| CORNWALL
|
Post speedily to my lord
your husband; show him
this letter: the army of France is landed. Seek
out the villain Gloucester. |
| |
[Exeunt some of the
Servants] |
| REGAN
|
Hang him instantly.
|
| GONERIL
|
Pluck out his eyes.
|
| CORNWALL
|
Leave him to my
displeasure. Edmund, 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. Farewell, dear sister: farewell, my
lord of Gloucester. |
| |
[Enter OSWALD]
|
| |
How now! where's the king?
|
| OSWALD
|
My lord of Gloucester hath
convey'd 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 lords dependants,
Are gone with him towards Dover; where they boast
To have well-armed friends. |
| CORNWALL
|
Get horses for your
mistress. |
| GONERIL
|
Farewell, sweet lord, and
sister. |
| CORNWALL
|
Edmund, farewell.
|
| |
[Exeunt GONERIL, EDMUND,
and OSWALD] |
| |
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 courtesy to our wrath, which men
May blame, but not control. Who's there? the traitor? |
| |
[Enter GLOUCESTER, brought
in by two or three] |
| REGAN
|
Ingrateful fox! 'tis he.
|
| CORNWALL
|
Bind fast his corky arms.
|
| GLOUCESTER
|
What mean your graces?
Good my friends, consider
You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends. |
| CORNWALL
|
Bind him, I say.
|
| |
[Servants bind him]
|
| REGAN
|
Hard, hard. O filthy
traitor! |
| GLOUCESTER
|
Unmerciful lady as you
are, I'm none. |
| CORNWALL
|
To this chair bind him.
Villain, thou shalt find-- |
| |
[REGAN plucks his beard]
|
| GLOUCESTER
|
By the kind gods, 'tis
most ignobly done
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? |
| CORNWALL
|
Come, sir, what letters
had you late from France? |
| REGAN
|
Be simple answerer, for we
know the truth. |
| CORNWALL
|
And what confederacy have
you with the traitors
Late footed in the kingdom? |
| REGAN
|
To whose hands have you
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. |
| 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 first answer that. |
| GLOUCESTER
|
I am tied to the stake,
and I must stand the course. |
| REGAN
|
Wherefore to Dover, sir?
|
| 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 buoy'd up,
And quench'd the stelled fires:
Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain.
If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time,
Thou shouldst have said 'Good porter, turn the key,'
All cruels else subscribed: but I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children. |
| CORNWALL
|
See't shalt thou never.
Fellows, hold the chair.
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! |
| REGAN
|
One side will mock
another; the other too. |
| CORNWALL
|
If you see vengeance,--
|
| First
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. |
| REGAN
|
How now, you dog!
|
| First
Servant |
If you did wear a beard
upon your chin,
I'd shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean? |
| CORNWALL
|
My villain! |
| |
[They draw and fight]
|
| First
Servant |
Nay, then, come on, and
take the chance of anger. |
| REGAN
|
Give me thy sword. A
peasant stand up thus! |
| |
[Takes a sword, and runs
at him behind] |
| First
Servant |
O, I am slain! My lord,
you have one eye left
To see some mischief on him. O! |
| |
[Dies] |
| CORNWALL
|
Lest it see more, prevent
it. Out, vile jelly!
Where is thy lustre now? |
| GLOUCESTER
|
All dark and comfortless.
Where's my son Edmund?
Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature,
To quit 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. |
| GLOUCESTER
|
O my follies! then Edgar
was abused.
Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him! |
| REGAN
|
Go thrust him out at
gates, and let him smell
His way to Dover. |
| |
[Exit one with GLOUCESTER]
|
| |
How is't, my lord? how
look you? |
| CORNWALL
|
I have received a hurt:
follow me, lady.
Turn out that eyeless villain; throw this slave
Upon the dunghill. Regan, I bleed apace:
Untimely comes this hurt: give me your arm. |
| |
[Exit CORNWALL, led by
REGAN] |
| Second
Servant |
I'll never care what
wickedness I do,
If this man come to good. |
| Third
Servant |
If she live long,
And in the end meet the old course of death,
Women will all turn monsters. |
| Second
Servant |
Let's follow the old earl,
and get the Bedlam
To lead him where he would: his roguish madness
Allows itself to any thing. |
| Third
Servant |
Go thou: I'll fetch some
flax and whites of eggs
To apply to his bleeding face. Now, heaven help him! |
| |
[Exeunt severally]
|
