Beweep this cause again, I'll pluck ye out.
And cast you, with the waters that you lose,
To temper clay. Yea, is it come to this?
Let it be so yet have I left a daughter,
Who, I am sure, is kind and comfortable;
When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails
She'll flay thy wolfish visage. Thou shalt find,
That I'll resume the shape which thou dost think
I have cast off for ever; thou shalt, I warrant thee.
[Exeunt LEAR, KENT, and Attendants.

GON. Do you mark that, my lord?

ALB. I cannot be so partial, Goneril,

To the great love I bear you—

GON. Pray you, content. What, Oswald, ho!

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[To the Fool.] You, sir, more knave than fool, after your

master.

FOOL. Nuncle Lear, nuncle Lear, tarry; take the fool with 300 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.

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[Exit.

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,
Each buzz, each fancy, each complaint, dislike,
He may enguard his dotage with their powers
And hold our lives in mercy. Oswald, I say!
ALB. Well, you may fear too far.
GON.

Safer than trust too far.

Let me still take away the harms I fear,
Not fear still to be taken: I know his heart.
What he hath utter'd I have writ my sister;

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If she sustain him and his hundred knights,
When I have show'd the unfitness-

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. Get you gone;

And hasten your return., [Exit Osw.] No, no, my lord,

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This milky gentleness and course of yours

Though I condemn not, yet, under pardon,

You are much more attask'd for want of wisdom

Than praised for harmful mildness.

ALB. How far your eyes may pierce I cannot tell; Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.

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GON. Nay, then

ALB. Well, well; the event.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V. Court before the same.

Enter LEAR, KENT, and Fool.

LEAR. Go you before to Gloucester 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 5 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 ne'er go 10 slipshod.

LEAR. Ha, ha, ha!

FOOL. Shalt see thy other daughter will use thee kindly; for though she's as like this as a crab's like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell.

LEAR. Why, what canst thou tell, my 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 may spy into.

LEAR. I did her wrong—

FOOL. Canst tell how an oyster makes his shell?

LEAR. NO.

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FOOL. Nor I either; but I can tell why a snail has a house. LEAR. Why?

FOOL. Why, to put his head in; not to give it away to his daughters, and leave his horns without a case.

my

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LEAR. I will forget my nature. So kind a father!-Be 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?

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FOOL. Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been 40 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.

45

ACT II.

SCENE I. A court within the castle of the EARL OF
GLOUCESTER.

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.

EDм. 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?

EDм. Not I pray you, what are they?

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CUR. Have you heard of no likely wars toward, 'twixt the 10 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,
Which I must act: briefness and fortune, work!
Brother, a word; descend: brother, I say!

1.5

Enter EDGAR.

My father watches: O sir, fly this place;
Intelligence is given where you are hid;

You have now the good advantage of the night:
Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall?
He's coming hither, now, i' the night, i' the haste,
And Regan with him: have you nothing said
Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany?
Advise yourself.

EDG.

I am sure on't, not a word.

EDM. I hear my father coming: pardon me:
In cunning I must draw my sword upon you:
Draw seem to defend yourself: now quit you well.
Yield come before my father. Light, ho, here!
Fly, brother. Torches, torches! So farewell.

Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion

[Exit EDGAR.

[Wounds his arm.

Of my more fierce endeavour: I have seen drunkards
Do more than this in sport. Father, father!
Stop, stop! No help?

Enter GLOUCESTER, and Servants with torches.

GLO. Now, Edmund, where's the villain?

EDM. Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out, Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon

To stand auspicious mistress.

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