my grounds as you have done. And when I thought fit, I tore them in
pieces, and so within ten days I will do to you, Get you down to your
den again," and he beat them all the way there.
That night, about midnight, Christian and Hopeful began to pray, and
they prayed till dawn of day.
Now just at dawn Christian spoke in sudden amazement. "How foolish we
are to lie here, when we might be free after all. I have a key in my
pocket called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in
Doubting Castle."
Then said Hopeful, "That is good news, pull it out of your pocket and
try."
Christian pulled it out and began to try the dungeon door, and the
bolt, as he turned the key, yielded, and the door flew open, and
Christian and Hopeful both came out. Then he went to the door that
led to the castle yard, and with his key opened that door also. After
that he went to the iron gate, for that must be opened too. That lock
was terribly hard, yet the key did open it. Then they thrust open the
gate to make their escape in haste, but, as it opened, that gate made
such a creaking that it waked Giant Despair, who got up hastily to
follow his prisoners, but he could not run after them, for again he
took one of his fits. Then Christian and Hopeful went on till they
came to the King's highway and so were safe, because they were out of
the giant's grounds. Now when they had got over the stile, they began
to wonder what they should do to keep other pilgrims from falling into
the hands of Giant Despair. So they agreed to put up there a pillar,
and to write on it this sentence: "Over this stile is the way to
Doubting Castle, which is kept by Giant Despair, who despiseth the
King of the Celestial Country and seeks to destroy His holy pilgrims."
Many pilgrims, that came after, read what was written and escaped
Giant Despair. They then went on till they came to the Delectable
Mountains. These mountains belonged to the Lord of the steep hill
which Christian had climbed. So they went up these mountains to behold
the gardens and orchards, the vineyards and fountains. There, too,
they drank and washed themselves and ate the fruit of the vineyards.
Now there were Shepherds on the mountains, who welcomed them lovingly
and showed them many wonders. First they took them to the top of a
hill which was very steep on one side, and bid them look down to the
bottom. So Christian and Hopeful looked down, and saw at the bottom
several men dashed all to pieces by a fall that they had had from the
top.
"These," said the Shepherds, "are for an example to others to be
careful not to clamber too high, or to come too near the brink of this
mountain." The name of this mountain was Error.
Then the Shepherds took them to the top of another mountain, and the
name of it was Caution, and the Shepherds bid them look afar off. When
the pilgrims did this, they saw, as they thought, several men walking
up and down among the tombs that were there. And they saw that the men
were blind, because they stumbled sometimes upon the tombs, and
because they could not get out from among them.
Then said Christian, "What means this?"
The Shepherds then answered, "Did you see a little below these
mountains a stile that led into a meadow?"
They answered, "Yes."
"From that stile," said the Shepherds, "there goes a path that leads
straight to Doubting Castle, which is kept by Giant Despair. These
men," and the Shepherds pointed to those among the tombs, "came once
on a pilgrimage as you do now. But when they came to the stile,
because the right way was rough, they went over it into the meadow.
Here they were taken by Giant Despair and cast into Doubting Castle.
After they had been kept some time in the dungeon, he at last did put
out their eyes. Then he led them among those tombs, and left them to
wander there till this very day."
Then Christian and Hopeful thought of their escape from Doubting
Castle, and they looked at one another with tears in their eyes. But
yet they said nothing to the Shepherds. Now I saw in my dream that the
Shepherds brought them to another place, where was a door in the side
of a hill, and they opened the door and bid the pilgrims look in. They
looked in therefore and saw that within it was very dark and smoky.
They also thought that they heard there a rumbling noise as of fire,
and a cry as of some in trouble.
Then said Christian, "What means this?"
The Shepherds said, "This is a byway to hell."
And the Shepherds said one to another, "Let us show the pilgrims the
gates of the Celestial City, if they have skill to look through our
glass."
So they took Christian and Hopeful to the top of another high hill,
called Clear, and gave them the glass to look. They tried to look, but
the remembrance of that last thing the Shepherds had showed them made
their hands shake, so that they could not look steadily through the
glass. Yet they thought they saw something like the gate, and also
some of the beauty of the place. When they were about to depart, one
of the Shepherds gave them a note of the way. Another of them bid
them beware when they met the Flatterer. The third bid them take heed
that they did not sleep upon the Enchanted Ground. And the fourth bid
them "Godspeed." So I awoke from my dream.
