Kent. A very honest-hearted fellow, and as poor as the King Lear. If thou be'st as poor for a subject as he's for a king, thou art poor enough. What wouldst thou? Kent. Service. 25 Lear. Who wouldst thou serve ? Kent. You. Lear. Dost thou know me, fellow? Kent. No, sir; but you have that in your countenance which I would fain call master. 30 Lear. What's that? Kent. Authority. Lear. What services canst thou do? 33 Kent. I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, mar a curious tale in telling it, and deliver a plain message bluntly. That which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in; and the best of me is diligence. 38 Lear. How old art thou ? Kent. Not so young, sir, to love a woman for singing, nor so old to dote on her for anything. I have years on my back forty-eight. 42 Lear. Follow me; thou shalt serve me. If I like thee no worse after dinner, I will not part from thee yet. Dinner, ho, dinner! Where's my knave? my Fool ? Go you, and call my Fool hither. 47 [Exit an Attendant Enter Steward [OSWALD]. You, you, sirrah, where 's my daughter? Osw. So please you, [Erit. Lear. What says the fellow there ? Call the clotpoll 35. curious=strange, elaborate. 52 55 back. [Exit a knight.] Where's my Fool, ho? I think the world's asleep. [Re-enter Knight.] How now! where's that mongrel ? Knight. He says, my lord, your daughter is not well. Lear. Why came not the slave back to me when I call'd him? Knight. Sir, he answered me in the roundest manner, he would not. Lear. He would not! 60 Knight. My lord, I know not what the matter is ; but, to my judgement, your Highness is not entertain'd with that ceremonious affection as you were wont. There 's a great abatement of kindness appears as well in the general dependants as in the Duke himself also and your daughter. Lear. Ha! say'st thou so? Knight. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, if I be mistaken ; for my duty cannot be silent when I think your Highness wrong'd. 71 Lear. Thou but rememb’rest me of mine own conception. I have perceived a most faint neglect of late, which I have rather blamed as mine own jealous curiosity than as a very pretence and purpose of unkindness. I will look further into 't. But where 's my Fool? I have not seen him this two days. 78 Knight. Since my young lady 's going into France, sir, the Fool hath much pined away. Lear. No more of that; I have noted it well. Go 75. jealous=suspicious, cf. V, i, 56. For curiosity, cf. I, i, 5 and I, ii, 4. pretence=design. 67 you, and tell my daughter I would speak with her. [Exit an Attendant.] Go you, call hither my Fool. 84 [Exit an Attendant.] Re-enter Steward [OSWALD]. O, you, sir, you, come you hither, sir. Who am I, sir? Osw. My lady's father. Lear. “ My lady's father”! My lord's knave! You whoreson dog! you slave! you cur! 89 Osw. I am none of these, my lord; I beseech your pardon. Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal ? [Striking him.) Osw. I'll not be strucken, my lord. 94 Kent. Nor tripp'd neither, you base foot-ball player. [Tripping up his heels.] Lear. I thank thee, fellow. Thou serv'st me, and I'll love thee. Kent. Come, sir, arise, away! I'll teach you differences. Away, away! If you will measure your lubber's length again, tarry; but away! go to. Have you wisdom? So. [Pushes Oswald out.] Lear. Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee. There 's earnest of thy service. [Giving Kent money. 104 Enter Fool. Fool. Let me hire him too; here's my coxcomb. [Offering Kent his cap.] Lear. How now, my pretty knave ! how dost thou? Enter Fool. The character of the Fool is a fascinating one. A licensed jester, a retailer of old and sometimes questionable jokes and songs, he was intended, like other Fools in the Elizabethan drama, to amuse the audience. But his half-witted fooling throws into relief the growing frenzy of his master, and the bitter shrewdness of his wit and the utter unselfishness of his service win both our respect and love. 98 Fool. Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb. [Kent. Why, Fool ?] 110 Fool. Why? For taking one's part that's out of favour. Nay, an thou canst not smile as the wind sits, thou 'lt catch cold shortly. There, take my coxcomb. Why, this fellow has banish'd two on 's daughters, and did the third a blessing against his will; if thou follow him, thou must needs wear my coxcomb. How now, nuncle! Would I had two coxcombs and two daughters ! 118 Lear. Why, my boy? Fool. If I gave them all my living, I'd keep my coxcombs myself. There's mine; beg another of thy daughters. Lear. Take heed, sirrah; the whip. 123 Fool. Truth 's a dog must to kennel ; he must be whipp'd out, when Lady the brach may stand by the fire and stink. Lear. A pestilent gall to me! 130 “Have more than thou showest, Speak less than thou knowest, 113. catch cold : i. e. be turned out of doors. 117. nuncle : a contraction of mine uncle, a customary address of a licensed Fool to his superior. 127. a pestilent gall to me : referring to the Fool's bitter jests. 131-140. The Fool's jingles are rarely altogether logical. owest=ownest, as in I, i, 205; goest : walkest ; trowest= knowest, instead of its usual meaning, think or believe ; throwest seems equivalent to win. Ride more than thou goest, 135 And thou shalt have more 140 Kent. This is nothing, Fool. Fool. Then 't is like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer: you gave me nothing for 't. Can you make no use of nothing, nuncle? Lear. Why, no, boy, nothing can be made out of nothing. 146 Fool. [To Kent.] Prithee, tell him so much the rent of his land comes to. He will not believe a Fool. Lear. A bitter fool! 150 Fool. Dost thou know the difference, my boy, between a bitter fool and a sweet one? Lear. No, lad ; teach me. 155 Come place him here by me, Do thou for him stand : Will presently appear; 160 The other found out there." Lear. Dost thou call me fool, boy? Fool. All thy other titles thou hast given away; that thou wast born with. Kent. This is not altogether fool, my lord. 165 Fool. No, faith, lords and great men will not let me; if I had a monopoly out, they would have part 167. a monopoly out : referring to the abuses in the granting of monopolies in the reign of James I. |