Another part of the island.
[Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO]
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 bead.
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 bearing too? A pox o’ your bottle!
this can sack and drinking do. A murrain on
your monster, and the devil take your fingers!
CALIBAN Ha, ha, ha!
STEPHANO Now, forward with your tale.
Prithee, stand farther off.
CALIBAN Beat him enough: after a little time
I’ll beat him too.
STEPHANO Stand farther. Come, proceed.
CALIBAN Why, as I told thee, ’tis a custom with him,
I’ th’ afternoon to sleep: there 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 wezand with thy knife. Remember
First to possess his books; for without them
He’s but a sot, 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 utensils,–for so he calls them–
Which when he has a house, he’ll deck withal
And that most deeply to consider is
The beauty of his daughter; he himself
Calls her a nonpareil: I never saw a woman,
But only Sycorax my dam and she;
But she as far surpasseth Sycorax
As great’st does least.
STEPHANO Is it so brave a lass?
CALIBAN
Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant.
And bring thee forth brave brood.
STEPHANO 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?
TRINCULO Excellent.
STEPHANO Give me thy hand: I am sorry I beat thee;
but, while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head.
CALIBAN Within this half hour will he be asleep:
Wilt thou destroy him then?
STEPHANO Ay, on mine honour.
ARIEL This will I tell my master.
CALIBAN
Thou makest me merry; I am full of pleasure:
Let us be jocund: will you troll the catch
You taught me but while-ere?
STEPHANO At thy request, monster, I will do reason,
any reason. Come on, Trinculo, let us sing.
[Sings]
Flout ’em and scout ’em
And scout ’em and flout ’em
Thought is free.
CALIBAN That’s not the tune.
[Ariel plays the tune on a tabour and pipe]
STEPHANO What is this same?
TRINCULO This is the tune of our catch, played
by the picture of Nobody.
STEPHANO
If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness:
if thou beest a devil, take’t as thou list.
TRINCULO O, forgive me my sins!
STEPHANO He that dies pays all debts: I defy thee.
Mercy upon us!
CALIBAN Art thou afeard?
STEPHANO No, monster, not I.
CALIBAN Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime 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.
STEPHANO This will prove a brave kingdom to me,
where I shall have my music for nothing.
CALIBAN When Prospero is destroyed.
STEPHANO
That shall be by and by: I remember the story.
TRINCULO The sound is going away; let’s follow it,
and after do our work.
STEPHANO Lead, monster; we’ll follow. I would I
could see this tabourer; he lays it on.
TRINCULO Wilt come? I’ll follow, Stephano.
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