And I slept and dreamed again, and I saw the same two pilgrims going
down the mountains and along the highway. They went on then till they
came to a place where they saw another path that seemed to be as
straight as the way which they should go. And here they knew not which
of the two to take, for both seemed straight before them, therefore
here they stood still to think.
And as they were thinking about the way, behold, a man, black of
flesh, but covered with a very light robe, came to them, and asked
them why they stood there.
They answered they were going to the Celestial City, but knew not
which of these ways to take.
"Follow me," said the man. "It is there I am going."
So they followed him in the path that had joined the way, and this
path slowly turned, and at last turned them so far from the City that
they wished to go to, that in a little time their faces were turned
away from it. Yet they still followed him. But by and by before they
knew what had happened, he led them both into a net, in which they
were so entangled that they knew not what to do. Then the white robe
fell off the black man's back, and they knew that he was the Flatterer
and had brought them into his net. Wherefore there they lay, crying
some time, for they could not get themselves out. And as they lay
weeping in the net, they saw a Shining One coming toward them with a
whip of small cord in his hand. When he was come to the place where
they were, he asked them whence they came, and what they were doing
there.
They told him that they were poor pilgrims going to Zion, but were led
out of their way by a black man clothed in white. "He bid us," said
they, "follow him, for he was going thither too."
Then said the Shining One, "It is a Flatterer that has clothed himself
like an angel of light." So he rent the net and let the men out. And
he said to the pilgrims, "Follow me," and he led them back to the way
which they had left when they followed the Flatterer.
The one with the whip then asked them where they slept last night.
They said, "With the Shepherds on the Delectable Mountains."
He asked them if the Shepherds had not given them a note, telling them
about the way. They answered, "Yes," but they had forgotten to read
it. He asked them also if the Shepherds did not tell them to beware of
the Flatterer. They answered, "Yes," but they did not think that this
man who spoke so well could be he. Then I saw in my dream that the
Shining One commanded them to lie down. And he took his whip, and when
he had whipped them he said, "As many as I love I rebuke and punish,
be careful therefore and repent."
This done, he bid them go on their way and take good heed to the other
directions of the Shepherds. So they thanked the Shining One for all
his kindness, and went gladly along the right way. Now I saw in my
dream that when the pilgrims had got safely over the Enchanted Ground,
they entered a beautiful country where the air was very sweet and
pleasant. Every day they heard continually the singing of birds, and
every day they saw the flowers appear in the earth. In this country
the sun shineth night and day, and here they were within sight of the
City to which they went. So I saw that as they went on, there met them
two men in raiment that shone like gold, also their faces shone as the
light. These men asked the pilgrims where they came from, and they
told them. They also asked them where they had lodged, what
difficulties and dangers, what comforts and pleasures they had met in
the way, and they told them.
Then said the men that met them, "You have but two difficulties more
to meet and then you are in the City." So they all walked together
till they came in sight of the gate.
Now I saw that between them and the gate was a river, but there was no
bridge to go over, and the river was deep. At the sight of the river
Christian and Hopeful were stunned, but the men that went with them
said, "You must go through, or you cannot come in at the gate."
The pilgrims then, especially Christian, began to be afraid, and
looked this way and that way, but could find no way by which to escape
the river. Then they entered the river, and Christian began to sink
and to cry out to his friend Hopeful, saying, "I sink in deep waters,
the billows go over my head."
But Hopeful cheered Christian, and said he felt the ground under his
feet. Yet a great horror and darkness fell upon Christian, for he
thought he should never reach the Celestial City, and Hopeful had much
difficulty to keep his friend's head above water. Then I saw in my
dream that at last Christian took courage, and soon he found ground to
stand upon, and the rest of the river was shallow. Thus they got over.
Now upon the bank of the river, on the other side, they saw the two
shining men again, who waited there for them, and led them toward the
gate.
The City stood upon a mighty hill, but the pilgrims went up that with
ease, talking gladly to their shining companions, and thus they came
up to the gate.
