His fault is much, and the good king, his master, Corn. We'll answer that; Our sister may receive it worse to have Her gentleman assaulted. To our business, lead. Whose disposition will not be controll'd; Kent. Pray do not, sir. I have watch'd and travell'd hard; Sometime I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle. Farewell t' ye, sir. [Exit GLOSTER into the castle, Good king, that must approve the common saw ! SCENE II. [Sleeps. A Forest. Enter EDGAR. Edg. I heard myself proclaim'd, And by the friendly hollow of a tree, Escaped the hunt. No port is free, no place, Where guards and most unusual vigilance Do not attend to take me.- -How easy now 'Twere to defeat the malice of my trial, And leave my griefs on my sword's reeking point; But love detains me from death's peaceful cell, Still whispering me, Cordelia's in distress: Unkind as she is, I cannot see her wretched, SCENE IV. Before the EARL of Gloster's Castle. KENT discovered, in the Stocks still Enter KING LEAR and his Knights. Lear. "Tis strange, that they should so depart from home, And not send back our messenger. Kent. Hail, noble master! Lear. How, mak'st thou this shame thy pastime ? What's he that has so much mistook thy place, To set thee here? Kent. It is both he and she, sir; your son and daughter. Lear, No. Lear. No, I say. Lear. They durst not do❜t.- Resolve me with all modest haste, which way I did commend your highness' letters to them, Stew'd in his haste, breathless and panting forth Had shown such rudeness to your highness, I, On which he raised the house with coward cries:- 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 service. Are they inform'd of this? My breath and blood! I beg his pardon, and I'll chide my rashness, Is plain contempt.-Give me my servant forth.- 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. Shouldst 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 cou'd'st ne'er ha' thought it; Thy sister's naught: O Regan, she has tied Ingratitude like a keen vulture here; I 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 you yourself; therefore, good sir, Return to our sister, and say you have wrong'd her. Do you but mark how this becomes the house : That you'll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food. Lear. Never, Regan; She hath abated me of half my train, Look'd black upon me, stabb'd me with her tongue: On her ingrateful head! Strike her young bones, Reg. O the blest gods! thus will you wish on me, When the rash mood Lear. No, Regan, thou shalt never have my curse; The offices of nature, bond of childhood, |