Page:King Lear (1917) Yale.djvu/71

King Lear, II. iv

'Dear daughter, I confess that I am old;

Age is unnecessary: on my knees I beg

That you'll vouchsafe me raiment, bed, and food.'

Reg. Good sir, no more; these are unsightly tricks:

Return you to my sister.

Lear. Never, Regan.

She hath abated me of half my train;

Look'd black upon me; struck me with her tongue,

Most serpent-like, upon the very heart.

All the stor'd vengeances of heaven fall

On her ingrateful top! Strike her young bones,

You taking airs, with lameness!

Corn. Fie, sir, fie!

Lear. You nimble lightnings, dart your blinding flames

Into her scornful eyes! Infect her beauty,

You fen-suck'd fogs, drawn by the powerful sun,

To fall and blast her pride!

Reg. O the blest gods! So will you wish on me,

When the rash mood is on.

Lear. No, Regan, thou shalt never have my curse:

Thy tender-hefted nature shall not give

Thee o'er to harshness: her eyes are fierce, but thine

Do comfort and not burn. 'Tis not in thee

To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train,

To bandy hasty words, to scant my sizes,

And, in conclusion, to oppose the bolt

Against my coming in: thou better know'st

The offices of nature, bond of childhood,

Effects of courtesy, dues of gratitude;

Thy half o' the kingdom hast thou not forgot,

Wherein I thee endow'd.

 161 abated: deprived

166 taking: possessing, in the sense of malignant

170 fall: make fall

174 tender-hefted: softly framed

178 sizes: allowances