And over the gate there were written in letters of gold "Blessed are
they that do the King's Commandments and may enter in through the
gates into the City."
I saw in my dream that these two men went in at the gate, and lo! as
they entered they were transfigured. And they had raiment put on that
shone like gold. They had harps given to them to praise on, and crowns
were given to them in token of honor.
Then I heard in my dream that all the bells in the City rang again for
joy, and that it was said, "Enter ye into the joy of your Lord."
Now just as the gates were opened to let in the men, I looked in after
them, and behold, the City shone like the sun, the streets also were
paved with gold. And I heard many voices saying, "Holy, holy, holy is
the Lord."
And after that they shut up the gates, and when I had seen this, I
wished I myself were within. So I awoke, and behold it was a dream.
TALES FROM SHAKESPEARE
By CHARLES AND MARY LAMB
I
THE TEMPEST
There was a certain island in the sea, the only inhabitants of which
were an old man, whose name was Prospero, and his daughter Miranda, a
very beautiful young lady. She came to this island so young, that she
had no memory of having seen any other human face than her father's.
They lived in a cave or cell, made out of a rock; it was divided into
several apartments, one of which Prospero called his study; there he
kept his books, which chiefly treated of magic, a study at that time
much affected by all learned men: and the knowledge of this art he
found very useful to him; for being thrown by a strange chance upon
this island, which had been enchanted by a witch called Sycorax, who
died there a short time before his arrival, Prospero, by virtue of his
art, released many good spirits that Sycorax had imprisoned in the
bodies of large trees, because they had refused to execute her wicked
commands. These gentle spirits were ever after obedient to the will of
Prospero. Of these Ariel was the chief.
The lively little sprite Ariel had nothing mischievous in his nature,
except that he took rather too much pleasure in tormenting an ugly
monster called Caliban, for he owed him a grudge because he was the
son of his old enemy Sycorax. This Caliban, Prospero found in the
woods, a strange misshapen thing, far less human in form than an ape:
he took him home to his cell, and taught him to speak; and Prospero
would have been very kind to him, but the bad nature which Caliban
inherited from his mother Sycorax, would not let him learn anything
good or useful: therefore he was employed like a slave, to fetch
wood, and do the most laborious offices; and Ariel had the charge of
compelling him to these services.
When Caliban was lazy and neglected his work, Ariel (who was invisible
to all eyes but Prospero's) would come slily and pinch him, and
sometimes tumble him down in the mire; and then Ariel, in the likeness
of an ape, would make mouths at him. Then swiftly changing his shape,
in the likeness of a hedgehog, he would lie tumbling in Caliban's way,
who feared the hedgehog's sharp quills would prick his bare feet. With
a variety of such-like vexatious tricks Ariel would often torment him,
whenever Caliban neglected the work which Prospero commanded him to
do.
Having these powerful spirits obedient to his will, Prospero could by
their means command the winds, and the waves of the sea. By his orders
they raised a violent storm, in the midst of which, and struggling
with the wild sea-waves that every moment threatened to swallow it up,
he showed his daughter a fine large ship, which he told her was full
of living beings like themselves. "O my dear father," said she, "if by
your art you have raised this dreadful storm, have pity on their sad
distress. See! the vessel will be dashed to pieces. Poor souls! they
will all perish. If I had power, I would sink the sea beneath the
earth, rather than the good ship should be destroyed, with all the
precious souls within her."
"Be not so amazed, daughter Miranda," said Prospero; "there is no harm
done. I have so ordered it, that no person in the ship shall receive
any hurt. What I have done has been in care of you, my dear child. You
are ignorant who you are, or where you came from, and you know no more
of me, but that I am your father, and live in this poor cave. Can you
remember a time before you came to this cell? I think you cannot, for
you were not then three years of age."
"Certainly I can, sir," replied Miranda.
"By what?" asked Prospero; "by any other house or person? Tell me what
you can remember, my child."
Miranda said, "It seems to me like the recollection of a dream. But
had I not once four or five women who attended upon me?"
Prospero answered, "You had, and more. How is it that this still lives
in your mind? Do you remember how you came here?"
