|
| | 
Enter EDMUND, and CURAN meets
him
| EDMUND
|
Save thee, Curan.
|
| CURAN
|
And you, sir. I have been
with your father, and
given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall and Regan
his duchess will be here with him this night. |
| EDMUND
|
How comes that?
|
| CURAN
|
Nay, I know not. You have
heard of the news abroad;
I mean the whispered ones, for they are yet but
ear-kissing arguments? |
| EDMUND
|
Not I pray you, what are
they? |
| CURAN
|
Have you heard of no
likely wars toward, 'twixt the
Dukes of Cornwall and Albany? |
| EDMUND
|
Not a word. |
| CURAN
|
You may do, then, in time.
Fare you well, sir. |
| |
[Exit] |
| EDMUND
|
The duke be here to-night?
The better! best!
This weaves itself perforce into my business.
My father hath set guard to take my brother;
And I have one thing, of a queasy question,
Which I must act: briefness and fortune, work!
Brother, a word; descend: brother, I say! |
| |
[Enter EDGAR] |
| |
My father watches: O sir,
fly this place;
Intelligence is given where you are hid;
You have now the good advantage of the night:
Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall?
He's coming hither: now, i' the night, i' the haste,
And Regan with him: have you nothing said
Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany?
Advise yourself. |
| EDGAR
|
I am sure on't, not a
word. |
| EDMUND
|
I hear my father coming:
pardon me:
In cunning I must draw my sword upon you
Draw; seem to defend yourself; now quit you well.
Yield: come before my father. Light, ho, here!
Fly, brother. Torches, torches! So, farewell. |
| |
[Exit EDGAR] |
| |
Some blood drawn on me
would beget opinion. |
| |
[Wounds his arm]
|
| |
Of my more fierce
endeavour: I have seen drunkards
Do more than this in sport. Father, father!
Stop, stop! No help? |
| |
[Enter GLOUCESTER, and
Servants with torches] |
| GLOUCESTER
|
Now, Edmund, where's the
villain? |
| EDMUND
|
Here stood he in the dark,
his sharp sword out,
Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon
To stand auspicious mistress,-- |
| GLOUCESTER
|
But where is he?
|
| EDMUND
|
Look, sir, I bleed.
|
| GLOUCESTER
|
Where is the villain,
Edmund? |
| EDMUND
|
Fled this way, sir. When
by no means he could-- |
| GLOUCESTER
|
Pursue him, ho! Go after.
|
| |
[Exeunt some Servants]
|
| |
By no means what?
|
| EDMUND
|
Persuade me to the murder
of your lordship;
But that I told him, the revenging gods
'Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend;
Spoke, with how manifold and strong a bond
The child was bound to the father; sir, in fine,
Seeing how loathly opposite I stood
To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion,
With his prepared sword, he charges home
My unprovided body, lanced mine arm:
But when he saw my best alarum'd spirits,
Bold in the quarrel's right, roused to the encounter,
Or whether gasted by the noise I made,
Full suddenly he fled. |
| GLOUCESTER
|
Let him fly far:
Not in this land shall he remain uncaught;
And found--dispatch. The noble duke my master,
My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night:
By his authority I will proclaim it,
That he which finds him shall deserve our thanks,
Bringing the murderous coward to the stake;
He that conceals him, death. |
| EDMUND
|
When I dissuaded him from
his intent,
And found him pight to do it, with curst speech
I threaten'd to discover him: he replied,
'Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think,
If I would stand against thee, would the reposal
Of any trust, virtue, or worth in thee
Make thy words faith'd? No: what I should deny,--
As this I would: ay, though thou didst produce
My very character,--I'ld turn it all
To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practise:
And thou must make a dullard of the world,
If they not thought the profits of my death
Were very pregnant and potential spurs
To make thee seek it.' |
| GLOUCESTER
|
Strong and fasten'd
villain
Would he deny his letter? I never got him. |
| |
[Tucket within]
|
| |
Hark, the duke's trumpets!
I know not why he comes.
