Page:Some Textual Difficulties in Shakespeare.djvu/102

84 jecture that this is the "allusion"—as if Shakespeare made allusions without any idea.

When we understand Shakespeare's method of depicting insanity throughout his works, it is easy enough to see where Lear got this "ay" and this "no." There had just resounded, in slow impressive tones, on Lear's irresponsible brain, the words—"I—know—that voice."

Shakespeare, in depicting insanity, shows the mind as being the shuttlecock of chance suggestion. The songs of Ophelia have several features which would make an interesting illustration of this way of work; but for our present purpose it will be better to illustrate the point from the passage in which this "ay" and "no" occur.

Lear calls for them to bring up the "brown bills," these being soldiers who carried halberds or bills which were painted brown to keep them from rusting. This "bills" reminds him of a bird, a falcon, and this immediately makes him think of a feathered arrow flying to its mark—"O, well flown bird"—and as the arrow hits the center of the target or clout the imaginary target-tender gives the "word" as to how the arrow flew; but immediately this "word" becomes changed in Lear's mind to the idea of a password, and so, when the wondering and grieved Edgar exclaims "Sweet marjoram," Lear takes it for the call to the sentinel and answers "Pass."

Here is a close-knit, if irrational, succession