King Lear
| ACT III SCENE I | A heath. | |
| [Storm still. Enter KENT and a Gentleman, meeting] | ||
| KENT | Who’s there, besides foul weather? | |
| Gentleman | One minded like the weather, most unquietly. | |
| KENT | I know you. Where’s the king? | |
| Gentleman | Contending with the fretful element: | |
| Bids the winds blow the earth into the sea, | 5 | |
| Or swell the curled water ‘bove the main, | ||
| That things might change or cease; tears his white hair, | ||
| Which the impetuous blasts, with eyeless rage, | ||
| Catch in their fury, and make nothing of; | ||
| Strives in his little world of man to out-scorn | 10 | |
| The to-and-fro-conflicting wind and rain. | ||
| This night, wherein the cub-drawn bear would couch, | ||
| The lion and the belly-pinched wolf | ||
| Keep their fur dry, unbonneted he runs, | ||
| And bids what will take all. | 15 | |
| KENT | But who is with him? | |
| Gentleman | None but the fool; who labours to out-jest | |
| His heart-struck injuries. | ||
| KENT | Sir, I do know you; | |
| And dare, upon the warrant of my note, | 20 | |
| Commend a dear thing to you. There is division, | ||
| Although as yet the face of it be cover’d | ||
| With mutual cunning, ‘twixt Albany and Cornwall; | ||
| Who have–as who have not, that their great stars | ||
| Throned and set high?–servants, who seem no less, | 25 | |
| Which are to France the spies and speculations | ||
| Intelligent of our state; what hath been seen, | ||
| Either in snuffs and packings of the dukes, | ||
| Or the hard rein which both of them have borne | ||
| Against the old kind king; or something deeper, | 30 | |
| Whereof perchance these are but furnishings; | ||
| But, true it is, from France there comes a power | ||
| Into this scatter’d kingdom; who already, | ||
| Wise in our negligence, have secret feet | ||
| In some of our best ports, and are at point | 35 | |
| To show their open banner. Now to you: | ||
| If on my credit you dare build so far | ||
| To make your speed to Dover, you shall find | ||
| Some that will thank you, making just report | ||
| Of how unnatural and bemadding sorrow | 40 | |
| The king hath cause to plain. | ||
| I am a gentleman of blood and breeding; | ||
| And, from some knowledge and assurance, offer | ||
| This office to you. | ||
| Gentleman | I will talk further with you. | 45 |
| KENT | No, do not. | |
| For confirmation that I am much more | ||
| Than my out-wall, open this purse, and take | ||
| What it contains. If you shall see Cordelia,– | ||
| As fear not but you shall,–show her this ring; | 50 | |
| And she will tell you who your fellow is | ||
| That yet you do not know. Fie on this storm! | ||
| I will go seek the king. | ||
| Gentleman | Give me your hand: have you no more to say? | |
| KENT | Few words, but, to effect, more than all yet; | 55 |
| That, when we have found the king,–in which your pain | ||
| That way, I’ll this,–he that first lights on him | ||
| Holla the other. | ||
| [Exeunt severally] | ||
King Lear, Act 3, Scene 2