Alb. What's the matter, sir? Lear. I'll tell thee;-life and death! I am ashamed That thou hast power to shake my manhood thus: [To GONERIL. That these hot tears, which break from me perforce, Old fond eyes, Beweep 2 this cause again, I'll pluck ye out, Ha?-Let it be so: I have another daughter, When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails [Exeunt LEAR, KENT, and Attendants. Gon. Do you mark that? Alb. I cannot be so partial, Goneril, To the great love I hear you Gon. Pray you, content.-What, Oswald, ho!- You, sir, more knave than fool, after your master. [To the Fool. Fool. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, tarry, and take the fool with thee. A fox when one has caught her, And such a daughter, Should sure to the slaughter, If my cap would buy a halter; So the fool follows after. [Exit. 1 Untented.] That cannot be tented for the application of a cure. A tent was a roll of lint used in probing and purifying a deep wound. Gon. This man hath had good counsel :-A hundred knights! 'Tis politic and safe to let him keep At point a hundred knights! Yes, that on every dream, He may enguard his dotage with their powers, Gon. Safer than trust too far. Let me still take away the harms I fear, When I have showed the unfitness-How now, Oswald? What, have Enter OSWALD. you writ that letter to my sister? Osw. Ay, madam. Gon. Take you some company, and away to horse: Inform her full of my particular fear; And thereto add such reasons of your own As may compact it more. And hasten your return. Get you gone; [Exit Osw.]-No, no, my lord, This milky gentleness and course of yours, You are much more attasked 3 for want of wisdom, Alb. How far your eyes may pierce I cannot tell; Gon. Nay, then— Alb. Well, well; the event.4 [Exeunt. 1 At point.] Ready armed. 2 Still.] Ever. 3 Attasked.] Taxed; censured; taken to task. 'How showed his tasking? seemed it in contempt?'-1 K. Henry IV. v. 2. The event.] Await the event; the event will show. SCENE V.-Court before the same. Enter LEAR, KENT, and Fool. Lear. Go you before to Gloster with these letters; acquaint my daughter no further with anything you know than comes from her demand out of the letter: if your diligence be not speedy, I shall be there afore you. Kent. I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered your letter. [Exit. Fool. If a man's brains were in his heels, were't not in danger of kibes? Lear. Ay, boy. Fool. Then, I prithee, be merry; thy wit shall not go slipshod. Lear. Ha, ha, ha! Fool. Shalt see thy other daughter will use thee kindly; I for though she's as like this as a crab's like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell. Lear. What canst tell, boy? Fool. She will taste as like this as a crab does to a crab. -Thou canst tell why one's nose stands i' the middle of one's face? Lear. No. Fool. Why, to keep one's eyes of either side one's nose; that what a man cannot smell out he Lear. I did her wrong.2 may spy into. Fool. Canst tell how an oyster makes his shell? Fool. Nor I neither; but I can tell why a snail has a house. 1 Kindly.] According to nature, i.e. her nature. A quibble on the word. 2 I did her wrong.] Cordelia is here referred to. Lear. Why? Fool. Why, to put his head in; not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a case. Lear. I will forget my nature.-So kind a father !-Be my horses ready? Fool. Thy asses are gone about 'em.-The reason why the seven stars are no more than seven is a pretty reason. Lear. Because they are not eight? Fool. Yes, indeed: thou wouldst make a good fool. Lear. To take 't again perforce !'-Monster ingratitude! Fool. If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy time. Lear. How's that? Fool. Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise. Lear. O let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven! Keep me in temper; I would not be mad! Enter Gentleman. How now! are the horses ready? Gent. Ready, my lord. Lear. Come, boy. [Exeunt. 'To take't again perforce!] Lear perhaps here refers to Goneril's threat: Be then desired by her, that else will take the thing she begs.' ACT II. SCENE I-A Court within the Castle of the EARL OF GLOSTER. Enter EDMUND, and CURAN, meeting. Edm. Save thee, Curan. Cur. And you, sir. I have been with your father; and given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall and Regan his duchess will be here with him this night. Edm. How comes that? Cur. Nay, I know not. You have heard of the news abroad,—I mean, the whispered ones, for they are yet but ear-kissing arguments? Edm. Not I pray you, what are they? Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toward,' 'twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany? Edm. Not a word. Cur. You may do, then, in time. Fare you well, sir. [Exit. Edm. The duke be here to-night !-The better !-best! This weaves itself perforce into my business. My father hath set guard to take my brother; And I have one thing, of a queasy question,2 Which I must act :-briefness and fortune, work !— 1 Toward.] In preparation. 2 Of a queasy question.] Which is a delicate matter to argue upon. |