Not much later, he brought Miranda to me and explained his behaviour.
"If I have too austerely punished you," he began, "Your compensation makes amends, for I have given you here a third of mine own life, or that for which I live, who once again I tender to thy hand. All thy vexations were but my trials of thy love, and thou hast strangely stood the test. Here, afore heaven, I ratify this my rich gift." What he said touched me; I wondered if the other thirds might be himself and his wife, though I knew nothing about her and, as far as I could tell, nor did Miranda; I wondered at how he had been willing to risk the loss of a rich son-in-law to make sure that the love was real; I couldn't help smiling as I realised that I had passed the test, and that it seemed certain that I had won the prize. "O Ferdinand, do not smile at me, that I boast her of, for thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise and make it halt behind her."
"I do believe it against an oracle," I said fervently, and how could I doubt anything of her?
"Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition worthily purchased, take my daughter. But if thou dost break her virgin-knot before all sanctimonious ceremonies may with full and holy rite be ministered, no sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall to make this contract grow; but barren hate, sour-eyed disdain and discord shall bestrew the union of your bed with weeds so loathly that you shall hate it both. Therefore take heed, as Hymen's lamps shall light you."
Despite my thoughts of earlier, the tone in which Prospero – for that was his name – delivered this made me shiver in a kind of awed fear; it sounded as if he knew ways in which to make what he said come true, and that kind of power terrified me. But I didn't want to look like a coward – who would? – and anyway I'd already determined that it wouldn't happen, so I swallowed and replied,
"As I hope for quiet days, fair issue, and long life, with such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den, the most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion, our worser genius can, shall never melt mine honour into lust, to take away the edge of that day's celebration, when I shall think or Phoebus' steeds are foundered, or night kept chained below." Prospero nodded approvingly, and told me to sit and talk to Miranda – "Thine own" he said! I sat and I put my arm around her, and we spoke quietly.
Then a strange creature appeared, beautiful and mysterious like the music that had brought me to Miranda, and it seemed that it – Ariel - was in Prospero's power, addressing him as master. But soon it had gone; Prospero turned back to us and glared at me, warning me off his daughter again. I protested, but nevertheless let my arm fall.
And then things just got stranger, but the visions that appeared before us were so wonderful that at the time I could hardly even begin to consider the strangeness of the situation. There in front of us, one by one, came three goddesses; Iris, the messenger, the rainbow; Ceres, goddess of the earth and of the harvest; and finally Juno, queen of the gods, goddess of riches, of the air, and also of marriage. To my amazement they spoke of Miranda and myself; they blessed us and praised our restraint. I was completely overwhelmed, but I had just enough wits to think that perhaps this was something to do with the man who stood near by.
"This is a most majestic vision, and harmonious charmingly. May I be bold to think these spirits?"
"Spirits, which by mine art I have from their confines called to enact my present fancies." It seemed my suspicions were correct; Prospero had magic beyond any I had seen in my life. I was completely in awe of him.
"Let me live here for ever; so rare a wondered father and a wife, makes this place paradise." But he told me to be quiet; the goddesses were whispering to each other. Iris called out for a celebration, and many nymphs and reapers appeared and began to dance in front of us. It was an incredible sight; they moved so gracefully. But they did not finish their dance; Prospero, seeming to remember something, something not at all pleasant by the looks of him, called out for them to end their dance, at which they all vanished, although the expressions of their faces implied that they wanted to stay.
"This is strange," I whispered to Miranda, frowning, "Your father's in some passion that works him strongly." Miranda looked worried as she watched him, but then he turned to us. He began to speak, slowly, thoughtfully, almost sadly – certainly wistfully.
"You do look, my son, in a moved sort, as if you were dismayed. Be cheerful, sir, our revels now are ended; these our actors, as I foretold you, were all spirits, and are melted into air, into thin air; and like the baseless fabric of this vision, the cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, the solemn temples, the great globe itself, yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, and like this insubstantial pageant faded leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vexed, bear with my weakness, my old brain is troubled. Be not disturbed with my infirmity. If you be pleased, retire into my cell, and there repose. A turn or two I'll walk to still my beating mind."
He turned away, and it was clear that this was a dismissal. Glancing at each other, Miranda and I turned towards the cave together.
