Imatges de pàgina
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"Tis she herself!-My senses, sure, conform

Το

my

wild garb, and I am mad indeed.

Cord. Whate'er thou art, befriend a wretched virgin, And, if thou canst, direct our weary search.

Edg. Who relieves poor Tom, that sleeps on the nettle, with the hedgehog for his pillow?

Whilst Smug ply'd the bellows,
She truck'd with her fellows;
The freckle-fac'd Mab

Was a blouze and a drab,

Yet Swithin made Oberon jealous.-0, torture!

Aran. Alack, madam! a poor wand'ring lunatic. Cord. And yet his language seem'd but now, well temper❜d.

Speak, friend, to one more wretched than thyself;
And if thou hast one interval of sense,

Inform us, if thou canst, where we may find

A poor old man, who through this heath hath stray'd
The tedious night.-Speak, saw'st thou such a one?
Edg. The king, her father, whom she's come to seek
Through all the terrors of this night: O gods!
That such amazing piety, such tenderness,
Should yet to me be cruel!-

Yes, fair one, such a one was lately here,
And is convey'd by some that came to seek him
To a neighbouring cottage; but distinctly where
I know not.

Cord. Blessings on them!

Let's find him out, Aranthe; for thou seest

We are in Heaven's protection.

[Going off.

Edg. O, Cordelia!

Cord. Ha!

-Thou know'st my name.

Edg. As you did once know Edgar's.

Cord. Edgar!

Edg. The poor remains of Edgar, what

Your scorn has left him.

Cord. Do we wake, Aranthe?

Edg. My father seeks my life: which I preserv'd, In hope of some blest minute to oblige Distrest Cordelia, and the gods have given it; That thought alone prevail'd with me to take This frantic dress, to make the earth my bed, With these bare limbs all change of seasons 'bide, Noon's scorching heat, and midnight's piercing cold, To feed on offals, and to drink with herds, To combat with the winds, and be the sport Of clowns, or what's more wretched yet, their pity. Cord. Was ever tale so full of misery!

Edg. But such a fall as this, I grant, was due
To my aspiring love; for 'twas presumptuous,
Though not presumptuously pusu'd;

For, well you know, I wore my flame conceal'd,
And silent, as the lamps that burn in tombs;
Till you perceiv'd my grief, with modest grace
Drew forth the secret, and then seal'd my pardon.
Cord. You had your pardon, nor can you challenge

⚫ more.

Edg. What do I challenge more?

Such vanity agrees not with these rags:

When in my prosp❜rous state, rich Gloster's heir,
You silenc'd my pretences, and enjoin'd me
To trouble you upon that theme no more;
Then what reception must love's language find
From these bare limbs, and beggar's humble weeds?
Cord. Such as a voice of pardon to a wretch con-
demn'd;

Such as the shouts

Of succouring forces to a town besieg'd.

Edg. Ah! what new method now of cruelty? Cord. Come to my arms, thou dearest, best of men, And take the kindest vows, that e'er were spoke By a protesting maid.

Edg. Is't possible?

F

Cord. By the dear vital stream, that bathes my

heart,

These hallow'd rags of thine, and naked virtue,
These abject tassels, these fantastic shreds,

To me are dearer than the richest pomp
Of purpled monarchs.

Edg. Generous, charming maid!

The gods alone, that made, can rate thy worth!
This most amazing excellence shall be
Fame's triumph in succeeding ages, when
Thy bright example shall adorn the scene,
And teach the world perfection.

Cord. Cold and weary,

We'll rest a while, Aranthe, on that straw,
Then forward to find out the poor old king.

Edg. Look, I have flint and steel, the implements, Of wand'ring lunatics; I'll strike a light,

And make a fire beneath this shed, to dry

Thy storm-drench'd garments, ere thou lie to rest thee:

Then, fierce and wakeful as th' Hesperian dragon,
I'll watch beside thee to protect thy sleep:

Meanwhile the stars shall dart their kindest beams,
And angels visit my Cordelia's dreams.

[Exeunt.

ACT THE FOURTH.

SCENE I.

An Apartment in the EARL of GLOSTER'S Castle.

Enter the DUKE of CORNWALL, REGAN, EDMUND, EDWARD, and SERVANTS.

Corn. I will have my revenge ere I depart his

house.

Regan, see here, a plot upon our state;
"Tis Gloster's character, that has betray'd
His double trust, of subject and of host.

Reg. Then double be our vengeance; this confirms

Th' intelligence that we but now receiv'd,

That he has been this night to seek the king,
But who, sir, was the kind discoverer ?

Corn. Our eagle, quick to spy, and fierce to seize, Our trusty Edmund.

Reg. 'Twas a noble service:

O Cornwall, take him to thy deepest trust,
And wear him as a jewel at thy heart,

Edm. Think, sir, how hard a fortune I sustain,
That makes me thus repent of serving you.
O, that this treason had not been, or I
Not the discoverer!

Corn. Edmund, thou shalt find

A father in our love, and from this minute
We call thee Earl of Gloster; but there yet
Remains another justice to be done,
And that's to punish this discarded traitor;
But lest thy tender nature should relent
At his just sufferings, nor brook the sight,
We wish thee to withdraw.

Reg. The grotto, sir, within the lower grove
Has privacy, to suit a mourner's thought.

Edm. And there I may expect a comforterHa, madam?

Reg. What may happen, sir, I know not;

But 'twas a friend's advice.

Corn. Bring in the traitor.

[Exit EDMUND,

Enter GLOSTER, brought in by Two SERVANTS.

Bind fast his arms.

Glost. What mean your graces?

You are my guests; pray, do me no foul play.
Corn. Bind him, I say, hard, harder yet,

Reg. Now, traitor, thou shalt find

Corn. Speak, rebel, where hast thou sent the king? Whom, spite of our decree, thou saved'st last night. Glost. I'm tied to th' stake, and I must stand the

course.

Reg. Say where, and why, thou hast concealed him?

Glost. Because I would not see thy cruel hands
Tear out his poor old eyes, nor thy fierce sister
Carve his anointed flesh; but I shall see
The swift-wing'd vengeance overtake such children.
Corn. See't thou shalt never; slaves, perform your
work; [The SERVANTS take GLOSTER out.
Out with those treacherous eyes; despatch, I say.
Glost. [Within.] He, that will think to live till he
be old,

Give me some help.--O, cruel! oh, ye gods!
Edw. Hold, hold, my lord, I bar your cruelty;
I cannot love your safety, and give way
To such inhuman practice.

Corn. Ah, my villain!

Edw. I have been your servant from my infancy; But better service have I never done you,

Than with this boldness.

Corn. Take thy death, slave.

[Stabs EDWARD.

Edw. Nay, then revenge, whilst yet my blood is

warm!

[Draws his Sword, runs CORNWALL through the Body, and is carried off, dying,

Reg. Help here,

-are you not hurt, my lord? Glost. [Within.] Edmund, enkindle all the sparks

of nature,

To quit this horrid act.

Reg. Out, treacherous villain,

Thou call'st on him that hates thee; it was he

That broach'd thy treason, show'd us thy despatches; There-read, and save the Cambrian prince the la[Throws the Letters out to him.

bour.

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