Lear. When were you wont to be so full of songs, sirrah? Fool. I have used it, nuncle, ever since thou madest thy daughters thy mother. Then they for sudden joy did weep, And I for sorrow sung, That such a king should play bo-peep, [Singing. Pr'ythee, nuncle, keep a schoolmaster that can teach thy fool to lie; I would fain learn to lie. Lear. If you lie, sirrah, we'll have you whipp’d. Fool. I marvel, what kin thou and thy daughters are: they'll have me whipp'd for speaking true, thou'lt have me whipp'd for lying; and, sometimes, I am whipp'd for holding my peace. I had rather be any kind of thing than a fool: and yet I would not be thee, nuncle; thou hast pared thy wit o' both sides, and left nothing in the middle: Here comes one o' the parings. Enter GONERIL. Lear. How now, daughter? what makes that frontlet on? Mo thinks, you are too much of late i' the frown. Gon. Not only, sir, this your all-licens'd fool, Do hourly carp and quarrel; breaking forth I had thought, by making this well known unto you, Lear. Are you our daughter? Gon. Come, sir, I would you would make use of that good wisdom whereof I know you are fraught; and put away these dispositions, which of late transform you from what you rightly are. Lear. Does any here know me?-Why this is not Lear: does Lear walk thus? speak thus? Where are his eyes? Either his notion weakens, or his discernings are lethargied.-Sleeping or waking?-Ha! sure 'tis not so.- -Who is it that can tell me who I am?-Lear's shadow? I would learn that; for by the marks of sovereignty, knowledge, and reason, I should be false persuaded I had daughters.-Your name, fair gentlewoman? Gon. Come, sir: This admiration is much o' the favor Of other your new pranks. I do beseech you As you are old and reverend, you should be wise : That this our court, infected with their manners, Than a grac'd palace: The shame itself doth speak By her, that else will take the thing she begs, A little to disquantity your train; And the remainder, that shall still depend, Lear. Darkness and devils ! Saddle my horses; call my train together.-- Yet have I left a daughter. Gon. You strike my people; and your disorder'd rabble Make servants of their betters. Enter ALBANY. Lear. Woe, that too late repents,-O, sir, are you come ? More hideous, when thou show'st thee in a child, Than the sea-monster ! Alb. Pray, sir, be patient. Lear. Detested kite! thou liest: My train are men of choice and rarest parts, And in the most exact regard support The worships of their name.-O most small fault, Which, like an engine, wrench'd my frame of nature From the fix'd place; drew from my heart all love, And thy dear judgment out!-Go, go, my people. Lear. What! fifty of my followers, at a clap, Alb. What's the matter, sir? [TO GONERIL. [Striking his head. [To GONERIL Lear. I'll tell thee;-Life and death! I am asham'd And cast you, with the waters that you lose, [Exeunt LEAR, KENT, and Attendants. ACT II. The Duke and his wife are at the The sturdy old man chastises the Lear dispatches Kent to the court of the Duke of Cornwall, to announce his intention of taking up his residence with his daughter Regan. Castle of Gloster, where they are found by Kent. insolence of a servitor of Goneril's, and is placed in the stocks, by the order of Regan. Lear, not finding Regan at her own castle, seeks her at the Duke of Gloster's. SCENE—Before Gloster's Castle. Enter LEAR, Fool, and Gentleman. Lear. 'Tis strange, that they should so depart from home, And not send back my messenger. Gent. As I learn'd, No, my lord. Mak'st thou this shame thy pastime ? Fool. Ha, ha; look! he wears cruel garters! Horses are tied by the heads; dogs, and bears, by the neck; monkeys by the loins, and men by the legs. Lear. What's he, that hath so much thy place mistook Lear. No. Kent. Yes. Lear. No, I say. Kent. I say, yea. Lear. No, no; they would not. Kent. Yes they have. Lear. By Jupiter, I swear, no. Kent. By Juno, I swear, ay. Lear. They durst not do't; They could not, would not do't; 'tis worse than murder, To do upon respect such violent outrage: Resolve me, with all modest haste, which way Thou might'st deserve, or they impose, this usage, 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; But fathers, that bear bags, Shall see their children kind. But, for all this, thou shalt have as many dolors for thy daughters, as thou canst tell in a year. Lear. O, how this mother swells up toward my heart! Down, thou climbing sorrow, thy element's below! Where is this daughter? Kent. With the earl, sir, here within. Lear. Stay here. Follow me not; Gent. Made you no more offence than what you speak of? How chance the king comes with so small a train? [Exit. Fool. An thou hadst been set i' the stocks for that question, thou hadst well deserved it. Kent. Why, fool? Fool. We'll set thee to school to an ant, to teach thee there's no laboring in the winter. All that follow their noses are led by their eyes, but blind men. 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, 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 The images of revolt and flying off! Fetch me a better answer. You know the fiery quality of the duke; How unremovable and fix'd he is 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 service : Are they inform'd of this ?- -My breath and blood!— Fiery? the fiery duke ?-Tell the hot duke, that— Infirmity doth still neglect all office, Whereto our health is bound; we are not ourselves, When nature, being oppress'd, commands the mind And am fallen out with my more headier will, To take the indispos'd and sickly fit For the sound man.-Death on my state! wherefore Should he sit here? This act persuades me, That this remotion of the duke and her Is practice only. Give me my servant forth: [Looking on KEnt Go, tell the duke and his wife, I'd speak with them, Till it cry-Sleep to death. Glo. I'd have all well betwixt you. Lear. O me, my heart, my rising heart!—but, down. Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GLOSTER, and Servants. Good morrow to you both. [Exit |