Page:Richard III (1927) Yale.djvu/39

Richard the Third, I. iii

That none of you may live your natural age,

But, by some unlook'd accident cut off,—

Rich. Have done thy charm, thou hateful wither'd hag!

Q. Mar. And leave out thee? stay, dog, for thou shalt hear me.

If heaven have any grievous plague in store,

Exceeding those that I can wish upon thee,

O! let them keep it till thy sins be ripe,

And then hurl down their indignation

On thee, the troubler of the poor world's peace.

The worm of conscience still begnaw thy soul!

Thy friends suspect for traitors while thou liv'st

And take deep traitors for thy dearest friends!

No sleep close up that deadly eye of thine,

Unless it be while some tormenting dream

Affrights thee with a hell of ugly devils!

Thou elvish-mark'd, abortive, rooting hog!

Thou that wast seal'd in thy nativity

The slave of nature and the son of hell!

Thou slander of thy heavy mother’s womb!

Thou loathed issue of thy father's loins!

Thou rag of honour! thou detested—

Rich. Margaret!

Q. Mar. Richard!

Rich. Ha!

Q. Mar. I call thee not.

Rich. I cry thee mercy then, for I did think

That thou hadst call'd me all these bitter names.

Q. Mar. Why, so I did; but look'd for no reply.

O, let me make the period to my curse!

Rich. 'Tis done by me, and ends in 'Margaret.'

 222 begnaw: gnaw

228 elvish-mark'd; cf. n.

rooting hog; cf. n.

229 seal'd: stamped

230 slave of nature; i.e. because branded by nature with a deformity

238 period: conclusion