"No, sir," said Miranda, "I remember nothing more."
"Twelve years ago, Miranda," continued Prospero, "I was duke of Milan,
and you were a princess, and my only heir. I had a younger brother,
whose name was Antonio, to whom I trusted everything; and as I was
fond of retirement and deep study, I commonly left the management of
my state affairs to your uncle, my false brother (for so indeed he
proved). I, neglecting all worldly ends buried among my books, did
dedicate my whole time to the bettering of my mind. My brother Antonio
being thus in possession of my power, began to think himself the duke
indeed. The opportunity I gave him of making himself popular among my
subjects awakened in his bad nature a proud ambition to deprive me of
my dukedom: this he soon effected with the aid of the king of Naples,
a powerful prince, who was my enemy."
"Wherefore," said Miranda, "did they not that hour destroy us?"
"My child," answered her father, "they durst not, so dear was the love
that my people bore me. Antonio carried us on board a ship, and when
we were some leagues out at sea, he forced us into a small boat,
without either tackle, sail, or mast: there he left us, as he thought,
to perish. But a kind lord of my court, one Gonzalo, who loved me, had
privately placed in the boat, water, provisions, apparel, and some
books which I prize above my dukedom."
"O my father," said Miranda, "what a trouble must I have been to you
then!"
"No, my love," said Prospero, "you were a little cherub that did
preserve me. Your innocent smiles made me bear up against my
misfortunes. Our food lasted till we landed on this desert island,
since then my chief delight has been in teaching you, Miranda, and
well have you profited by my instructions."
"Heaven thank you, my dear father," said Miranda. "Now pray tell me,
sir, your reason for raising this sea-storm?"
"Know then," said her father, "that by means of this storm, my
enemies, the king of Naples, and my cruel brother, are cast ashore
upon this island."
Having so said, Prospero gently touched his daughter with his magic
wand, and she fell fast asleep; for the spirit Ariel just then
presented himself before his master, to give an account of the
tempest, and how he had disposed of the ship's company, and though the
spirits were always invisible to Miranda, Prospero did not choose she
should hear him holding converse (as would seem to her) with the empty
air.
"Well, my brave spirit," said Prospero to Ariel, "how have you
performed your task?"
Ariel gave a lively description of the storm, and of the terrors of
the mariners; and how the king's son, Ferdinand, was the first who
leaped into the sea; and his father thought he saw his dear son
swallowed up by the waves and lost. "But he is safe," said Ariel, "in
a corner of the isle, sitting with his arms folded, sadly lamenting
the loss of the king, his father, whom he concludes drowned. Not a
hair of his head is injured, and his princely garments, though
drenched in the sea-waves, look fresher than before."
"That's my delicate Ariel," said Prospero. "Bring him hither: my
daughter must see this young prince. Where is the king, and my
brother?"
"I left them," answered Ariel, "searching for Ferdinand, whom, they
have little hopes of finding, thinking they saw him perish. Of the
ship's crew not one is missing; though each one thinks himself the
only one saved: and the ship, though invisible to them, is safe in the
harbor."
"Ariel," said Prospero, "thy charge is faithfully performed: but there
is more work yet."
"Is there more work?" said Ariel. "Let me remind you, master, you have
promised me my liberty. I pray, remember, I have done you worthy
service, told you no lies, made no mistakes, served you without grudge
or grumbling."
"How now!" said Prospero. "You do not recollect what a torment I freed
you from. Have you forgot the wicked witch Sycorax, who with age and
envy was almost bent double? Where was she born? Speak; tell me."
"Sir, in Algiers," said Ariel.
"O, was she so?" said Prospero. "I must recount what you have been,
which I find you do not remember. This bad witch, Sycorax, for her
witchcrafts, too terrible to enter human hearing, was banished from
Algiers, and here left by the sailors; and because you were a spirit
too delicate to execute her wicked commands, she shut you up in a
tree, where I found you howling. This torment, remember, I did free
you from."
"Pardon me, dear master," said Ariel, ashamed to seem ungrateful; "I
will obey your commands."
"Do so," said Prospero, "and I will set you free." He then gave orders
what further he would have him do; and away went Ariel, first to where
he had left Ferdinand, and found him still sitting on the grass in the
same melancholy posture.
