Should presently[376-38] extirpate me and mine
Out of the dukedom, and confer fair Milan,
With all the honours, on my brother: whereon,
A treacherous army levied, one midnight
Fated to th' practice[376-39] did Antonio open
The gates of Milan; and, i' the dead of darkness,
The ministers for th' purpose hurried thence
Me and thy crying self.[376-40]

_Mira._ Alack, for pity!
I, not remembering how I cried on't then,
Will cry it o'er again: it is a hint[377-41]
That wrings mine eyes to't.

_Pros._ Hear a little further,
And then I'll bring thee to the present business
Which now's upon's;[377-42] without the which this story
Were most impertinent.[377-43]

_Mira._ Wherefore did they not
That hour destroy us?

_Pros._ Well demanded, wench:[377-44]
My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not--
So dear the love my people bore me--set
A mark so bloody on the business; but
With colours fairer painted their foul ends.
In few,[377-45] they hurried us aboard a bark,
Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepared
A rotten carcass of a boat, not rigg'd,
Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats
Instinctively had quit it: there they hoist[377-46] us,
To cry to th' sea that roar'd to us; to sigh
To th' winds, whose pity, sighing back again,
Did us but loving wrong.

_Mira._ Alack, what trouble
Was I then to you!

_Pros._ O, a cherubim
Thou wast that did preserve me! Thou didst smile,
Infused with a fortitude from Heaven,
When I have degg'd[378-47] the sea with drops full salt,
Under my burden groan'd; which raised in me
An undergoing stomach,[378-48] to bear up
Against what should ensue.

_Mira._ How came we ashore?

_Pros._ By Providence divine.
Some food we had, and some fresh water, that
A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo,
Out of his charity,--being then appointed
Master of this design,--did give us; with
Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries,
Which since have steaded[378-49] much; so, of his gentleness,
Knowing I loved my books, he furnish'd me,
From mine own library, with volumes that
I prize above my dukedom.

_Mira._ Would I might
But ever see that