Enter ALBANY. Gon. I have been worth the whistle.1 Alb. O Goneril! You are not worth the dust which the rude wind Blows in your face. I fear your disposition: Cannot be border'd certain in itself; 2 She that herself will sliver and disbranch Gon. No more; the text is foolish. Alb. Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile : Whose reverence the head-lugg'd bear would lick, If that the Heavens do not their visible spirits Humanity must perforce prey on itself, Like monsters of the deep. Gon. Milk-liver'd man! That bear'st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs; 1 Worth calling for. 2 Cannot be restrained within any certain bounds. Who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning Thine honor from thy suffering; that not know'st, Fools do those villains pity, who are punish'd Ere they have done their mischief! Where's thy drum? France spreads his banners in our noiseless land; Alb. See thyself, devil! Proper deformity seems not in the fiend So horrid as in woman. Alb. Thou changed and self-cover'd thing, for shame, Bemonster not thy feature. Were it my fitness They are apt enough to dislocate and tear Thy flesh and bones. Howe'er thou art a fiend, Gon. Marry, your manhood now! Enter MESSENGER. Alb. What news? Mes. O, my good lord, the duke of Cornwall's dead; Slain by his servant, going to put out The other eye of Gloster. Alb. Gloster's eyes! Mes. A servant that he bred, thrill'd with re morse, SHAK. XIII. H Opposed against the act, bending his sword Alb. This shows you are above, You justicers, that these our nether crimes So speedily can venge!-But, O poor Gloster! Lost he his other eye? Mes. Both, both, my lord.— This letter, madam, craves a speedy answer; 'Tis from your sister. Gon. [aside.] One way I like this well; But being widow, and my Gloster with her, May all the building in my fancy pluck Upon my hateful life: another way, The news is not so tart.-I'll read, and answer. [Exit. Alb. Where was his son, when they did take his eyes? Mes. Come with my lady hither. Alb. He is not here. Mes. No, my good lord; I met him back again. Alb. Knows he the wickedness? Mes. Ay, my good lord; 'twas he inform'd against him; And quit the house of purpose, that their punish ment Might have the freer course. Alb. Gloster, I live To thank thee for the love thou show'dst the king, And to revenge thine eyes.-Come hither, friend; Tell me what more thou knowest. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The French camp, near Dover. Enter KENT and GENTLEMAN. Kent. Why the king of France is so suddenly gone back know you the reason? Gen. Something he left imperfect in the state, Which since his coming forth is thought of; which Imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger, That his personal return was most required And necessary. Kent. Who hath he left behind him general? Gen. The mareschal of France, Monsieur le Fer. Kent. Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief? Gen. Ay, sir; she took them, read them in my presence; And now and then an ample tear trill'd down Sought to be king o'er her. Kent. O, then it moved her? Gen. Not to a rage: patience and sorrow strove Who should express her goodliest. You have seen Sunshine and rain at once: her smiles and tears Were like a better May. Those happy smiles, That play'd on her ripe lip, seem'd not to know What guests were in her eyes, which parted thence, As pearls from diamonds dropp'd: in brief, sorrow Would be a rarity most beloved, if all Could so become it. Kent. Made she no verbal question ? 1 Gen. Faith, once or twice she heaved the name of 'father' Pantingly forth, as if it press'd her heart; Cried, Sisters! sisters!-Shame of ladies! sisters! Kent! father! sisters! What? i' the storm? i' the night? Let pity not be believed!' 2-There she shook And clamor moisten'd: then away she started It is the stars, Kent. 3 Else one self mate and mate could not beget since ? Gen. No. Kent. Was this before the king return'd? Gen. No, since. Kent. Well, sir, the poor distress'd Lear is i' the town; Who sometime, in his better tune, remembers What we are come about, and by no means 1 i. e. did she enter into no conversation with you? 2 Let not pity be supposed to exist. 3 Dispositions. |