William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (533 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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CORNWALL I now perceive it was not altogether your brother’s evil disposition made him seek his death, but a provoking merit set a-work by a reprovable badness in himself. 8
EDMOND How malicious is my fortune, that I must repent to be just! This is the letter which he spoke of, which approves him an intelligent party to the advantages of France. O heavens, that this treason were not, or not I the detector!
CORNWALL Go with me to the Duchess.
EDMOND If the matter of this paper be certain, you have mighty business in hand.
CORNWALL True or false, it hath made thee Earl of Gloucester. Seek out where thy father is, that he may be ready for our apprehension.
EDMOND ⌈
aside
⌉ If I find him comforting the King, it will stuff his suspicion more fully. (To Cornwall) I will persever in my course of loyalty, though the conflict be sore between that and my blood.
aside
⌉ If I find him comforting the King, it will stuff his suspicion more fully. (To Cornwall) I will persever in my course of loyalty, though the conflict be sore between that and my blood.
CORNWALL I will lay trust upon thee, and thou shalt find a dearer father in my love. Exeunt
3.6Enter the Earl of Kent disguised, and the Duke of Gloucester
GLOUCESTER 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.
KENT All the power of his wits have given way to his impatience; the gods reward your kindness!
Exit Gloucester
Enter King Lear, Edgar as a Bedlam beggar, and Lear’s Fool
EDGAR 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.
LEAR A king, a king!
FOOL No, he’s a yeoman that has a gentleman to his son; for he’s a mad yeoman that sees his son a gentleman before him.
LEAR
To have a thousand with red burning spits
Come hissing in upon ’em!
Come hissing in upon ’em!
EDGAR Bless thy five wits.
KENT (
to Lear
)
to Lear
)
O, pity! Sir, where is the patience now
That you so oft have boasted to retain?
That you so oft have boasted to retain?
EDGAR (
aside
)
aside
)
My tears begin to take his part so much
They mar my counterfeiting.
They mar my counterfeiting.
LEAR The little dogs and all,
Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart—see, they bark at me.
EDGAR Tom will throw his head at them.—Avaunt, you curs!
Be thy mouth or black or white,
Tooth that poisons if it bite,
Mastiff, greyhound, mongrel grim,
Hound or spaniel, brach or him,
Bobtail tyke or trundle-tail,
Tom will make him weep and wail;
For with throwing thus my head,
Dogs leapt the hatch, and all are fled.
Do, de, de, de. Sese! Come, march to wakes and fairs
And market towns. Poor Tom, thy horn is dry.
And market towns. Poor Tom, thy horn is dry.
LEAR Then let them anatomize Regan; see what breeds about her heart. Is there any cause in nature that makes these hard-hearts? (
To Edgar
) You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred, only I do not like the fashion of your garments. You will say they are Persian; but let them be changed.
To Edgar
) You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred, only I do not like the fashion of your garments. You will say they are Persian; but let them be changed.
KENT
Now, good my lord, lie here and rest a while.
LEAR Make no noise, make no noise. Draw the curtains.
So, so. We’ll go to supper i’th’ morning.
⌈
He steps
⌉
FOOL And I’ll go to bed at noon.
Enter the Duke of Gloucester
GLOUCESTER (
to Kent
)
to Kent
)
Come hither, friend. Where is the King my master?
KENT
Here, sir, but trouble him not; his wits are gone.
GLOUCESTER
Good friend, I prithee take him in thy arms.
I have o’erheard a plot of death upon him.
There is a litter ready. Lay him in’t
And drive toward Dover, friend, where thou shalt meet
Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master.
If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life,
With thine and all that offer to defend him,
Stand in assured loss. Take up, take up,
And follow me, that will to some provision
Give thee quick conduct. Come, come away.
I have o’erheard a plot of death upon him.
There is a litter ready. Lay him in’t
And drive toward Dover, friend, where thou shalt meet
Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master.
If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life,
With thine and all that offer to defend him,
Stand in assured loss. Take up, take up,
And follow me, that will to some provision
Give thee quick conduct. Come, come away.
Exeunt,
⌈
Kent carrying Lear in his arms
⌉
3.7⌈
Kent carrying Lear in his arms
⌉
Enter the Duke of Cornwall, Regan, Goneril, Edmond the bastard, and Servants
CORNWALL (
to Goneril
)
to Goneril
)
Post speedily to my lord your husband.
Show him this letter. The army of France is landed.
(
To Servants
) Seek out the traitor Gloucester.
Show him this letter. The army of France is landed.
(
To Servants
) Seek out the traitor Gloucester.
Exeunt some
REGAN Hang him instantly.
GONERIL
Pluck out his eyes.
CORNWALL
Leave him to my displeasure.
Edmond, keep you our sister company.
The revenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous
father are not fit for your beholding. Advise the Duke
where you are going, to a most festinate preparation;
we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift and
intelligent betwixt us. (
To Goneril
) Farewell, dear sister.
(
To Edmond
) Farewell, my lord of Gloucester.
The revenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous
father are not fit for your beholding. Advise the Duke
where you are going, to a most festinate preparation;
we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift and
intelligent betwixt us. (
To Goneril
) Farewell, dear sister.
(
To Edmond
) Farewell, my lord of Gloucester.
Enter Oswald the steward
How now, where’s the King?
OSWALD
My lord of Gloucester hath conveyed him hence.
Some five- or six-and-thirty of his knights,
Hot questrists after him, met him at gate,
Who, with some other of the lord’s dependants,
Are gone with him toward Dover, where they boast
To have well-armèd friends.
Some five- or six-and-thirty of his knights,
Hot questrists after him, met him at gate,
Who, with some other of the lord’s dependants,
Are gone with him toward Dover, where they boast
To have well-armèd friends.
