Enter EDGAR, armed, and preceded by a trumpet. Alb. Ask him his purposes, why he appears Upon this call o' the trumpet. What are you? Your name, your quality? and why you answer Edg. Know, my name is lost; By treason's tooth bare-gnawn and canker-bit: Yet am I noble as the adversary I come to cope. Alb. Which is that adversary? Edg. What's he that speaks for Edmund Earl of Gloster? Draw thy sword, That, if my speech offend a noble heart, Maugre thy strength, youth, place, and eminence, Edm. In wisdom I should ask thy name; By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn: Which, for they yet glance by and scarcely bruise,— [Alarums. They fight. EDMUND falls. Alb. Save him, save him! Gon. This is practice, Gloster: By the law of arms thou wast not bound to answer Alb. [Gives the letter to EDMUND. Gon. Say, if I do,-the laws are mine, not thine: Who can arraign me for't? Alb. Know'st thou this paper? Most monstrous! Ask me not what I know. [Exit. Alb. Go after her: she's desperate; govern her. [To an Officer, who goes out. Edm. What you have charg'd me with, that have I done; 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'rt noble I do forgive thee. Edg. Let's exchange charity. 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 prophesy 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't. 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! Met I my father with his bleeding rings, Edm. Alb. If there be more, more woeful, hold it in; Hearing of this. Edg. This would have seem'd a period Whilst I was big in clamour, came there a man Shunn'd my abhorr'd society; but then, finding Alb. But who was this? Edg. Kent, sir, the banish'd Kent, who in 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? Speak, man. "Tis hot, it smokes ; Alb. Edg. What means that bloody knife? 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 By her is poison'd; she hath confess'd it. Edm. I was contracted to them both: all three Now marry in an instant. Edg. Here comes Kent. Alb. Produce the bodies, be they alive or dead:This judgment of the heavens, that makes us tremble, Touches us not with pity. [Exit Gentleman. O, is this he? Enter KENT. The time will not allow the compliment Which very manners urges. Kent. I am come To bid my king and master aye good-night: Alb. Great thing of us forgot! Speak, Edmund, where's the king? and where's Cordelia? [The bodies of GON. and REG. are brought in. See'st thou this object, Kent? Kent. Alack, why thus? Yet Edmund was belov'd: The one the other poison'd for my sake, Alb. Even so.-Cover their faces. Edm. I pant for life :-some good I mean to do, Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia : Nay, send in time. Alb. Run, run, O, run! Edg. To who, my lord?-Who has the office? send Thy token of reprieve. Edm. Well thought on: take my sword, Give it the captain. Alb. Haste thee, for thy life. [Exit EDGAR. Edm. He hath commission from thy wife and me To hang Cordelia in the prison, and 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, Officer, and others following. Lear. Howl, howl, howl, howl!-0, you are men of stones: VOL. VI. L Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so That heaven's vault should crack.-She's gone for ever!- Kent. Is this the promis'd end? Fall, and cease! That ever I have felt. Kent. O my good master! [Kneeling. Lear. Pr'ythee, away. What is't thou say'st?-Her voice was ever soft, Off. 'Tis true, my lords, he did. The same, Lear. This is a dull sight. Are you not Kent? Kent. That from your first of difference and decay Lear. You are welcome hither. Kent. Norno man else:―all's cheerless, dark, and deadly.— Your eldest daughters have fordone themselves, And desperately are dead. Lear. Ay, so I think. Alb. He knows not what he says; and vain is it That we present us to him. Edg. Very bootless. |