_Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, with a bottle._
_Steph._ Tell not me: when the butt is out, we will drink water; not a
drop before: therefore bear up, and board 'em.[423-1] Servant-monster,
drink to me.
_Trin._ 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 brain'd
like us, the State totters.
_Steph._ Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee: thy eyes are almost
set[424-2] in thy head.
[_CALIBAN drinks._
_Trin._ Where should they be set else? he were a brave monster indeed,
if they were set in his tail.
_Steph._ 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.[424-3]
_Trin._ Your lieutenant, if you list: he's no standard.[424-4]
_Steph._ We'll not run, Monsieur Monster.
_Trin._ Nor go neither: but you'll lie like dogs, and yet say nothing
neither.
_Steph._ Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou be'st a good
moon-calf.
_Cal._ How does thy Honour? Let me lick thy shoe. I'll not serve him, he
is not valiant.
_Trin._ Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case to justle a
constable.[424-5] Why, thou debosh'd[424-6] 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?
_Cal._ Boo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord?
_Trin._ Lord, quoth he. That a monster should be such a natural![425-7]
_Cal._ Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I pr'ythee.
_Steph._ Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head: if you prove a
mutineer,--the next tree.[425-8] The poor monster's my subject, and he
shall not suffer indignity.
_Cal._ I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased
To hearken once again the suit I made thee?
_Steph._ Marry, will I: kneel, and repeat it; I will stand, and so shall
Trinculo.
_Enter ARIEL, invisible._
_Cal._ As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant; a sorcerer, that
by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.
_Ari._ Thou liest.[425-9]
_Cal._ Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou:
I would my valiant master would destroy thee!
I do not lie.
_Steph._ Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in's tale, by this hand,
I will supplant some of your teeth.
_Trin._ Why, I said nothing.
_Steph._ Mum, then, and no more.--
[_To CAL._] Proceed.
_Cal._ 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[425-10] dare not,--
_Steph._ That's most certain.
_Cal._ Thou shalt be lord of it, and I will serve thee.
_Steph._ How now shall this be compass'd?
Canst thou bring me to the party?
_Cal._ Yea, yea, my lord; I'll yield him thee asleep,
Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.
_Ari._ Thou liest; thou canst not.
_Cal._ What a pied ninny's[426-11] this!--Thou scurvy patch![426-12]--
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[426-13] are.
_Steph._ Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt the monster one
word further, and, by this hand, I'll turn my mercy out of doors, and
make a stock-fish[426-14] of thee.
_Trin._ Why, what did I? I did nothing. I'll go further off.
_Steph._ Didst thou not say he lied?
_Ari._ Thou liest.
_Steph._ Do I so? take thou that. [_Strikes him._] As you like this,
give me the lie another time.
_Trin._ I did not give thee the lie. Out o' your wits and hearing too? A
pox o' your bottle! this can sack and drinking do. A murrain on your
monster, and the Devil take your fingers!
_Cal._ Ha, ha, ha!
_Steph._ Now, forward with your tale.--Pr'ythee stand further
off.[427-15]
_Cal._ Beat him enough: after a little time, I'll beat him too.
_Steph._ Stand further.--Come, proceed.
_Cal._ Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him
I' the afternoon to sleep; then thou mayst brain him,
Having first seized his books; or with a log
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his weazand[427-16] with thy knife. Remember
First to possess his books; for without them
He's but a sot,[427-17] as I am, nor hath not
One spirit to command: they all do hate him
As rootedly as I. Burn but his books.
He has brave[427-18] utensils,--for so he calls them,--
Which, when he has a house, he'll deck't withal:
And that most deeply to consider is
The beauty of his daughter; he himself
Calls her a nonpareil: I ne'er saw woman,
But only Sycorax my dam and she;
But she as far surpasseth Sycorax
As great'st does least.
_Steph._ Is it so brave a lass?
_Cal._ Ay, lord.
_Steph._ Monster, I will kill this man: his daughter and I will be king
and queen,--save our Graces!--and Trinculo and thyself shall be
viceroys.--Dost thou like the plot, Trinculo?
_Trin._ Excellent.
_Steph._ Give me thy hand: I am sorry I beat thee; but, while thou
livest, keep a good tongue in thy head.
_Cal._ Within this half-hour will he be asleep:
Wilt thou destroy him then?
_Steph._ Ay, on mine honour.
_Ari._ This will I tell my master.[428-19]
_Cal._ Thou makest me merry; I am full of pleasure:
Let us be jocund: will you troll the catch[428-20]
You taught me but while-ere?[428-21]
_Steph._ At thy request, monster, I will do reason,[428-22] any
reason.--Come on, Trinculo, let us sing.
[_Sings._
_Flout 'em and scout 'em, and scout 'em and flout 'em;
Thought is free._
_Cal._ That's not the tune.
[_ARIEL plays the tune on a tabor and pipe._
_Steph._ What is this same?[428-23]
_Trin._ This is the tune of our catch, play'd by the picture of
Nobody.[428-24]
_Steph._ If thou be'st a man, show thyself in thy likeness: if thou
be'st a devil--take't as thou list.[429-25]
_Trin._ O, forgive me my sins!
_Steph._ He that dies pays all debts: I defy thee.--Mercy upon us!
_Cal._ Art thou afeard?
_Steph._ No, monster, not I.
_Cal._ Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not.
Sometime[429-26] a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices,
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open, and show riches
Ready to drop upon me; that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.
_Steph._ This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall have my
music for nothing.
_Cal._ When Prospero is destroy'd.
_Steph._ That shall be by-and-by: I remember the story.
_Cal._ The sound is going away; let's follow it.
And after do our work.
_Steph._ Lead, monster; we'll follow.--I would I could see this taborer!
he lays it on.--Wilt come?
_Trin._ I'll follow, Stephano. [_Exeunt._