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. Edg. 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! IO 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, Edg. The foul fiend bites my back. Fool. He's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath. Lear. It shall be done; I will arraign them straight. 20 [To Edgar] Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer; [To the Fool] Thou, sapient sir, sit here. Now, you she foxes! Edg. Look, where he stands and glares! Wantest thou eyes at trial, madam? Fool. Come o'er the bourn, Bessy, to me. Her boat hath a leak, And she must not speak Why she dares not come over to thee. 28 Edg. The foul fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice of a nightingale. Hopdance cries in Tom's belly for two white herring. Croak not, black angel; I have no food for thee. Kent. How do you, sir? Stand you not so amazed: Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions? Lear. I'll see their trial first. Bring in the evidence. [To Edgar] Thou robed man of justice, take thy place; [To the Fool] And thou, his yoke-fellow of equity, Bench by his side. [To Kent] You are o' the commission, Sit you too. Sleepest or wakest thou, jolly shepherd? Thy sheep be in the corn; And for one blast of thy minikin mouth, Pur! the cat is gray. Lear. Arraign her first; 'tis Goneril. 40 I here take my oath before this honourable assembly, she kicked the poor king her father. Fool. Come hither, mistress. Is your name Goneril? Lear. She cannot deny it. Fool. Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool. 50 Lear. And here's another, whose warp'd looks proclaim What store her heart is made on. Stop her there! Arms, arms, sword, fire! Corruption in the place! False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape? Edg. Bless thy five wits! Kent. O pity! Sir, where is the patience now, That you so oft have boasted to retain? Edg. [Aside] My tears begin to take his part so much, They'll mar my counterfeiting. Lear. The little dogs and all, Tray, Blanch, and Sweet-heart, see, they bark at me. 60 Edg. Tom will throw his head at them. Avaunt, you curs! Be thy mouth or black or white, Tooth that poisons if it bite; 70 Do de, de, de. Sessa! Come, march to wakes and fairs 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 attire; but let them be changed. Kent. Now, good my lord, lie here and rest awhile. 80 Lear. Make no noise, make no noise; draw the curtains: so, so, so. We'll go to supper i' the morning. So, so, so. Fool. And I'll go to bed at noon. Re-enter GLOUCESTER. Glou. Come hither, friend: where is the king my master? Kent. Here, sir; but trouble him not, his wits are gone. Glou. 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 90 If thou shouldst dally half an hour, his life, Kent. Oppressed nature sleeps: This rest might yet have balm'd thy broken sinews, Which, if convenience will not allow, Stand in hard cure. [To the Fool] Come, help to bear thy Edg. When we our betters see bearing our woes, We scarcely think our miseries our foes. Who alone suffers suffers most i' the mind, When that which makes me bend makes the king bow, When false opinion, whose wrong thought defiles thee, SCENE VII. Gloucester's castle. IIO [Exit. Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND, and Servants. Corn. 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. Reg. Hang him instantly. Corn. 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? 12 Osw. 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 toward Dover; where they boast F Corn. Get horses for your mistress. 20 [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 May blame but not control. Who's there? the traitor? Enter GLOUCESTER, brought in by two or three. Reg. Ingrateful fox! 'tis he. Corn. Bind fast his corky arms. Glou. What mean your graces? Good my friends, consider 30 [Servants bind him. Hard, hard. O filthy traitor! You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends. Corn. Bind him, I say. Reg. Corn. To this chair bind him. Villain, thou shalt find— [Regan plucks his beard. Glou. By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done To pluck me by the beard. Reg. So white, and such a traitor! Naughty lady, These hairs, which thou dost ravish from my chin, Will quicken, and accuse thee: I am your host: 40 You should not ruffle thus. What will you do? Corn. Come, sir, what letters had you late from France ? Reg. Be simple answerer, for we know the truth. Corn. And what confederacy have you with the traitors Late footed in the kingdom? |