ned in his bad nature a proud ambition to deprive me of
my dukedom: this he soon effected with the aid of the king of Naples,
a powerful prince, who was my enemy."

"Wherefore," said Miranda, "did they not that hour destroy us?"

"My child," answered her father, "they durst not, so dear was the love
that my people bore me. Antonio carried us on board a ship, and when
we were some leagues out at sea, he forced us into a small boat,
without either tackle, sail, or mast: there he left us, as he thought,
to perish. But a kind lord of my court, one Gonzalo, who loved me, had
privately placed in the boat, water, provisions, apparel, and some
books which I prize above my dukedom."

"O my father," said Miranda, "what a trouble must I have been to you
then!"

"No, my love," said Prospero, "you were a little cherub that did
preserve me. Your innocent smiles made me bear up against my
misfortunes. Our food lasted till we landed on this desert island,
since then my chief delight has been in teaching you, Miranda, and
well have you profited by my instructions."

"Heaven thank you, my dear father," said Miranda. "Now pray tell me,
sir, your reason for raising this sea-storm?"

"Know then," said her father, "that by means of this storm, my
enemies, the king of Naples, and my cruel brother, are cast ashore
upon this island."

Having so said, Prospero gently touched his daughter with his magic
wand, and she fell fast asleep; for the spirit Ariel just then
presented himself before his master, to give an account of the
tempest, and how he had disposed of the ship's company, and though the
spirits were always invisible to Miranda, Prospero did not choose she
should hear him holding converse (as would seem to her) with the empty
air.

"Well, my brave spirit," said Prospero to Ariel, "how have you
performed your task?"

Ariel gave a lively description of the storm, and of the terrors of
the mariners; and how the king's son, Ferdinand, was the first who
leaped into the sea; and his father thought he saw his dear son
swallowed up by the waves and lost. "But he is safe," said Ariel, "in
a corner of the isle, sitting with his arms folded, sadly lamenting
the loss of the king, his father, whom he concludes drowned. Not a
hair of his head is injured, and his princely garments, though
drenched in the sea-waves, look fresher than before."

"That's my delicate Ariel," said Prospero. "Bring him hither: my
daughter must see this young pri