Brick Shakespeare: The Comedies—A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Taming of the Shrew (27 page)

ALONSO

Good boatswain, have care. Where’s the master?

Play the men!

BOATSWAIN

I pray now, keep below.

ANTONIO

Where is the master, boatswain?

BOATSWAIN

Do you not hear him? You mar our labour: keep your cabins: you do assist the storm.

GONZALO

Nay, good, be patient.

BOATSWAIN

When the sea is. Hence! What cares these roarers for the name of king? To cabin: silence! trouble us not.

GONZALO

Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.

BOATSWAIN

None that I more love than myself. You are a counsellor; if you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more; use your authority: if you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap. Cheerly, good hearts! Out of our way, I say.

GONZALO

I have great comfort from this fellow: methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him; his complexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, to his hanging: make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advantage. If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable.

BOATSWAIN

Down with the topmast! yare! lower, lower! Bring her to try with main-course.

BOATSWAIN (cont.)

A plague upon this howling! they are louder than the weather or our office.

Yet again! what do you here? Shall we give o’er and drown? Have you a mind to sink?

SEBASTIAN

A pox o’ your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!

BOATSWAIN

Work you then.

ANTONIO

Hang, cur! hang, you whoreson, insolent noisemaker!

We are less afraid to be drowned than thou art.

GONZALO

I’ll warrant him for drowning; though the ship were no stronger than a nutshell and as leaky as an unstanched wench.

BOATSWAIN

Lay her a-hold, a-hold! set her two courses off to sea again; lay her off.

MARINERS

All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost!