LEAR. No, I will be the pattern of all patience; I will say nothing. Enter KENT. KENT. Who's there? 35 FOOL. Marry, here's a wise man and a fool. KENT. Alas, sir, are you here? things that love night Love not such nights as these; the wrathful skies Gallow the very wanderers of the dark, And make them keep their caves: since I was man, LEAR. That keep this dreadful pother o'er our heads, 40 Let the great gods, 45 Tremble, thou wretch, That hast within thee undivulged crimes, Unwhipp'd of justice: hide thee, thou bloody hand; That art incestuous: caitiff, to pieces shake, 50 Hast practised on man's life: close pent-up guilts, KENT. Some friendship will it lend you 'gainst the tempest; Which even but now, demanding after you, Their scanted courtesy. LEAR. My wits begin to turn. 55 60 Come on, my boy; how dost, my boy? art cold? I am cold myself. Where is this straw, my fellow? The art of our necessities is strange, And can make vile things precious. Come, your hovel. heart Poor fool and knave, I have one part in my That's sorry yet for thee. FOOL. He that has and a little tiny wit With heigh, ho, the wind and the rain 65 [Singing. 70 Must make content with his fortunes fit, LEAR. True, my good boy. Come, bring us to this hovel. FOOL. I'll speak a prophecy ere I go. [Exeunt LEAR and KENT. 75 When priests are more in word than matter; This prophecy Merlin shall make; for I live before his time. SCENE III. A room in GLOUCESTER'S castle. Enter GLOUCESTER and EDMUND. [Exit. GLO. Alack, alack, Edmund, I like not this unnatural dealing. When I desired their leave that I might pity him, they took from me the use of mine own house; charged me, on pain of perpetual displeasure, 'neither to speak of him, entreat for him, nor any way sustain him. EDM. Most savage and unnatural! 5 GLO. Go to; say you nothing. There's a division between the dukes, and a worse matter than that. I have received a letter this night; 'tis dangerous to be spoken; I have locked the letter in my closet: these injuries the king now 10 bears will be revenged home; there is part of a power already footed: : we must incline to the king. I will seek him and privily relieve him go you, and maintain talk with the duke, that my charity be not of him perceived: if he ask for me, I am ill, and gone to bed. Though I die for it, as no less is 15 threatened me, the king my old master must be relieved. There is some strange things toward, Edmund; pray you, be careful. EDM. This courtesy, forbid thee, shall the duke Instantly know; and of that letter too: [Exit. This seems a fair deserving, and must draw me 20 [Exit. SCENE IV. A part of the heath, with a hovel. Storm continues. Enter LEAR, KENT, and Fool. KENT. Here is the place, my lord; good my lord, enter: The tyranny of the open night's too rough But where the greater malady is fixed. The lesser is scarce felt. Thou'dst shun a bear, But if thy flight lay toward the roaring sea 10 Thou'dst meet the bear i' the mouth. When the mind's free The body's delicate: the tempest in my mind. Doth from my senses take all feeling else KENT. 15 20 Good my lord, enter here. On things would hurt me more. [To the Fool.] In, boy; go first. But I'll go in : 25 You houseless poverty, [Fool goes in. Nay, get thee in. I'll pray, and then I'll sleep. Poor naked wretches, wheresoe'er you are, 30 35 EDG. [Within.] Fathom and half, fathom and half! Poor Tom! [The Fool runs out from the hovel. |