1 Go you before to Gloucester with these letters. 2 Acquaint my daughter no further with any thing you 3 know than comes from her demand out of the letter. 4 If your diligence be not speedy, I shall be there afore you.
KENT
5 I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered 6 your letter.
Exit
Fool
7 If a man's brains were in's heels, were't not in 8 danger of kibes?
KING LEAR
9 Ay, boy.
Fool
10 Then, I prithee, be merry; thy wit shall ne'er go 11 slip-shod.
KING LEAR
12 Ha, ha, ha!
Fool
13 Shalt see thy other daughter will use thee kindly; 14 for though she's as like this as a crab's like an 15 apple, yet I can tell what I can tell.
KING LEAR
16 Why, what canst thou tell, my boy?
Fool
17 She will taste as like this as a crab does to a 18 crab. Thou canst tell why one's nose stands i' 19 the middle on's face?
KING LEAR
20 No.
Fool
21 Why, to keep one's eyes of either side's nose; that 22 what a man cannot smell out, he may spy into.
KING LEAR
23 I did her wrong--
Fool
24 Canst tell how an oyster makes his shell?
KING LEAR
25 No.
Fool
26 Nor I neither; but I can tell why a snail has a house.
KING LEAR
27 Why?
Fool
28 Why, to put his head in; not to give it away to his 29 daughters, and leave his horns without a case.
KING LEAR
30 I will forget my nature. So kind a father! Be my 31 horses ready?
Fool
32 Thy asses are gone about 'em. The reason why the 33 seven stars are no more than seven is a pretty reason.
KING LEAR
34 Because they are not eight?
Fool
35 Yes, indeed: thou wouldst make a good fool.
KING LEAR
36 To take 't again perforce! Monster ingratitude!
Fool
37 If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I'ld have thee beaten 38 for being old before thy time.
KING LEAR
39 How's that?
Fool
40 Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst 41 been wise.
KING LEAR
42 O, let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven 43 Keep me in temper: I would not be mad! Enter Gentleman 44 How now! are the horses ready?
Gentleman
45 Ready, my lord.
KING LEAR
46 Come, boy.
Fool
47 She that's a maid now, and laughs at my departure, 48 Shall not be a maid long, unless things be cut shorter.