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The leisure of their answer; which I did:
But meeting here that other messenger,
Whose welcome I perceived had poisoned mine,
Being the very fellow that of late

Had shown such rudeness to your highness, I,
Having more man than wit about me, drew;
On which he raised the house with coward cries:-
This was the trespass, which your son and daughter
Thought worth the shame you see it suffer here.

Lear Oh this spleen swells upwards to my heart, And heaves for passage! -down, thou climbing rage, Thy element's below. Where is this daughter?

enter GLOSTER, from the castle.

Kent. Within, sir, at a masque.

Lear. Now, Gloster ?-ha!

(Gloster whispers Lear)

Deny to speak with me? th'are sick, th`are weary,
They've travell❜d hard to night— -mere fetches, sir,
Bring me a better answer.

Glost. My dear lord,

You know the fiery quality of the duke.

Lear. Vengeance! death! plague! confusion!
Fiery?what quality-why Gloster, Gloster,
I'd speak with the duke of Cornwall and his wife.
Glost. I have inform'd them so.

Lear. Inform'd them! dost thou understand me,
man?

I tell thee. Gloster.

Glost 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,.
No, but not yet; may be, he is not well;
Infirmity doth still neglect all office;

I beg his pardon, and i'll chide my rashness,
That took the indisposed and sickly fit

For the sound man.-But wherefore sits he there?
Death on my state! this act convinces me,
That this retiredness of the duke and her

Is plain contempt.-Give me my servant forth.-
Go, tell the duke and's wife I'd speak with 'em,
Now, instantly. Bid 'em come forth and hear me ;
Or at their chamber door I'll beat the drum,
Till it cry, sleep to death.

enter CORNWALL, REGAN, captain of the guards, and attendants from the castle.

Oh! are you come ?

Corn. Health to the king!

Reg. I am glad to see your highness.

Lear. Regan, I think you are; I know what cause I have to think so. Should'st thou not be glad, I would divorce me from thy mother's tomb, Sepulch'ring an adultress.

Beloved Regan, thou wilt shake to hear

What I shall utter ;-thou couldst ne'er ha' thought it; Thy sister's naught: o Regan, she has ty’d

Ingratitude like a keen vulture here;

1 scarce can speak to thee.

(Kent is set at liberty by the attendants) Reg. I pray you, sir, take patience; I have hope That you know less to value her desert,

Than she to slack her duty.

Lear. Ha! how's that?

Reg. I cannot think my sister in the least
Would fail in her respects; but if, perchance,
She has restrain'd the riots of your followers,
Tis on such grounds, and to such wholesome ends,
As clear her from all blame.

Lear. My curses on her!

Reg. O, sir, you're old,

And should content you to be ruled and led
By some discretion that discerns your state
Better than yourself; therefore, good sir,

Return to our sister, and say you have wrong'd her.
Lear. Ha! ask her forgiveness!

१ Do you but mark how this becomes the house:
Dear daughter, I confess that I am old;
Age is unnecessary; on my knees I beg,

That you'll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food.
Reg. Good sir, no more of these unsightly pas-
sions;

Return back to our sister.

Lear. Never, Regan;

She hath abated me of half my train,

Look'd black upon me, stabb'd me with her tongue:
All the stored vengeances of heaven fall

On her ingrateful head! strike her young bones,
Ye taking airs, with lameness!

Reg. O the blest gods! thus will you wish on me, When the rash mood

Lear. No, Regan, thou shalt never have my curse; 'Thy tender nature cannot give thee o'er

To such impiety; thou better know'st

The offices of nature, bond of childhood,

And dues of gratitude; thou bear'st in mind
The half o'th' kingdom, which our love conferr'd
On thee and thine.

Reg. Good sir, to th' purpose.

Lear. Who put my man i'th' stocks?

Corn. What trumpet's that?

(trumpet sounds)

Reg. I know't, my sister's; this confirms her letters.

enter OSWALD.

Sir, is your lady come!

Lear. More torture still!

Out, varlet, from my sight! (strikes Oswald)

Corn. What means your grace!

Lear. Who stock'd my servant? Regan, I have

hope

Thou didst not know it. (trumpet sounds)

enter GONERIL and attendants,

Who comes here ? oh, heavens !

If you do love old men; if your sweet sway
Allow obedience; if yourselves are old,

Make it your cause; send down and take my part !
Why, gorgon, dost thou come to haunt me here ?
Art not ashamed to look upon this beard?
Darkness upon my eyes, they play me false !
O, Regan, wilt thou take her by the hand?

Gon. Why not by th' hand, sir ? how have I offended?

All's not offence that indiscretion finds,
And dotage terms so.

Lear. Heart, thou art too tough !

Reg. I pray you, sir, being old, confess you are so, If, till the expiration of your month,

You will return, and sojourn with our sister,
Dismissing half your train, come then to me;
I'm now from home, and out of that provision
That shall be needful for your entertainment.

Lear. Return with her, and fifty knights dismiss'd ?
No, rather I'll abjure all roofs, and choose
To be companion to the midnight wolf,
My naked head exposed to th' merciless air,
Than have my smallest wants supply'd by her.
Gon. At your choice, sir.

Lear. Now, I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad!

I will not trouble thee, my

child; farewell;

Let shame come when it will, I do not call it ;

I do not bid the thunder bearer strike,

Nor tell tales of thee to avenging heaven.

Mend when thou can'st; be better at thy leisure

I can be patient, I can stay with Regan,

1, and my hundred knights.

Reg. Your pardon, sir ;

I look'd not for you yet, nor am provided
For your fit welcome.

Lear. Is this well spoken, now ?

Reg. My sister treats you fair. What fifty followers?

Is it not well? what should you need of more ?

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Gon. Why might not you, my lord, receive attend

ance

From those whom she calls servants, or from mine?
Reg. Why not, my lord? if then they chance to
slack you,

We could control them. If you come to me,
For now I see the danger, I intreat you
To bring but five and twenty ; to no more
Will I give place.

Lear. I gave you all!

Reg. And in good time you gave it.

Lear. Hold, now, my temper! stand this bolt un moved

And I am thunder proof.

The wicked, when compared with the more wicked,
Seem beautiful; and not to be the worst,

Stands in some rank of praise. Now, Goneril,
Thou art innocent again, I'll go with thee;
Thy fifty yet does double five and twenty,
And thou art twice her love.

Gon. Hear me, my lord. (it begins to rain)
What need you five and twenty, ten, or five,
To follow in a house, where twice so many
Have a command t' attend you?

Reg. What need one? (distant thunder)
Lear. Heav'ns drop your patience down!
You see me here, ye gods, a poor old man,
As full of grief as age, wretched in both!-
If it be you that stir these daughters' hearts
Against their father, fool me not so much
To bear it tamely! touch me with noble anger!
O, let not women's weapons, water drops,
Stain my man's cheek !—no, you unnatural hags,
I will have such revenges on you both,

That all the world shall-I will do such things,
What they are, yet I know not; but they shall be
The terrors of the earth.-You think I'll weep;
No, I'll not weep:-

I have full cause of weeping; but this heart
Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws,

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