Gon. That were the most, if he should hus- | lists of the army, will maintain upon Edmund, band you. Reg. Jesters do oft prove prophets. Gon. Holla, holla! That eye, that told you so, look'd but a-squint. My lord and master. Gon. Mean you to enjoy him? supposed earl of Gloster, that he is a manifold [1 Trumpet. 2 Trumpet. [3 Trumpet. [Trumpet answers within. Enter EDGAR armed, preceded by a trumpet. Alb. The let alone lies not in your good will. Your name, your quality? and why you anEdm. Nor in thine, lord. Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes. Reg. Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine. To Edmund. Alb. Stay yet; hear reason:-Edmund, I ar- On capital treason; and in thy arrest, I bar it in the interest of my wife: Gon. An interlude! Alb. Thou art arm'd, Gloster :-Let trumpet sound: -swer This present summons? Edg. Know, my name is lost; By treason's tooth bare-gnawn, and canker-bit: Alb. Which is that adversary? Edg. What's he, that speaks for Edmund Edm. Himself;-What say'st thou to him? That, if my speech offend a noble heart, If none appear to prove upon thy person, Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less Reg. Sick, O, sick! Gon. If not, I'll ne'er trust poison. [Aside. Alb. A herald, ho! Edm. A herald, ho, a herald! Alb. Trust to thy single virtue; for thy sol- All levied in my name, have in my name Reg. This sickness grows upon me. To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak, Edm. In wisdom, I should ask thy name; What safe and nicely I might well delay This sword of mine shall give them instant way, Alb. O save him, save him! Gon. This is mere practice, Gloster : swer An unknown opposite; thou art not vanquish'd, Alb. Shut your mouth, dame, If any man of quality, or degree, within the Or with this paper shall I stop it:-Hold, sir : Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil : No tearing, lady; I perceive, you know it. [Gives the letter to Edmund. Gon. Say, if I do; the laws are mine, not thine: Who shall arraign me for't? Alb. Most monstrous! Know'st thou this paper? Gon. Ask me not what I know. [Exit Goneril. Alb. Go after her: she's desperate; govern [To an Officer who goes out. Edm. What you have charg'd me with, that have I done; her. And more, much more: the time will bring it out; 'Tis past, and so am I: But what art thou, That hast this fortune on me? If thou art noble, I do forgive thee. Edg. Let's exchange charity. I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund; The dark and vicious place where thee he got, Edm. Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true; The wheel is come full circle; I am here. Alb. Methought thy very gait did prophecy A royal nobleness :-I must embrace thee; Let sorrow split my heart, if ever I Did hate thee, or thy father! Edg. Worthy prince, I know it well. Alb. Where have you hid yourself? How have you known the miseries of your father? Edg. By nursing them, my lord. List a brief tale; And, when 'tis told, O, that my heart would burst! The bloody proclamation to escape, That follow'd me so near, (O our lives' sweetness! That with the pain of death we'd hourly die, Never (O fault!) reveal'd myself unto him, Edm. This speech of yours hath mov'd me, And shall, perchance, do good: but speak you on; You look as you had something more to say. Alb. If there be more, more woful, hold it in; For I am almost ready to dissolve, Hearing of this. Edg. This would have seem'd a period Whilst I was big in clamour, came there a man, Alb. But who was this? Edg. Kent, sir, the banish'd Kent; who is disguise Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service Improper for a slave. Enter a Gentleman hastily, with a bloody knife. Gent. Help! help! O help! Edg. What kind of help? Alb. Speak, man. Edg. What means that bloody knife? It came even from the heart of Alb. Who, man? speak. Gent. Your lady, sir, your lady: and her sister By her is poison'd; she confesses it. Edm. I was contracted to them both; all three Now marry in an instant. Alb. Produce their bodies, be they alive or dead! To hang Cordelia in the prison, and To lay the blame upon her own despair, Alb. The gods defend her! Bear him hence Enter LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his arms ; Lear. Howl, howl, howl, howl!-O, you are men of stones; Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so I know, when one is dead, and when one lives; Kent. Is this the promis'd end? Alb. Fall, and cease! Your eldest daughters have foredoom'd themselves, And desperately are dead. Lear. Ay, so I think. Alb. He knows not what he says; and vain That we present us to him. Enter an Officer. Off. Edmund is dead, my lord. You lords, and noble friends, know our intent. Lear. This ather stirs ; she lives! If it be Have more than merited. All friends shall taste The wages of their virtue, and all foes no life: Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, Never, never, never, never, never!-- Look there, look there!— [He dies. Kent. Vex not his ghost: O let him pass! he hates him, That would upon the rack of this tough world Edg. O, he is gone, indeed. Kent. The wonder is, he hath endur'd so long: He but usurp'd his life. 2 I Alb. Bear them from hence.-Our present business Is general woe. Friends of my soul, you twain [To Kent and Edgar. Rule in this realm, and the gor'd state sustain. Kent. I have a journey, sir, shortly to go; My master calls, and I must not say, no. Alb. The weight of this sad time we must obey; Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. |