Tom will make them weep and wail: For, with throwing thus my head, Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled. Do de, de, de. Sessa! Come, march to wakes and fairs and market-towns. Poor Tom, thy horn is dry. 79 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. 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. 91 woes, We scarcely think our miseries our foes. 110 Who alone suffers suffers most i' the mind, Leaving free things and happy shows behind: But then the mind much sufferance doth o'erskip, When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship. How light and portable my pain seems now, When that which makes me bend makes the king bow, He childed as I father'd! Tom, away! In thy just proof, repeals and reconciles thee. What will hap more to-night, safe 'scape the king! Lurk, lurk. SCENE VII. 121 [Exit. Gloucester's castle. 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. Gon. Pluck out his eyes. 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? Osw. My lord of Gloucester hath convey'd him hence: Some five or six and thirty of his knights, To have well-armed friends. Corn. Get horses for your mistress. Gon. Farewell, sweet lord, and sister. 21 Corn. 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? Cunning. And false. Reg. Reg. Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril Corn. Wherefore to Dover? Let him first answer that. Glou. I am tied to the stake, and I must stand the course. Reg. Wherefore to Dover, sir? Glou. 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. And quench'd the stelled fires: 60 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,' To see some mischief on him. O! [Dies. Corn. Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly! Where is thy lustre now? Glou. All dark and comfortless. Where's my son Edmund ? 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 made the overture of thy treasons to us; Who is too good to pity thee. 90 Glou. O my follies! then Edgar was abused. Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him! Reg. Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell His way to Dover. [Exit one with Gloucester. Turn out that eyeless villain; throw this slave Third Serv. Sec. Serv. Let's follow the old earl, and Glon. Away, get thee away; good friend, be gone : Thy comforts can do me no good at all; Old Man. Alack, sir, you cannot see your way. Glou. I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; I stumbled when I saw full oft 'tis seen, 20 How now! Who's there? Edg. [Aside] O gods! Who is't can say 'I am at the worst' ? I am worse than e'er I was. Edg. Poor Tom's a-cold. [Aside] I cannot daub it further. Glou. Come hither, fellow. Edg. [Aside] And yet I must.-Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed. Glou. Know'st thou the way to Dover? Edg. Both stile and gate, horse-way and foot-path. Poor Tom hath been scared out of his good wits: bless thee, good man's son, from the foul fiend! five fiends have been in poor Tom at once; of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididance, prince of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; Modo, of murder; Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mowing, who since possesses chambermaids and waiting-women. So, bless thee, master! Glou. Here, take this purse, thou whom the heavens' plagues Have humbled to all strokes that I am wretched Makes thee the happier: heavens, deal so still! Let the superfluous and lust-dieted man, 70 That slaves your ordinance, that will not see Because he doth not feel, feel your power quickly; So distribution should undo excess, And each man have enough. Dost thou know Dover? Edg. Ay, master. Glou. There is a cliff, whose high and bending head Looks fearfully in the confined deep; And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear With something rich about me: from that place I shall no leading need. Alb. This shows you are above, You justicers, that these our nether crimes So speedily can venge! But, O poor Glouces ter Lost he his other eye? Mess. Both, both, my lord. 81 This letter, madam, craves a speedy answer; 'Tis from your sister. Gon. [Aside] One way I like this well But being widow, and my Gloucester with her, May all the building in my fancy pluck Upon my hateful life: another way, The news is not so tart.-I'll read, and answer. [Exit. Alb. Where was his son when they did take his eyes? Mess. Come with my lady hither. He is not here. 90 Mess. No, my good lord; I met him back again. Alb. Knows he the wickedness ? Mess. Ay, my good lord; 'twas he inform'd against him; And quit the house on purpose, that their punishment Might have the freer course. Tell me what more thou know'st. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The French camp near Dover. Enter KENT and a Gentleman. Kent. Why the King of France is so suddenly gone back know you the reason? Gent. Something he left imperfect in the state, which since his coming forth is thought of; which imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger, that his personal return was most required and necessary. Kent. Who hath he left behind him general? Gent. The Marshal of France, Monsieur La Far. 10 Kent. Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief? Gent. Ay, sir; she took them, read them in my presence; And now and then an ample tear trill'd down Kent. Who should express her goodliest. You have seen Sunshine and rain at once: her smiles and tears Were like a better way: those happy smilets, That play'd on her ripe lip, seem'd not to know What guests were in her eyes; which parted thence, As pearls from diamonds dropp'd. In brief, Sorrow would be a rarity most beloved, Kent. A sovereign shame so elbows him : his own unkindness, That stripp'd her from his benediction, turn'd her To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights To his dog-hearted daughters, these things sting His mind so venomously, that burning shame Detains him from Cordelia. As mad as the vex'd sea; singing aloud; Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow In the restoring his bereaved sense? 11 |