan; and his only heir A princess;-no worse issued. Mira. O the heavens ! What foul play had we, that we came from thence; Or blessed was 't, we did? Pro. By foul play, as thou say'st, Mira. 6 Both, both, my girl: were we heav'd thence; O, my heart bleeds To think o' the teen that I have turn'd you to, Which is from my remembrance! Please you, further. Pro. My brother, and thy uncle, call'd Antonio,— I pray thee, mark me,-that a brother should Without a parallel; those being all my study, And to my state grew stranger, being transported, Mira. Sir, most heedfully. Pro. Being once perfected how to grant suits, How to deny them; whom to advance, and whom To trash for over-topping 7; new created The creatures that were mine; I say, or chang'd them, Or else new form'd them: having both the key Of officer and office, set all hearts To what tune pleas'd his ear; that now he was And suck'd my verdure out on't.-Thou attend'st not: I pray thee, mark me. Mira. O good sir, I do. Pro. I thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicate As my trust was ; which had, indeed, no limit, To credit his own lie,-he did believe Mira. Your tale, sir, would cure deafness. Pro. To have no screen between this part he play'd And him he play'd it for, he needs will be Absolute Milan: Me, poor man!-my library Was dukedom large enough; of temporal royalties 'He thinks me now incapable: confederates (So dry he was for sway 9) with the king of Naples, To give him annual tribute, do him homage; Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend The dukedom, yet unbow'd, (alas, poor Milan !) Mira. O the heavens ! Pro. Mark his condition, and the event; then tell me, If this might be a brother. Mira. I should sin To think but 10 nobly of my grandmother : Pro. Now the condition. This king of Naples, being an enemy To me inveterate, hearkens my brother's suit; Out of the dukedom; and confer fair Milan, Fated to the purpose, did Antonio open The gates of Milan; and, i' the dead of darkness, Mira. Alack, for pity! I, not rememb'ring how I cried out then, Pro. Hear a little further, And then I'll bring thee to the present business Which now's upon us; without the which, this story My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not; (So dear the love my people bore me) nor set A mark so bloody on the business; but With colours fairer painted their foul ends. In few, they hurried us aboard a bark; Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepar'd A rotten carcass of a boat, not rigg'd, Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats Instinctively had quit it: there they hoist us, Mira. Was I then to you! Pro. Alack! what trouble O! a cherubim Thou wast, that did preserve me! Thou didst smile, Infused with a fortitude from heaven, When I have deck'd the sea " with drops full salt; Under my burden groan'd; which rais'd in me An undergoing stomach, to bear up Against what should ensue. Mira. How came we ashore? |