"If I have too austerely punished you," he began, "Your compensation makes amends, for I have given you here a third of mine own life, or that for which I live, who once again I tender to thy hand. All thy vexations were but my trials of thy love, and thou hast strangely stood the test. Here, afore heaven, I ratify this my rich gift." What he said touched me; I wondered if the other thirds might be himself and his wife, though I knew nothing about her and, as far as I could tell, nor did Miranda; I wondered at how he had been willing to risk the loss of a rich son-in-law to make sure that the love was real; I couldn't help smiling as I realised that I had passed the test, and that it seemed certain that I had won the prize. "O Ferdinand, do not smile at me, that I boast her of, for thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise and make it halt behind her."
"I do believe it against an oracle," I said fervently, and how could I doubt anything of her?
"Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition worthily purchased, take my daughter. But if thou dost break her virgin-knot before all sanctimonious ceremonies may with full and holy rite be ministered, no sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall to make this contract grow; but barren hate, sour-eyed disdain and discord shall bestrew the union of your bed with weeds so loathly that you shall hate it both. Therefore take heed, as Hymen's lamps shall light you."
Despite my thoughts of earlier, the tone in which Prospero – for that was his name – delivered this made me shiver in a kind of awed fear; it sounded as if he knew ways in which to make what he said come true, and that kind of power terrified me. But I didn't want to look like a coward – who would? – and anyway I'd already determined that it wouldn't happen, so I swallowed and replied,
"As I hope for quiet days, fair issue, and long life, with such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den, the most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion, our worser genius can, shall never melt mine honour into lust, to take away the edge of that day's celebration, when I shall think or Phoebus' steeds are foundered, or night kept chained below." Prospero nodded approvingly, and told me to sit and talk to Miranda – "Thine own" he said! I sat and I put my arm around her, and we spoke quietly.
Then a strange creature appeared, beautiful and mysterious like the music that had brought me to Miranda, and it seemed that it – Ariel - was in Prospero's power, addressing him as master. But soon it had gone; Prospero turned back to us and glared at me, warning me off his daughter again. I protested, but nevertheless let my arm fall.
And then things just got stranger, but the visions that appeared before us were so wonderful that at the time I could hardly even begin to consider the strangeness of the situation. There in front of us, one by one, came three goddesses; Iris, the messenger, the rainbow; Ceres, goddess of the earth and of the harvest; and finally Juno, queen of the gods, goddess of riches, of the air, and also of marriage. To my amazement they spoke of Miranda and myself; they blessed us and praised our restraint. I was completely overwhelmed, but I had just enough wits to think that perhaps this was something to do with the man who stood near by.
"This is a most majestic vision, and harmonious charmingly. May I be bold to think these spirits?"
"Spirits, which by mine art I have from their confines called to enact my present fancies." It seemed my suspicions were correct; Prospero had magic beyond any I had seen in my life. I was completely in awe of him.
"Let me live here for ever; so rare a wondered father and a wife, makes this place paradise." But he told me to be quiet; the goddesses were whispering to each other. Iris called out for a celebration, and many nymphs and reapers appeared and began to dance in front of us. It was an incredible sight; they moved so gracefully. But they did not finish their dance; Prospero, seeming to remember something, something not at all pleasant by the looks of him, called out for them to end their dance, at which they all vanished, although the expressions of their faces implied that they wanted to stay.
"This is strange," I whispered to Miranda, frowning, "Your father's in some passion that works him strongly." Miranda looked worried as she watched him, but then he turned to us. He began to speak, slowly, thoughtfully, almost sadly – certainly wistfully.
"You do look, my son, in a moved sort, as if you were dismayed. Be cheerful, sir, our revels now are ended; these our actors, as I foretold you, were all spirits, and are melted into air, into thin air; and like the baseless fabric of this vision, the cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, the solemn temples, the great globe itself, yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, and like this insubstantial pageant faded leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vexed, bear with my weakness, my old brain is troubled. Be not disturbed with my infirmity. If you be pleased, retire into my cell, and there repose. A turn or two I'll walk to still my beating mind."
He turned away, and it was clear that this was a dismissal. Glancing at each other, Miranda and I turned towards the cave together.