CORNWALL Get horses for your mistress.
Exit Oswald
GONERIL Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.
CORNWALL
Edmond, farewell.
Exeunt Goneril and Edmond
(
To Servants
) Go seek the traitor Gloucester.
Pinion him like a thief; bring him before us.
To Servants
) Go seek the traitor Gloucester.
Pinion him like a thief; bring him before us.
Exeunt other Servants
Though well we may not pass upon his life
Without the form of justice, yet our power
Shall do a curtsy to our wrath, which men
May blame but not control.
Without the form of justice, yet our power
Shall do a curtsy to our wrath, which men
May blame but not control.
Enter the Duke of Gloucester and Servants
Who’s there—the traitor?
REGAN
Ingrateful fox, ’tis he.
CORNWALL (
to Servants
) Bind fast his corky arms.
to Servants
) Bind fast his corky arms.
GLOUCESTER
What means your graces? Good my friends, consider
You are my guests. Do me no foul play, friends.
You are my guests. Do me no foul play, friends.
CORNWALL (
to Servants
)
to Servants
)
Bind him, I say.
REGAN Hard, hard! O filthy traitor!
GLOUCESTER
Unmerciful lady as you are, I’m none.
CORNWALL (
to Servants
)
to Servants
)
To this chair bind him. (
To Gloucester
) Villain, thou shalt find—
To Gloucester
) Villain, thou shalt find—
Regan plucks Gloucester’s beard
GLOUCESTER
By the kind gods, ’tis most ignobly done,
To pluck me by the beard.
To pluck me by the beard.
REGAN So white, and such a traitor?
GLOUCESTER Naughty lady,
These hairs which thou dost ravish from my chin
Will quicken and accuse thee. I am your host.
With robbers’ hands my hospitable favours
You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?
Will quicken and accuse thee. I am your host.
With robbers’ hands my hospitable favours
You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?
CORNWALL
Come, sir, what letters had you late from France?
REGAN
Be simple-answered, for we know the truth.
CORNWALL
And what confederacy have you with the traitors
Late footed in the kingdom?
Late footed in the kingdom?
REGAN To whose hands
You have sent the lunatic King. Speak.
GLOUCESTER
I have a letter guessingly set down,
Which came from one that’s of a neutral heart,
And not from one opposed.
Which came from one that’s of a neutral heart,
And not from one opposed.
CORNWALL
Cunning.
REGAN
And false.
CORNWALL
Where hast thou sent the King?
GLOUCESTER
To Dover.
REGAN
Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril—
CORNWALL
Wherefore to Dover?—Let him answer that.
GLOUCESTER
I am tied to th’ stake, and I must stand the course.
REGAN Wherefore to Dover?
GLOUCESTER
Because I would not see thy cruel nails
Pluck out his poor old eyes, nor thy fierce sister
In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs.
The sea, with such a storm as his bare head
In hell-black night endured, would have buoyed up
And quenched the stellèd fires.
Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain.
If wolves had at thy gate howled that stern time,
Thou shouldst have said ‘Good porter, turn the key;
All cruels I’ll subscribe.’ But I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children.
Pluck out his poor old eyes, nor thy fierce sister
In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs.
The sea, with such a storm as his bare head
In hell-black night endured, would have buoyed up
And quenched the stellèd fires.
Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain.
If wolves had at thy gate howled that stern time,
Thou shouldst have said ‘Good porter, turn the key;
All cruels I’ll subscribe.’ But I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children.
CORNWALL
See’t shalt thou never.—Fettows, hold the chair.—
Upon these eyes of thine I’ll set my foot.
Upon these eyes of thine I’ll set my foot.
GLOUCESTER
He that will think to live till he be old
Give me some help!—O cruel! O you gods!
Give me some help!—O cruel! O you gods!
⌈
Cornwall pulls out one of Gloucester’s eyes and
stamps on
it
⌉
REGAN (
to Cornwall
)
to Cornwall
)
One side will mock another; th’other, too.
CORNWALL (
to Gloucester
)
to Gloucester
)
If you see vengeance—
SERVANT
Hold your hand, my lord.
I have served you ever since I was a child,
But better service have I never done you
Than now to bid you hold.
But better service have I never done you
Than now to bid you hold.
REGAN
How now, you dog!
SERVANT
If you did wear a beard upon your chin
I’d shake it on this quarrel. ⌈
To Cornwall
⌉ What do
you mean?
I’d shake it on this quarrel. ⌈
To Cornwall
⌉ What do
you mean?
CORNWALL My villein!
SERVANT
Nay then, come on, and take the chance of anger.
They draw and fight
REGAN (
to another Servant
)
to another Servant
)
Give me thy sword. A peasant stand up thus!
⌈
She takes a sword and runs at him behind
⌉
SERVANT (
to Gloucester
)
to Gloucester
)
O, I am slain. My lord, you have one eye left
To see some mischief on him.
To see some mischief on him.
⌈
Regan stabs him again
⌉
O!
He dies
CORNWALL
Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly!
He
⌈
pulls out
⌉
Gloucester’s other eye
Where is thy lustre now?
GLOUCESTER
All dark and comfortless. Where’s my son Edmond?
Edmond, enkindle all the sparks of nature
To quite this horrid act.
Edmond, enkindle all the sparks of nature
To quite this horrid act.
REGAN
Out, treacherous villain!
Thou call’st on him that hates thee. It was he
That made the overture of thy treasons to us,
Who is too good to pity thee.
That made the overture of thy treasons to us,
Who is too good to pity thee.
GLOUCESTER
O, my follies! Then Edgar was abused.
Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!
Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!
REGAN (
to Servants
)
to Servants
)
Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell
His way to Dover.
His way to Dover.
Exit one or more with Gloucester
How is’t, my lord? How look you?
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