Kent. Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief?

Gent. Ay, sir; she took them, read them in my presence,
And now and then an ample tear trill'd down

Her delicate cheek: it seem'd she was a queen
Over her passion, who most rebel-like

Sought to be king o'er her.

20

Kent.
O, then it moved her.
Gent. 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 way: those happy smilets
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,

Kent.

If all could so become it.

Made she no verbal question?

Gent. 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?

30

Let pity not be believed!' There she shook
The holy water from her heavenly eyes,

Kent.

And clamour moisten'd: then away she started
To deal with grief alone.

It is the stars,

The stars above us, govern our conditions ;

Else one self mate and mate could not beget

Such different issues. You spoke not with her since? Gent. No.

Kent. Was this before the king return'd?

Gent.
No, since.
Kent. Well, sir, the poor distress'd Lear's i' the town;
Who sometime in his better tune remembers
What we are come about, and by no means
Will yield to see his daughter.

Gent.

Why, good sir?

4I

Kent. A sovereign shame so elbows him: his own un

Gent.

kindness

That stripp'd her from his benediction, turn'd her
To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights

To his dog-hearted daughters: these things sting
His mind so venomously that burning shame
Detains him from Cordelia.

Alack, poor gentleman!

Kent. Of Albany's and Cornwall's powers you heard not? Gent. 'Tis so; they are afoot.

Kent. Well, sir, I'll bring you to our Master Lear,

51

And leave you to attend him: some dear cause
Will in concealment wrap me up awhile;
When I am known aright, you shall not grieve
Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you, go
Along with me.

[Exeunt.

Enter, with drum and colours, Cordelia, Doctor,
and Soldiers.

Cor. Alack, 'tis he: why, he was met even now
As mad as the vex'd sea; singing aloud;
Crown'd with rank fumiter and furrow-weeds,
With bur-docks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers,
Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow

In our sustaining corn. A century send forth;
Search every acre in the high-grown field,
And bring him to our eye.

What can man's wisdom

[Exit an Officer.]

In the restoring his bereaved sense?

He that helps him take all my outward worth. 10

Doct. There is means, madam:

Cor.

Our foster-nurse of nature is repose,

:

The which he lacks that to provoke in him,
Are many simples operative, whose power

Will close the eye of anguish.

All blest secrets,

All you unpublish'd virtues of the earth,

Mess.

Spring with my tears! be aidant and remediate

In the good man's distress!

Seek, seek for him;

Lest his ungovern'd rage dissolve the life

That wants the means to lead it.

Enter a Messenger.

News, madam; 20

The British powers are marching hitherward.

Cor. 'Tis known before; our preparation stands
In expectation of them.

It is thy business that I
Therefore great France

O dear father,

go about ;

My mourning and important tears hath pitied.
No blown ambition doth our arms incite,

But love, dear love, and our aged father's right:

Soon

may I hear and see him!

[Exeunt.

Your sister is the better soldier.

Reg. Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home?
Osw. No, madam.

Reg. What might import my sister's letter to him?
Osw. I know not, lady.

Reg. Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter.

It was great ignorance, Gloucester's eyes being out,
To let him live: where he arrives he moves
All hearts against us: Edmund, I think, is gone,
In pity of his misery, to dispatch

His nighted life; moreover, to descry

The strength o' the enemy.

Osw. I must needs after him, madam, with my letter.
Reg. Our troops set forth to-morrow: stay with us;
The ways are dangerous.

Osw,

I

may not, madam: