Fool. Marry, here's grace, and a cod-piece; that'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, Such sheets of fire, such bursts of horrid thunder, Such groans of roaring wind and rain, I never Remember to have heard: man's nature cannot carry The affliction, nor the fear. Lear. Let the great gods, That keep this dreadful pother 4 o'er our heads, Unwhipp'd of justice: Hide thee, thou bloody hand; These dreadful summoners grace.7-I am a man, Kent. Alack, bare-headed! Gracious my lord, hard by here is a hovel; Some friendship will it lend you 'gainst the tempest; Repose you there: while I to this hard house, (More hard than is the stone whereof 'tis rais'd; Which even but now, demanding after you, 3 Scare or frighten. 8 Denied me to come in,) return, and force Their scanted courtesy. Lear. Come on, my boy: My wits begin to turn,How dost, my boy? Art cold? I am cold myself. Where is this straw, my fellow? The art of our necessities is strange, That can make vile things precious. Come, your hovel, Poor fool and knave, I have one part in my heart Fool. He that has a little tiny wit, With heigh, ho, the wind and the rain,— Lear. True, my good boy.-Come, bring us to [Exeunt LEAR and KENT. this hovel. Fool. This is a brave night to cool a courtezan. -I'll speak a prophecy ere I go: When priests are more in word than matter; No squire in debt, nor no poor knight; Come to great confusion. 9 Part of the Clown's song in Twelfth Night. Then comes the time, who lives to see't, This prophecy Merlin shall make; for I live before his time. [Exit. SCENE III. A Room in Gloster's Castle. Enter GLOSTER and EDMUND. 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 their perpetual displeasure, neither to speak of him, entreat for him, nor any way sustain him. Edm. Most savage, and unnatural! Glo. Go to; say you nothing: There is 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 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. If I die for it, as no less is threatened me, the king my old master must be relieved. There is some strange thing toward, Edmund; pray you, be careful. [Exit. Edm. This courtesy, forbid thee, shall the duke A force already landed. Instantly know; and of that letter too:- [Exit. Kent. Here is the place, my lord; good my lord, enter: The tyranny of the open night's too rough For nature to endure. [Storm still. Wilt break my heart? Kent. Good my lord, enter here. Lear. Kent. I'd rather break mine own: Good my lord, enter. Lear. Thou think'st tis much, that this contentious storm Invades us to the skin: so 'tis to thee; But where the greater malady is fix'd, The lesser is scarce felt. Thoud'st shun a bear: But if thy flight lay toward the raging sea, Thou'dst meet the bear i' the mouth. When the mind's free, The body's delicate: the tempest in my mind For lifting food to't?-But I will punish home:- No more of that,— Kent. Good my lord, enter here. Lear. Pr'ythee, go in thyself; seek thine own ease; This tempest will not give me leave to ponder On things would hurt me more.—But I'll go in : In, boy; go first.-[To the Fool.] You houseless po verty, Nay, get thee in. I'll pray, and then I'll sleep.— Poor naked wretches, wheresoe'er you are, Edg. [Within.] Fathom and half, fathom and half! Poor Tom! [The Fool runs out from the Hovel. Fool. Come not in here, nuncle, here's a spirit. Help me, help me! Kent. Give me thy hand.-Who's there? Fool. A spirit, a spirit; he says his name's poor Tom. |