26 THE TEMPEST.

And Ferdinand followed the magic singing, as the song changed to a
solemn air, and the words brought grief to his heart, and tears to his
eyes, for thus they ran—

“ Full fathom five thy father lies ;

Of his bones are coral made.

Those are pearls that were his eyes ;
Nothing of him that doth fade,

But doth suffer a sea-change

Into something rich and strange.

Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell.

Hark! now I hear them,—ding dong bell !”

And so singing, Ariel led the spell-bound prince into the presence of
Prospero and Miranda. Then, behold! all happened as Prospero
desired. For Miranda, who had never, since she could first remember,
seen any human being save her father, looked on the youthful prince
with reverence in her eyes, and love in her secret heart.

“T might call him,” she said, “a thing divine, for nothing natural
I ever saw so noble!”

And Ferdinand, beholding her beauty with wonder and delight,
exclaimed—

“ Most sure the goddess on whom these airs attend!”

Nor did he attempt to hide the passion which she inspired in him,
for scarcely had they exchanged half a dozen sentences, before he vowed
to make her his queen if she were willing. But Prospero, though
secretly delighted, pretended wrath.

“You come here as a spy,” he said to Ferdinand. “I will manacle
your neck and feet together, and you shall feed on fresh water mussels,
withered roots and husks, and have’sea-water to drink. Follow.”

“No,” said Ferdinand, and drew his sword. But on the instant
Prospero charmed him so that he stood there like a statue, still as
stone ; and Miranda in terror prayed her father to have merey on her
lover. But he harshly refused her, and made Ferdinand follow him to
his cell. There he set the prince to work, making him remove thousands
of heavy logs of timber and pile them up; and Ferdinand patiently

obeyed, and thought his toil all too well repaid by the sympathy of the
sweet Miranda.