"O my young gentleman," said Ariel, when he saw him, "I will soon move
you. You must be brought, I find, for the Lady Miranda to have a sight
of your pretty person. Come, sir, follow me." He then began singing,
"Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell:
Hark! now I hear them--Ding-dong, bell."
This strange news of his lost father soon aroused the prince from the
stupid fit into which he had fallen. He followed in amazement the
sound of Ariel's voice, till it led him to Prospero and Miranda, who
were sitting under the shade of a large tree. Now Miranda had never
seen a man before, except her own father.
"Miranda," said Prospero, "tell me what you are looking at yonder."
"O father," said Miranda, in a strange surprise, "surely that is a
spirit. How it looks about! Believe me, sir, it is a beautiful
creature. Is it not a spirit?"
"No, girl," answered her father; "it eats, and sleeps, and has senses
such as we have. This young man you see was in the ship. He is
somewhat altered by grief, or you might call him a handsome person. He
has lost his companions, and is wandering about to find them."
Miranda, who thought all men had grave faces and gray beards like her
father, was delighted with the appearance of this beautiful young
prince; and Ferdinand, seeing such a lovely lady in this desert place,
and from the strange sounds he had heard, expecting nothing but
wonders, thought he was upon an enchanted island, and that Miranda was
the goddess of the place, and as such he began to address her.
She timidly answered, she was no goddess, but a simple maid, and was
going to give him an account of herself, when Prospero interrupted
her. He was well pleased to find they admired each other, for he
plainly perceived they had (as we say) fallen in love at first sight:
but to try Ferdinand's constancy, he resolved to throw some
difficulties in their way: therefore advancing forward, he addressed
the prince with a stern air, telling him, he came to the island as a
spy, to take it from him who was the lord of it. "Follow me," said he,
"I will tie you neck and feet together. You shall drink sea-water;
shell-fish, withered roots, and husks of acorns shall be your food."
"No," said Ferdinand, "I will resist such entertainment, till I see a
more powerful enemy," and drew his sword; but Prospero, waving his
magic wand, fixed him to the spot where he stood, so that he had no
power to move.
Miranda hung upon her father, saying, "Why are you so ungentle? Have
pity, sir; I will be his surety. This is the second man I ever saw,
and to me he seems a true one."
"Silence," said the father: "one word more will make me chide you,
girl! What! an advocate for an impostor! You think there are no more
such fine men, having seen only him and Caliban. I tell you, foolish
girl, most men as far excel this, as he does Caliban." This he said to
prove his daughter's constancy; and she replied, "My affections are
most humble. I have no wish to see a goodlier man."
"Come on, young man," said Prospero to the prince; "you have no power
to disobey me."
"I have not indeed," answered Ferdinand; and not knowing that it was
by magic he was deprived of all power of resistance, he was astonished
to find himself so strangely compelled to follow Prospero: looking
back on Miranda as long as he could see her, he said, as he went after
Prospero into the cave, "My spirits are all bound up, as if I were in
a dream: but this man's threats, and the weakness which I feel, would
seem light to me if from my prison I might once a day behold this fair
maid."
Prospero kept Ferdinand not long confined within the cell: he soon
brought out his prisoner, and set him a severe task to perform, taking
care to let his daughter know the hard labor he had imposed on him,
and then pretending to go into his study, he secretly watched them
both.
Prospero had commanded Ferdinand to pile up some heavy logs of wood.
King's sons not being much used to laborious work, Miranda soon after
found her lover almost dying with fatigue. "Alas!" said she, "do not
work so hard; my father is at his studies, he is safe for these three
hours; pray rest yourself."
"O my dear lady," said Ferdinand, "I dare not. I must finish my task
before I take my rest."
"If you will sit down," said Miranda, "I will carry your logs the
while." But this Ferdinand would by no means agree to. Instead of a
help Miranda became a hindrance, for they began a long conversation,
so that the business of log-carrying went on very slowly.
Prospero, who had enjoined Ferdinand this task merely as a trial of
his love, was not at his books, as his daughter supposed, but was
standing by them invisible, to overhear what they said.