The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 3: Books for ChildrenLamb, Charles
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The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 3: Books for Children
Lamb, Charles
Children's poetry; Children's stories
This was but a bad omen of the reception which he was to expect; but
a worse followed, when upon enquiry for his daughter and her husband,
he was told they were weary with travelling all night, and could not
see him: and when lastly, upon his insisting in a positive and angry
manner to see them, they came to greet him, whom should he see in
their company but the hated Gonerill, who had come to tell her own
story, and set her sister against the king her father!
This sight much moved the old man, and still more to see Regan take
her by the hand: and he asked Gonerill if she was not ashamed to look
upon his old white beard? And Regan advised him to go home again
with Gonerill, and live with her peaceably, dismissing half of his
attendants, and to ask her forgiveness; for he was old and wanted
discretion, and must be ruled and led by persons that had more
discretion than himself. And Lear shewed how preposterous that would
sound, if he were to down on his knees, and beg of his own daughter
for food and raiment, and he argued against such an unnatural
dependence; declaring his resolution never to return with her, but to
stay where he was with Regan, he and his hundred knights: for he said
that she had not forgot the half of the kingdom which he had endowed
her with, and that her eyes were not fierce like Gonerill's, but mild
and kind. And he said that rather than return to Gonerill, with half
his train cut off, he would go over to France, and beg a wretched
pension of the king there, who had married his youngest daughter
without a portion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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