Page:King Lear (1917) Yale.djvu/109

King Lear, IV. iii

Gent. The Marshal of France, Monsieur la Far.

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.

Kent. O! then it mov'd 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 belov'd,

If all could so become it.

Kent. Made she no verbal question?

Gent. Faith, once or twice she heav'd 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?

Let pity not be believed!' There she shook

The holy water from her heavenly eyes,

And clamour-moisten'd, then away she started

To deal with grief alone.

Kent. It is the stars,

The stars above us, govern our conditions;

 16 who: which

21 better way: like sunshine and rain, but even better

26 verbal question: oral conversation

33 clamour-moisten'd: wet with lamentation

