Cor. How does my royal lord? How fares! your majesty? Lear. You do me wrong to take me out o' the grave: Thou art a soul in bliss; but I am bound Gent. The arbitrement is like to be bloody. Fare you well, sir. (Exit. Kent. My point and period will be thoroughly wrought, Or well or ill, as this day's battle's fought. \Exit. ACT V. SCENE I. The British camp, near Dover. Or whether since he is advised by aught Now, sweet lord, In honor'd love. And so I am, I am. 70 She and the duke her husband! Lear. Be your tears wet? yes, 'faith. I pray, weep not:. If you have poison for me, I will drink it. Cor. Lear. Am I in France? Kent. No cause, no cause. In your own kingdom, sir. You see, is kill'd in him: and yet it is danger Cor. Will't please your highness walk? [Exeunt all but Kent and Gentleman. Gent. Holds it true, sir, that the Duke of Cornwall was so slain? Kent. Most certain, sir. Gent. Who is conductor of his people? [ter. Kent. As'tis said, the bastard son of GloucesGent. They say Edgar, his banished son, with the Earl of Kent in Germany. is 91 Kent. Report is changeable. 'Tis time to look about; the powers of the kingdom approach apace. Enter, with drum and colors, Albany, Gon. [Aside I had rather lose the battle than that sister Should loosen him and me. 20 Alb. Our very loving sister, well be-met. Sir, this I hear; the king is come to his daughter, With others whom the rigor of our state Forced to cry out. Where I could not be honest, I never yet was valiant: for this business, It toucheth us, as France invades our land, Not bolds the king, with others, whom, I fear, Most just and heavy causes make oppose. Edm. Sir, you speak nobly. Reg. Why is this reason'd? Gon. Combine together 'gainst the enemy: For these domestic and particular broils 30 Are not the question here. Alb. Let's then determine With the ancient of war on our proceedings. Edm. I shall attend you presently at your tent. Reg. Sister, you'll go with us? Gon. No. Reg. 'Tis most convenient; pray you, go with us. [go. Gon. [Aside] O, ho, I know the riddle,- I will As they are going out, enter EDGAR disguised. Edg. If e'er your grace had speech with man so poor, SCENE III.] Hear me one word. I'll overtake you. Speak. [Exeunt all but Albany and Edgar. Edg. Before you fight the battle, ope this letter. 40 If you have victory, let the trumpet sound Alb. Stay till I have read the letter. Alb. Why, fare thee well: I will o'erlook thy paper. Re-enter EDMUND. Edm. The enemy's in view; draw up your Here is the guess of their true strength and forces Alb. We will greet the time. [Exit. Edm. To both these sisters have I sworn my love: 60 Each jealous of the other, as the stung SCENE II. A field between the two camps. Alarum within. Enter, with drum and colors, LEAR, CORDELIA, and Soldiers, over the stage; and exeunt. Enter EDGAR and GLOUCESTER. Edg. Here, father, take the shadow of this SCENE III. The British camp near Dover. Edm. Some officers take them away: good Until their greater pleasures first be known 'I hat are to censure them. Cor. Lear. No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to prison: We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage: As if we were God's spies: and we'll wear out, He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven, Come. [Exeunt Lear and Cordelia, guarded. them to prison: One step I have advanced thee; if thou dost Mark, I say, instantly: and carry it so Capt. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats; 40 And fortune led you well: you have the captives Edm. Sir, I thought it fit From a full-flowing stomach. General, Gon. Half-blooded fellow, yes. 80 Reg. To Edmund] Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine. Alb. Stay yet: hear reason. Edmund, I arrest thee On capital treason; and, in thine attaint, I bar it in the interest of my wife; Gon. An interlude! 100. Edm. There's my exchange [throwing down a glove): what in the world he is That names me traitor, villain-like he lies: Call by thy trumpet: he that dares approach, On him, on you, who not? I will maintain My truth and honor firmly. Alb. A herald, ho! Edm. A herald, ho, a herald! Alb. Trust to thy single virtue; for thy soldiers, All levied in my name, have in my name Took their discharge. Reg. My sickness grows upon me. Alb. She is not well; convey her to my tent. [Exit Regan, led. 130 Edm. Himself: what say'st thou to him? Edg Draw thy sword, That, if my speech offend a noble heart, Thy arm may do thee justice: here is mine. Behold, it is the privilege of mine honors, My oath, and my