Re-enter LEAR with GLOster.

Lear. Deny to speak with me? They're sick,they're weary?

They have travell'd all the night? Mere fetches !The images of revolt and flying off.

Fetch me a better answer.

Glo.

My dear lord,

You know the fiery quality of the duke.

Lear. Vengeance! plague! death! confusion !— Fiery! what quality? Why, Gloster, Gloster, I'd speak to 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 ?

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 !— Fiery? the fiery duke ?-Tell the hot duke thatNo, but not yet :-may be he is not well:

Infirmity doth still neglect all office

Whereto our health is bound; we're not ourselves When nature, being oppress'd, commands the mind To suffer with the body: I'll forbear.

Death on my state! wherefòre

[Looking on KEnt.

Should he sit here? give me my servant forth.
Go tell the duke and's wife I'd speak with them,
Now, presently: bid them come forth and hear me,
Or at their chamber door I'll beat the drum
Till it cry sleep to death.

Enter CORNWAll, Regan, GlOSTER and Servants,

Corn.

Hail to your grace!

Lear. Good morrow to you both. [Aside. O, me! my heart, my rising heart!-keep down.

[KENT is set at liberty.

Reg. I am glad to see your highness.

Lear. Regan, I think you are; I know what reason I have to think so; if thou should'st not be glad,

I would divorce me from thy mother's tomb, Sepulchring an adultress.- [To KENT.] O, are you free?

Some other time for that.-Beloved Regan,
Thy sister's naught: O Regan, she hath tied
Sharp-tooth'd unkindness, like a vulture, here,—
[Points to his heart.

I can scarce speak to thee; thou'lt not believe
Of how deprav'd a quality-O Regan!

Reg. I pray you, sir, take patience: I have hope You less know how to value her desert

Than she to scant her duty.

Lear.

Say, how is that?

Reg. I cannot think my sister in the least

Would fail her obligation.

Lear. My curses on her!

Reg.

O, sir, you are old.

You should be rul'd, and led; therefore, I pray you,

That to our sister you do make return;

Say you have wrong'd her, sir.

Lear.

Ask her forgiveness?

Do you but mark how this becomes the house : "Dear daughter, I confess that I am old;

Age is unnecessary: on my knees I beg

[Kneeling.

That you'll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food."

Reg. Good sir, no more; these are unsightly

tricks:

Return you to my sister.

Lear.

Never, Regan:

She hath abated me of half my train;

Look'd black upon me; struck me with her tongue,
Most serpent-like, upon the very heart :-

All the stor❜d vengeances of heaven fall
On her ingrateful top!
Infect her beauty,

You fen-suck'd fogs, drawn by the powerful sun,
To fall and blast her pride!

Reg. O the blest gods! so will you wish on me, When the rash mood is on.

Lear. No, Regan, thou shalt never have my curse: Thy tender-hefted nature shall not give

Thee o'er to harshness: her eyes are fierce; but thine
Do comfort, and not burn: thou better know'st
The offices of nature, bond of childhood,
Effects of courtesy, dues of gratitude;

Thy half 'o the kingdom hast thou not forgot,
Wherein I thee endow'd.

Reg.

Lear. Who put my man i' the stocks?

Corn.

Good sir, to the purpose.

[Trumpets within.

What trumpet's that?

Enter OSWALD.

Reg. I know't,-my sister's.

Is your lady come?

Lear. Out, varlet, from my sight!

[Trumpets.] Ah! Who comes here? O heavens, If you do love old men, if your sweet sway Allow obedience, if yourselves are old,

Make it your cause; send down, and take my part!

Enter GONERIL, Ladies, and Attendants.

Art not asham'd to look upon this beard?—

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. [Aside.]

O sides, you are too tough!

Will you yet hold?-[Aloud.] How came my man

i'th' stocks?

Corn. I set him there, sir.

Lear.

You did you?

Reg. 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'm 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' th' air;
To be a comrade with the wolf, and owl,-
Necessity's sharp pinch !-Return with her?
Persuade me rather to be slave and sumpter
To this detested groom.

Gon.

At your choice, sir. Lear. I prithee, 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,

-

Gon. Why might not you, my lord, receive

attendance

From those that she calls servants or from mine?

Reg. Why not, my lord! 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

Reg.

And in good time you gave it.

Lear. Those wicked creatures yet do look well

favour'd!

When others are more wicked, not being the worst Stands in some rank of praise.- [To GONERIL.] I'll go with thee:

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?

Reg.

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,