III. 2 S II. Another part of the island.
Enter C ,S , and T .
Ste. Tell not me;—when the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and board ’em. Servant-monster, drink to me.
Trin. Servant-monster! the folly of this island! They 5 say there’s but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if th’ other two be brained like us, the state totters.
Ste. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee: thy eyes are almost set in thy head.
Trin. Where should they be set else? he were a brave 10 monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.
Ste. My man-monster hath drowned 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 15 standard.
Trin. Your lieutenant, if you list; he’s no standard.
Ste. We’ll not run, Monsieur Monster.
Trin. Nor go neither; but you’ll lie, like dogs, and yet say nothing neither.
20 Ste. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest 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 III. 2. 25 to justle a constable. Why, thou debauched 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. Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord?
30 Trin. ‘Lord,’ quoth he! That a monster should be such a natural!
Cal. Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I prithee.
Ste. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head: if you prove a mutineer,—the next tree! The poor monster’s my 35 subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.
Cal. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased to hearken once again to the suit I made to thee?
Ste. Marry, will I: kneel and repeat it; I will stand, and so shall
Trinculo.
Enter A , invisible.
40 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.
Cal. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou: I would my valiant master would destroy thee!
I do not lie.
45 Ste. 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.
Ste. Mum, then, and no more. Proceed.
Cal. I say, by sorcery he got this isle; III. 2. 50 From me he got it. If thy greatness will Revenge it on him,—for I know thou darest,
But this thing dare not,— Ste. That’s most certain.
Cal. Thou shalt be lord of it, and I’ll serve thee.
55 Ste. How now shall this be compassed? 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.
60 Cal. 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.
65 Ste. 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.
Trin. Why, what did I? I did nothing. I’ll go farther off.
70 Ste. Didst thou not say he lied?
Ari. Thou liest.
Ste. Do I so? take thou that. [Beats him.] As you like this, give me the lie another time.
Trin. I did not give the lie. Out o’ your wits, and III. 2. 75 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!
Ste. Now, forward with your tale.—Prithee, stand farther 80 off.
Cal. Beat him enough: after a little time, I’ll beat him too.
Ste. Stand farther. Come, proceed.
Cal. Why, as I told thee, ’tis a custom with him I’ th’ afternoon to sleep: there thou mayst brain him, 85 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 90 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 95 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.
Ste. Is it so brave a lass?
III. 2. 100 Cal. Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant, And bring thee forth brave brood.
Ste. 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, 105 Trinculo?
Trin. Excellent.
Ste. 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?
Ste. 110 Ay, on mine honour.
Ari. This will I tell my master.
Cal. Thou makest me merry; I am full of pleasure: Let us be jocund: will you troll the catch You taught me but while-ere?
115 Ste. 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.
Cal. That’s not the tune.
[Ariel plays the tune on a tabor and pipe.
