Scene Six
[A Chamber in a Farmhouse adjoining the Castle]
Enter Gloucester, [Lear,] Kent, [Fool, and Edgar.]
Glo. Here is better than the open air; take
it thankfully. I will piece out the comfort with
what addition I can: I will not be long from
you. Exit. 4
Kent. All the power of his wits has given way
to his impatience. The gods reward your kind-
ness!
Edg. Frateretto calls me, and tells me Nero
is an angler in the lake of darkness. Pray,
innocent, and beware the foul fiend.
Fool. Prithee, nuncle, tell me whether a
madman be a gentleman or a yeoman! 12
Lear. A king, a king!
Fool. No; he's a yeoman that has a gentle-
man to his son; for he's a mad yeoman that
sees his son a gentleman before him. 16
Lear. To have a thousand with red burning spits
Come hizzing in upon 'em,—
[Edg. The foul fiend bites my back.
Fool. He's mad that trusts in the tameness
of a wolf, a horse's health, a boy's love, or a
whore's oath.
Lear. It shall be done; I will arraign them straight.
[To Edgar.] Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer; 24
[To the Fool.] Thou, sapient sir, sit here. Now, you she foxes!
8 Frateretto; cf. n.
10 innocent: the Fool
