Page 1835 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

LEAR

Vengeance! plague! death! confusion!
Fiery! what quality? Why, Gloucester, Gloucester,
I’d speak with the Duke of Cornwall and his wife.

GLOUCESTER
Well, my good Lord, I have inform’d them so. [95]

LEAR

Inform’d them! Dost thou understand me, man?

GLOUCESTER

Ay, my good Lord.

LEAR
The King would speak with Cornwall; the dear father
Would with his daughter speak, commands, tends service:
Are they inform’d of this? My breath and blood! [100]
Fiery! the fiery Duke! Tell the hot Duke that −

No, but not yet; may be he is not well:
Infirmity doth still neglect all office
Whereto our health is bound; we are not ourselves

When Nature, being oppress’d, commands the mind [105]
To suffer with the body. I’ll forbear;
And am fall’n out with my more headier will,
To take the indispos’d and sickly fit
For the sound man. Death on my state! wherefore

(Looking on Kent.)
Should he sit here? This act persuades me [110]
That this remotion of the Duke and her

Is practice only. Give me my servant forth.
Go tell the Duke and’s wife I’d speak with them,
Now, presently: bid them come forth and hear me,
Or at their chamber-door I’ll beat the drum [115]
Till it cry sleep to death.

GLOUCESTER

I would have all well betwixt you.