The setting of thine eye and cheek proclaim A matter from thee, and a birth indeed Which throes thee much to yield. ANTONIO Thus, sir:
Although this lord of weak remembrance, this, Who shall be of as little memory When he is earth'd, hath here almost persuade,--For he's a spirit of persuasion, only Professes to persuade,--the king his son's alive, 'Tis as impossible that he's undrown'd And he that sleeps here swims. SEBASTIAN I have no hope That he's undrown'd. ANTONIO O, out of that 'no hope' What great hope have you! no hope that way is Another way so high a hope that even Ambition cannot pierce a wink beyond, But doubt discovery there. Will you grant with me That Ferdinand is drown'd? SEBASTIAN He's gone. ANTONIO Then, tell me, Who's the next heir of Naples? SEBASTIAN Claribel. ANTONIO She that is queen of Tunis; she that dwells Ten leagues beyond man's life; she that from Naples Can have no note, unless the sun were post--The man i' the moon's too slow--till new-born chins Be rough and razorable; she that--from whom?
We all were sea-swallow'd, though some cast again, And by that destiny to perform an act Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come In yours and my discharge. SEBASTIAN What stuff is this! how say you?
'Tis true, my brother's daughter's queen of Tunis;So is she heir of Naples; 'twixt which regions There is some space. ANTONIO A space whose every cubit Seems to cry out, 'How shall that Claribel Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis, And let Sebastian wake.' Say, this were death That now hath seized them; why, they were no worse Than now they are. There be that can rule Naples As well as he that sleeps; lords that can prate As amply and unnecessarily As this Gonzalo; I myself could make A chough of as deep chat. O, that you bore The mind that I do! what a sleep were this For your advancement! Do you understand me? SEBASTIAN Methinks I do. ANTONIO And how does your content Tender your own good fortune? SEBASTIAN I remember You did supplant your brother Prospero. ANTONIO True:
And look how well my garments sit upon me;Much feater than before: my brother's servants Were then my fellows; now they are my men. SEBASTIAN But, for your conscience? ANTONIO Ay, sir; where lies that? if 'twere a kibe, 'Twould put me to my slipper: but I feel not This deity in my bosom: twenty consciences, That stand 'twixt me and Milan, candied be they And melt ere they molest! Here lies your brother, No better than the earth he lies upon, If he were that which now he's like, that's dead;Whom I, with this obedient steel, three inches of it, Can lay to bed for ever; whiles you, doing thus, To the perpetual wink for aye might put This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest, They'll take suggestion as a cat laps milk;They'll tell the clock to any business that We say befits the hour. SEBASTIAN Thy case, dear friend, Shall be my precedent; as thou got'st Milan, I'll come by Naples. Draw thy sword: one stroke Shall free thee from the tribute which thou payest;And I the king shall love thee. ANTONIO Draw together;And when I rear my hand, do you the like, To fall it on Gonzalo. SEBASTIAN O, but one word.
They talk apart Re-enter ARIEL, invisible ARIEL My master through his art foresees the danger That you, his friend, are in; and sends me forth--For else his project dies--to keep them living.
Sings in GONZALO's ear While you here do snoring lie, Open-eyed conspiracy His time doth take.
If of life you keep a care, Shake off slumber, and beware:
Awake, awake! ANTONIO Then let us both be sudden. GONZALO Now, good angels Preserve the king.
They wake ALONSO Why, how now? ho, awake! Why are you drawn?
Wherefore this ghastly looking? GONZALO What's the matter? SEBASTIAN Whiles we stood here securing your repose, Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing Like bulls, or rather lions: did't not wake you?
It struck mine ear most terribly. ALONSO I heard nothing. ANTONIO O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear, To make an earthquake! sure, it was the roar Of a whole herd of lions. ALONSO Heard you this, Gonzalo? GONZALO Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming, And that a strange one too, which did awake me:
I shaked you, sir, and cried: as mine eyes open'd, I saw their weapons drawn: there was a noise, That's verily. 'Tis best we stand upon our guard, Or that we quit this place; let's draw our weapons. ALONSO Lead off this ground; and let's make further search For my poor son. GONZALO Heavens keep him from these beasts!
For he is, sure, i' the island. ALONSO Lead away. ARIEL Prospero my lord shall know what I have done:
So, king, go safely on to seek thy son.