profession: I protest, Maugre thy strength, youth, place, and eminence, Despite thy victor sword and fire-new fortune, Thy valor and thy heart, thou art a traitor; False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father; Conspirant 'gainst this high-illustrious prince; And, from the extremest upward of thy head To the descent and dust below thy foot, A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou 'No,' This sword, this arm, and my best spirits, are bent To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak, 140 Thou liest. Edm. In wisdom I should ask thy name; But, since thy outside looks so fair and warlike, And that thy tonguesomesay of breedingbreathes, What safe and nicely I might well delay By rule of knighthood. I disdain and spurn: Back do I toss these treasons to thy head; With the hell-hated lie o'erwhelm thy heart; Which, for they yet glance by and scarcely bruise, This sword of mine shall give them instant way Where they shall rest forever. Trumpets, speak! 159 And more, much more: the time will bring it out: Let's exchange charity. I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund; To amplify too much, would make much more, Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service 220 Enter a Gentleman, with a bloody knife. Gent. Help, help, O, help! Edg. Alb What kind of help? Speak, man. Edg. What means that bloody knife? Gent. 'Tis hot, it smokes; It came even from the heart of-O, she's dead! Alb. Who dead? speak, man. Gent. Your lady, sir, your lady: and her sister The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices 170 By her is poisoned; she hath confess'd it. Make instruments to plague us: The dark and vicious place where thee he Cost him his eyes. got Edm. Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true. The wheel is come full circle; I am here. Alb. Methought thy very gait did prophesy A royal nobleness: I must embrace thee: Let sorrow split my heart, if ever I Did hate thee or thy father! Edg. And when 'tis told, O, that my heart would burst! Edm. This speech of yours hath moved me, Edg This would have seem'd a period To such as love not sorrow; but another, Edm. I was contracted to them both: all three Now marry in an instant. Edg. Here comes Kent. 229 Alb Produce their bodies, be they alive or dead: This judgment of the heavens, that makes us tremble, O, is this he? The time will not allow the compliment Which very manners urges. Kent. I am come To bid my king and master aye good right: Is he not here? Alb. Great thing of us forgot! Speak, Edmund, where's the king? and where's Cordelia ? See'st thou this object. Kent? The bodies of Goneril and Regan are brought in. Kent. Alack, why thus? Edm. Yet Edmund was beloved: The one the other poison'd for my sake, 40 And after slew herself. Alb. Even so. Cover their faces. Edm. I pant for life: some good I mean to do, Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send, Be brief in it, to the castle; for my writ Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia: Nay, send in time. To lay the blame upon her own despair, That she fordid herself. Alb. The gods defend her! Bear him hence awhile. Edmund is borne off. Re-enter LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his arms; EDGAR, Captain, and others following, Lear. Howl, howl, howl, how!! O, you are men of stones: Had I your tongues and eyes, I'ld use them so Is this the promised end? Kent. Kneeling] O my good master! I might have saved her, now she's gone forever! Kent. If fortune brag of two she loved and hated, One of them we behold. 280 Lear. You are welcome hither. Kent. Nor no man else; all's cheerless, dark, and deadly. 290 Your eldest daughters have fordone themselves, And desperately are dead. Lear. Ay, so I think. Very bootless. Capt. Edmund is dead, my lord. That's but a trifle here. 300 To him our absolute power: To Edgar and Lear. And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life! Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, Pray you, undo this button: thank you, sir. That would upon the rack of this tough world Alb. Bear them from hence. Our present business Is general woe. [To Kent and Edgar] Friends of my soul, you twain Rule in this realm, and the gored state sustain. Kent. I have ajourney, sir, shortly to go; 321 My master calls me, I must not say no. Alb. The weight ofthis sad time we must obey; Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. The oldest hath borne most: we that are young Shall never see so much, nor live so long. [Exeunt, with a dead march |