Lear. No. Kent. Yes. Lear. No, I say. Kent. I say, yea. Lear. No, no; they would not. Lear. By Jupiter, I swear, no. Kent. By Juno, I swear, ay. They could not, would not do't; 'tis worse than murder, To do upon respect such violent outrage: Kent. My lord, when at their home I did commend your highness' letters to them, Which presently they read: on whose contents, The leisure of their answer; gave me cold looks: Whose welcome, I perceiv'd, had poison'd mine, Display'd so saucily against your highness,) Fool. Winter's not gone yet, if the wild geese fly that way. Fathers, that wear rags, Do make their children blind; Shall see their children kind. Ne'er turns the key to the poor.— But for all this, thou shalt have as many dolours for thy daughters, as thou can'st tell in a year. Lear. O, how this mother swells up toward my heart! Hysterica passio! down, thou climbing sorrow, Thy element's below!--Where is this daughter? Kent. With the earl, sir, here within. Lear. Follow me not; Stay here. [Exit. Gent. Made you no more offence than what speak of? Kent. None. you How chance the king comes with so small a train? Fool. An thou hadst been set i'the stocks for that question, thou hadst well deserved it. Kent. Why, fool? eyes, ant, to teach All, that folbut blind men; Fool. We'll set thee to school to an thee there's no labouring in the winter. low their noses, are led by their and there's not a nose among twenty, but can smell him that's stinking. Let go thy hold, when a great wheel runs down a hill, lest it break thy neck with following it; but the great one that goes up the hill, let him draw thee after. When a wise man gives thee better counsel, give me mine again: I would have none but knaves follow it, since a fool gives it. That, sir, which serves and seeks for gain, Will pack, when it begins to rain, And leave thee in the storm. But I will tarry; the fool will stay, The knave turns fool, that runs away; Kent. Where learn'd you this, fool? Fool. Not i'the stocks, fool. Re-enter LEAR, with Gloster. Lear. Deny to speak with me? They are sick? they are weary? They have travell'd hard to-night? Mere fetches; Glo. My dear lord, You know the fiery quality of the duke; In his own course. Lear. Vengeance! plague! death! confusion!Fiery! what quality? Why, Gloster, Gloster, I'd speak with the duke of Cornwall, and his wife. Glo. Well, my good lord, I have inform'd them so. Lear. Inform'd them! Dost thou understand me, man-? Glo. Ay, my good lord. Lear. The king would speak with Cornwall; the dear father Would with his daughter speak, commands her ser vice: Are they inform'd of this?—My breath and blood!Fiery? the fiery duke?—Tell the hot duke, that— No, but not yet :-may be, he is not well: Infirmity doth still neglect all office, Whereto our health is bound; we are not ourselves, When nature, being oppress'd, commands the mind To suffer with the body: I'll forbear ; And am fallen out with my more headier will, For the sound man.-Death on my state! wherefore [Looking on Kent. Should he sit here? This act persuades me, Is practice only. Give me my servant forth : Till it cry-Sleep to death. Glo. I'd have all well betwixt you. [Exit. Lear. O me, my heart, my rising heart!—but, down. Fool. Cry to it, nuncle, as the cockney did to the eels, when she put them i'the paste alive; she rapp'd 'em o'the coxcombs with a stick, and cry'd, Down, wantons, down: "Twas her brother, that, in pure kindness to his horse, buttered his hay. Enter Cornwall, REGAN, Gloster, and Servants. Lear. Good morrow to you both. Corn. Hail to your grace! [Kent is set at liberty. Reg. I am glad to see your highness. Lear. Regan, I think you are; I know what reason I have to think so: if thou should'st not be glad, [To Kent. Some other time for that.--Beloved Regan, I can scarce speak to thee; [Points to his heart. thou'lt not believe, O Regan! Reg. I pray you, sir, take patience; I have hope, You less know how to value her desert, Than she to scant her duty. Lear. Say, how is that? Reg. I cannot think, my sister in the least Lear. My curses on her! Reg. O, sir, you are old; Nature in you stands on the very verge Lear. Ask her forgiveness? Do you but mark how this becomes the house: Age is unnecessary: on my knees I beg, [Kneeling. Return you to my sister. Lear. Never, Regan: She hath abated me of half my train; Look'd black upon me; struck me with her tongue, Most serpent-like, upon the very heart. All the stor❜d vengeances of heaven fall On her ingrateful top! Strike her young bones, Corn. Fye, fye, fye! "Lear. You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames Into her scornful eyes! Infect her beauty, |