To take the basest and most poorest shape, Brought near to beast: my face I'll grime with filth; And with presented nakedness out-face Tom! That's something yet;-Edgar I nothing am. [Exit. SCENE IV. Before Gloster's Castle. Enter LEAR, Fool, and Gentleman. Lear. 'Tis strange, that they should so depart from Lear. How! Mak'st thou this shame thy pastime? Kent. No, my lord. Fool. Ha, ha; look! he wears cruel garters 42! Horses are tied by the heads; dogs, and bears, by the neck; monkies by the loins, and men by the legs: when a man is over-lusty at legs, then he wears wooden nether-stocks. Lear. What's he, that hath so much thy place mistook 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 Kent. My lord, when at their home I did commend your highness' letters to them, Deliver❜d letters, spite of intermission, Which presently they read: on whose contents, horse; 43 Commanded me to follow, and attend 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 But, for all this, thou shalt have as many dolours for thy daughters, as thou canst tell in a year. Lear. O, how this mother swells up toward my heart! Hysterica passio! down, thou climbing sorrow, Lear. Stay here. Follow me not; [Exit. Gent. Made you no more offence than what you speak of? Kent. None. 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? Fool. We'll set thee to school to an ant, to teach thee there's no labouring in the winter. All that follow their noses are led by their eyes; but blind men; and there's not a nose among twenty, but can sinell 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, And follows but for form, 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; Fetch me a better answer. 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- - |