Let not the creaking of shoes nor the rustling of silks betray thy poor heart to woman:keep thy foot out of brothels,thy hand out of plackets,thy pen from lenders'books,and defy the foul fiend.
Still through the hawthorn blows the cold wind:
Says suum,mun,ha,no,nonny.
Dolphin my boy,my boy,sessa!let him trot by.
Storm still KING LEAR Why,thou wert better in thy grave than to answer with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies.
Is man no more than this?Consider him well.
Thou owest the worm no silk,the beast no hide,the sheep no wool,the cat no perfume.Ha!here's three on 's are sophisticated!Thou art the thing itself:unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor bare,forked animal as thou art.Off,off,you lendings!
come unbutton here.
Tearing off his clothes Fool Prithee,nuncle,be contented;'tis a naughty night to swim in.Now a little fire in a wild field were like an old lecher's heart;a small spark,all the rest on's body cold.Look,here comes a walking fire.
Enter GLOUCESTER,with a torch EDGAR This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet:he begins at curfew,and walks till the first cock;he gives the web and the pin,squints the eye,and makes the hare-lip;mildews the white wheat,and hurts the poor creature of earth.
S.Withold footed thrice the old;
He met the night-mare,and her nine-fold;
Bid her alight,And her troth plight,And,aroint thee,witch,aroint thee!KENT How fares your grace?KING LEAR What's he?KENT Who's there?What is't you seek?GLOUCESTER What are you there?Your names?EDGAR Poor Tom;that eats the swimming frog,the toad,the tadpole,the wall-newt and the water;that in the fury of his heart,when the foul fiend rages,eats cow-dung for sallets;swallows the old rat and the ditch-dog;drinks the green mantle of the standing pool;who is whipped from tithing to tithing,and stock-punished,and imprisoned;who hath had three suits to his back,six shirts to his body,horse to ride,and weapon to wear;But mice and rats,and such small deer,Have been Tom's food for seven long year.
Beware my follower.Peace,Smulkin;peace,thou fiend!GLOUCESTER What,hath your grace no better company?EDGAR The prince of darkness is a gentleman:
Modo he's call'd,and Mahu.GLOUCESTER Our flesh and blood is grown so vile,my lord,That it doth hate what gets it.EDGAR Poor Tom's a-cold.GLOUCESTER Go in with me:my duty cannot suffer To obey in all your daughters'hard commands:
Though their injunction be to bar my doors,And let this tyrannous night take hold upon you,Yet have I ventured to come seek you out,And bring you where both fire and food is ready.KING LEAR First let me talk with this philosopher.
What is the cause of thunder?KENT Good my lord,take his offer;go into the house.KING LEAR I'll talk a word with this same learned Theban.
What is your study?EDGAR How to prevent the fiend,and to kill vermin.KING LEAR Let me ask you one word in private.KENT Importune him once more to go,my lord;His wits begin to unsettle.GLOUCESTER Canst thou blame him?
Storm still His daughters seek his death:ah,that good Kent!
He said it would be thus,poor banish'd man!
Thou say'st the king grows mad;I'll tell thee,friend,I am almost mad myself:I had a son,Now outlaw'd from my blood;he sought my life,But lately,very late:I loved him,friend;No father his son dearer:truth to tell thee,The grief hath crazed my wits.What a night's this!
I do beseech your grace,--KING LEAR O,cry your mercy,sir.
Noble philosopher,your company.EDGAR Tom's a-cold.GLOUCESTER In,fellow,there,into the hovel:keep thee warm.KING LEAR Come let's in all.KENT This way,my lord.KING LEAR With him;I will keep still with my philosopher.KENT Good my lord,soothe him;let him take the fellow.GLOUCESTER Take him you on.KENT Sirrah,come on;go along with us.KING LEAR Come,good Athenian.GLOUCESTER No words,no words:hush.EDGAR Child Rowland to the dark tower came,His word was still,--Fie,foh,and fum,I smell the blood of a British man.
Exeunt
SCENE V.Gloucester's castle
Enter CORNWALL and EDMUND CORNWALL
I will have my revenge ere I depart his house.EDMUND How,my lord,I may be censured,that nature thus gives way to loyalty,something fears me to think of.CORNWALL I now perceive,it was not altogether your brother's evil disposition made him seek his death;but a provoking merit,set a-work by a reprovable badness in himself.EDMUND How malicious is my fortune,that I must repent to be just!This is the letter he spoke of,which approves him an intelligent party to the advantages of France:O heavens!that this treason were not,or not I the detector!CORNWALL o with me to the duchess.EDMUND If the matter of this paper be certain,you have mighty business in hand.CORNWALL True or false,it hath made thee earl of Gloucester.Seek out where thy father is,that he may be ready for our apprehension.EDMUND [Aside]If I find him comforting the king,it will stuff his suspicion more fully.--I will persevere in my course of loyalty,though the conflict be sore between that and my blood.CORNWALL I will lay trust upon thee;and thou shalt find a dearer father in my love.
Exeunt
SCENE VI.A chamber in a farmhouse adjoining the castle
Enter GLOUCESTER,KING LEAR,KENT,Fool,and EDGAR GLOUCESTER
Here is better than the open air;take it thankfully.I will piece out the comfort with what addition I can:I will not be long from you.KENT All the power of his wits have given way to his impatience:the gods reward your kindness!
Exit
GLOUCESTER EDGAR Frateretto calls me;and tells me Nero is an angler in the lake of darkness.