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Enter STEWard.

Re. I know 't, my sister's: this approves her letter,

That she would soon be here.-Is your lady come? Lear. This is a slave, whose easy-borrow'd pride Dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows.

Out, varlet, from my sight!

Corn.

What means your grace?

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

good hope

Thou didst not know of 't.-Who comes here? O

heavens,

Enter GONERIL.

If you do love old men, if your sweet sway

Allow 1 obedience, if yourselves are old,

Make it your cause; send down, and take my

part!—

Art not ashamed to look upon this beard?—

[to Goneril.

O, Regan, wilt thou take her by the hand?

Gon. Why not by the hand, sir? How have I

offended?

All's not offence, that indiscretion finds,

And dotage terms so.

Lear.

O, sides, you are too tough!

'Approve.

Will you yet hold?- How came my man i' the

stocks?

Corn. I set him there, sir; but his own disorders Deserved much less advancement.

Lear.

You! did you?

Re. I pray you, father, being weak, seem so. If, till the expiration of your month, You will return and sojourn with my sister, Dismissing half your train, come then to me: I am now from home, and out of that provision Which shall be needful for your entertainment. Lear. Return to her, and fifty men dismiss'd? No, rather I abjure all roofs, and choose To wage against the enmity o' the air; To be a comrade with the wolf and owl,— Necessity's sharp pinch!-Return with her? Why, the hot-blooded France, that dowerless took Our youngest-born ;-I could as well be brought To knee his throne, and, squire-like, pension beg To keep base life afoot.-Return with her? Persuade me rather to be slave and sumpter 1

1

To this detested groom. [looking on the Steward. At your choice, sir.

Gon.

Lear. I pr'ythee, daughter, do not make me mad: I will not trouble thee, my child; farewell: We'll no more meet, no more see one another: But yet thou art my flesh, my blood, my daughter; Or, rather, a disease that 's in my flesh,

A horse that carries necessaries on a journey.

Which I must needs call mine: thou art a boil,
A plague-sore, an embossed1 carbuncle,

In my corrupted blood: but I'll not chide thee;
Let shame come when it will, I do not call it :
I do not bid the thunder-bearer shoot,

Nor tell tales of thee to high-judging Jove:

Mend when thou canst; be better at thy leisure : I can be patient; I can stay with Regan,

I, and my hundred knights.

Re.

Not altogether so, sir; I look'd not for you yet, nor am provided

For your fit welcome. Give ear, sir, to my sister: For those that mingle reason with your passion, Must be content to think you old, and so

But she knows what she does.

Is this well spoken now?

Lear. Re. I dare avouch it, sir. What, fifty followers ? Is it not well? What should you need of more, Yea, or so many; sith 2 that both charge and danger Speak 'gainst so great a number? How, in one

house,

Should many people, under two commands,

Hold amity? 'Tis hard; almost impossible.

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

From those that she calls servants, or from mine? Re. Why not, my lord? If then they chanced to slack you,

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We could control them. If you will come to me,
(For now I spy a danger) I entreat you
To bring but five and twenty; to no more
Will I give place or notice.

Lear. I gave you all

Re.

Lear. Made you my guardians, my depositaries;

And in good time you gave it.

What, must I come to you

But kept a reservation to be follow'd

With such a number.

With five and twenty, Regan? said you so?

Re. And speak it again, my lord; no more with

me.

Lear. Those wicked creatures yet do look well

favor'd,

When others are more wicked; not being the

worst,

Stands in some rank of praise.—I'll go with thee: [to Goneril.

Thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty,

And thou art twice her love.

Gon.

Hear me, my lord;

What need you five and twenty, ten, or five,
To follow in a house, where twice so many
Have a command to tend you?

Re.

What need one?

Lear. O, reason not the need; our basest beggars

Are in the poorest thing superfluous :

Allow not nature more than nature needs,

Man's life is cheap as beast's: thou art a lady;

If only to go warm were gorgeous,

Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st,

Which scarcely keeps thee warm.-But, for true

need,―

You Heavens, give me that patience, patience I need!

You see me here, you 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 cheeks!-No, you unnatural hags,
I will have such revenges on you both,

That all the word 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,
Or ere I'll weep:-O, fool, I shall go mad!

[Exeunt Lear, Gloster, Kent, and Fool. Corn. Let us withdraw; 'twill be a storm. [storm heard at a distance.

Re.

This house

Is little; the old man and his people cannot
Be well bestow'd.

Gon. 'Tis his own blame; hath put himself from

rest,

And must needs taste his folly.

Re. For his particular, I'll receive him gladly, But not one follower.

Gon.

So am I purposed.

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