Page 1894 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

I took it for a man; often ’twould say
‘The Fiend, the Fiend’: he led me to that place.

EDGAR
Bear free and patient thoughts. But who comes here? [80]
Enter Lear, fantastically dressed with wild flowers.
The safer sense will ne’er accommodate

His master thus.

LEAR
No, they cannot touch me for coining; I am the king himself.

EDGAR
O thou side-piercing sight! [85]

LEAR
Nature’s above art in that respect. There’s your press-money. That fellow
handles his bow like a crow-keeper: draw me a clothier’s yard. Look, look! a

mouse. Peace, peace! this piece of toasted cheese will do’t. There’s my
gauntlet; I’ll prove it on a giant. Bring up the [90] brown bills. O! well flown
bird; i’th’clout, i’th’clout: hewgh! Give the word.

EDGAR
Sweet marjoram.

LEAR
Pass.

GLOUCESTER
I know that voice. [95]

LEAR
Ha! Goneril, with a white beard! They flattered me like a dog, and told me I
had the white hairs in my beard ere the black ones were there. To say ‘ay’
and ‘no’ to every thing that I said! ‘Ay’ and ‘no’ too was no good divinity.
When the rain came to wet me once and the wind [100] to make me chatter,

when the thunder would not peace at my bidding, there I found ’em, there I