| |
[The Duke of Albany’s palace]
Enter GONERIL, and [OSWALD, her] Steward
Gon. Did my father strike my gentleman for chiding of his Fool? | |
| Osw. Ay, madam. | |
| Gon. By day and night he wrongs me; every hour | |
| He flashes into one gross crime or other | 4 |
| That sets us all at odds. I’ll not endure it. | |
| His knights grow riotous, and himself upbraids us | |
| On every trifle. When he returns from hunting, | |
| I will not speak with him; say I am sick. | 8 |
| If you come slack of former services, | |
| You shall do well; the fault of it, I’ll answer. | |
| Osw. He’s coming, madam; I hear him. [Horns within.] | |
| Gon. Put on what weary negligence you please, | 12 |
| You and your fellows; I’d have it come to question. 1 | |
| If he distaste 2 it, let him to my sister, | |
| Whose mind and mine, I know, in that are one, | |
| [Not to be over-rul’d. Idle old man, | 16 |
| That still would manage those authorities | |
| That he hath given away! Now, by my life, | |
| Old fools are babes again, and must be us’d | |
| With checks as flatteries, when they are seen abus’d.] | 20 |
| Remember what I have said. | |
| Osw. Well, madam. | |
| Gon. And let his knights have colder looks among you; | |
| What grows of it, no matter. Advise your fellows so. | 24 |
| [I would breed from hence occasions, and I shall, | |
| That I may speak.] I’ll write straight to my sister, | |
| To hold my [very] course. Prepare for dinner. Exeunt. | |
