Brick Shakespeare: The Comedies—A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Taming of the Shrew (46 page)

CALIBAN

Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not

Hear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.

STEPHANO

Monster, your fairy, which you say is a harmless fairy, has done little better than played the Jack with us.

TRINCULO

Monster, I do smell all horse-piss; at which my nose is in great indignation.

STEPHANO

So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should take a displeasure against you, look you,—

TRINCULO

Thou wert but a lost monster.

CALIBAN

Good my lord, give me thy favour still.

Be patient, for the prize I’ll bring thee to

Shall hoodwink this mischance: therefore speak softly.

All’s hush’d as midnight yet.

TRINCULO

Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool,—

STEPHANO

There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that, monster, but an infinite loss.

TRINCULO

That’s more to me than my wetting: yet this is your harmless fairy, monster.

STEPHANO

I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o’er ears for my labour.

CALIBAN

Prithee, my king, be quiet. Seest thou here,

This is the mouth o’ the cell: no noise, and enter.

Do that good mischief which may make this island

Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,

For aye thy foot-licker.

STEPHANO

Give me thy hand. I do begin to have bloody thoughts.

TRINCULO

O King Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano! look what a wardrobe here is for thee!

CALIBAN

Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash.

TRINCULO

O, ho, monster! we know what belongs to a frippery. O King

Stephano!

STEPHANO

Put off that gown, Trinculo; by this hand, I’ll have that gown.

TRINCULO

Thy grace shall have it.

CALIBAN

The dropsy drown this fool! What do you mean

To dote thus on such luggage? Let’s alone

And do the murder first: if he awake,

From toe to crown he’ll fill our skins with pinches,

Make us strange stuff.

STEPHANO

Be you quiet, monster. Mistress line, is not this my jerkin? Now is the jerkin under the line: now, jerkin, you are like to lose your hair and prove a bald jerkin.

TRINCULO

Do, do: we steal by line and level, an’t like your grace.

STEPHANO

I thank thee for that jest; here’s a garment for’t: wit shall not go unrewarded while I am king of this country. “Steal by line and level” is an excellent pass of pate; there’s another garment for’t.

TRINCULO

Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers, and away with the rest.

CALIBAN

I will have none on’t: we shall lose our time,

And all be turn’d to barnacles, or to apes

With foreheads villanous low.