All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not 'scape;
The duke must grant me that: besides, his picture
I will send far and near, that all the kingdom
May have the due note of him; and of my land,
Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means
To make thee capable. |
| |
[Enter CORNWALL, REGAN,
and Attendants] |
| CORNWALL
|
How now, my noble friend!
since I came hither,
Which I can call but now, I have heard strange news. |
| REGAN
|
If it be true, all
vengeance comes too short
Which can pursue the offender. How dost, my lord? |
| GLOUCESTER
|
O, madam, my old heart is
crack'd, it's crack'd! |
| REGAN
|
What, did my father's
godson seek your life?
He whom my father named? your Edgar? |
| GLOUCESTER
|
O, lady, lady, shame would
have it hid! |
| REGAN
|
Was he not companion with
the riotous knights
That tend upon my father? |
| GLOUCESTER
|
I know not, madam: 'tis
too bad, too bad. |
| EDMUND
|
Yes, madam, he was of that
consort. |
| REGAN
|
No marvel, then, though he
were ill affected:
'Tis they have put him on the old man's death,
To have the expense and waste of his revenues.
I have this present evening from my sister
Been well inform'd of them; and with such cautions,
That if they come to sojourn at my house,
I'll not be there. |
| CORNWALL
|
Nor I, assure thee, Regan.
Edmund, I hear that you have shown your father
A child-like office. |
| EDMUND
|
'Twas my duty, sir.
|
| GLOUCESTER
|
He did bewray his practise;
and received
This hurt you see, striving to apprehend him. |
| CORNWALL
|
Is he pursued?
|
| GLOUCESTER
|
Ay, my good lord.
|
| CORNWALL
|
If he be taken, he shall
never more
Be fear'd of doing harm: make your own purpose,
How in my strength you please. For you, Edmund,
Whose virtue and obedience doth this instant
So much commend itself, you shall be ours:
Natures of such deep trust we shall much need;
You we first seize on. |
| EDMUND
|
I shall serve you, sir,
Truly, however else. |
| GLOUCESTER
|
For him I thank your
grace. |
| CORNWALL
|
You know not why we came
to visit you,-- |
| REGAN
|
Thus out of season,
threading dark-eyed night:
Occasions, noble Gloucester, of some poise,
Wherein we must have use of your advice:
Our father he hath writ, so hath our sister,
Of differences, which I least thought it fit
To answer from our home; the several messengers
From hence attend dispatch. Our good old friend,
Lay comforts to your bosom; and bestow
Your needful counsel to our business,
Which craves the instant use. |
| GLOUCESTER
|
I serve you, madam:
Your graces are right welcome. |
| |
[Exeunt] |
To see other scenes
from the show:
|
Full Text |
Act III, Scene 3 Gloucester's castle./Act
III, Scene 4 The heath. Before a hovel. |
|
Act I, Scene 1 King Lear's palace |
Act III, Scene 5 Gloucester's castle./Act
III, Scene 6 A chamber in a farmhouse adjoining the castle. |
|
Act I, Scene 2 The Earl of Gloucester's
castle. |
Act III, Scene 7 Gloucester's castle. |
|
Act I, Scene 3 The Duke of Albany's palace. |
Act IV, Scene 1 The heath. |
|
Act I, Scene 4 A hall in the same. |
Act IV, Scene 2 Before Albany's palace. |
|
Act I, Scene 5 Court before the same. |
Act IV, Scene 3 The French camp near
Dover./Act IV, Scene 4 The same. A tent. |
|
Act II, Scene 1 Gloucester's castle. |
Act IV, Scene 5 Gloucester's castle. |
|
Act II, Scene 2 Before Gloucester's castle. |
Act IV, Scene 6 Fields near Dover. |
|
Act II, Scene 3 A wood./Act II, Scene 4
Before Gloucester's castle. |
Act IV, Scene 7 A tent in the French camp. |
|
Act III, Scene 1 A heath. |
Act V, Scene 1 The British camp near Dover. |
|
Act III, Scene 2 Another part of the heath. |
Act V, Scene 2 A field between the two
camps./Act V, Scene 3 The British camp near Dover. |
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Lear sections:
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