The Tragedy of King Lear. Уильям Шекспир

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The Tragedy of King Lear - Уильям Шекспир


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man,

           That still would manage those authorities

           That he hath given away! Now, by my life,

           Old fools are babes again, and must be us'd

           With checks as flatteries, when they are seen abus'd.

           Remember what I have said.

        Osw. Very well, madam.

        Gon. And let his knights have colder looks among you.

           What grows of it, no matter. Advise your fellows so.

           I would breed from hence occasions, and I shall,

           That I may speak. I'll write straight to my sister

           To hold my very course. Prepare for dinner.

Exeunt

      Scene IV. The Duke of Albany's Palace

      Enter Kent, [disguised].

        Kent. If but as well I other accents borrow,

           That can my speech defuse, my good intent

           May carry through itself to that full issue

           For which I raz'd my likeness. Now, banish'd Kent,

           If thou canst serve where thou dost stand condemn'd,

           So may it come, thy master, whom thou lov'st,

           Shall find thee full of labours.

      Horns within. Enter Lear, [Knights,] and Attendants.

        Lear. Let me not stay a jot for dinner; go get it ready. [Exit

           an Attendant.] How now? What art thou?

        Kent. A man, sir.

        Lear. What dost thou profess? What wouldst thou with us?

        Kent. I do profess to be no less than I seem, to serve him

      truly

           that will put me in trust, to love him that is honest, to

           converse with him that is wise and says little, to fear

           judgment, to fight when I cannot choose, and to eat no fish.

        Lear. What art thou?

        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.

        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.

        Lear. What's that?

        Kent. Authority.

        Lear. What services canst thou do?

        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.

        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.

        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.

      [Exit an attendant.]

      Enter [Oswald the] Steward.

           You, you, sirrah, where's my daughter?

        Osw. So please you- Exit.

        Lear. What says the fellow there? Call the clotpoll back.

      [Exit a Knight.] Where's my fool, ho? I think the world's asleep.

      [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?

        Knight. My lord, I know not what the matter is; but to my

      judgment

           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.

        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.

        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 you and tell my

           daughter I would speak with her. [Exit Knight.] Go you, call

           hither my fool.

[Exit an Attendant.]

      Enter [Oswald the] Steward.

           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!

        Osw. I am none of these, my lord; I beseech your pardon.

        Lear. Do you bandy looks with me, you rascal?

                                                        [Strikes him.]

        Osw. I'll not be strucken, my lord.

        Kent. Nor tripp'd neither, you base football player?

                                                  [Trips


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