Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature, 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. Glo. Then Edgar was abus'd. 4 O my follies! Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him! Reg. Go, thrust him out at gates, and let him smell His way to Dover. How is 't, my lord? How look you? Corn. I have receiv'd a hurt: :- -Follow me, lady. Turn out that eyeless villain; - throw this slave Servants unbind GLOSTER, and lead him out. 1 Serv. I'll never care what wickedness I do, If this man comes to good. 2 Serv. 1 Serv. Let's follow the old earl, and get the Bedlam ' To lead him where he would; his roguish madness Allows itself to any thing. 2 Serv. Go thou; I'll fetch some flax, and whites ACT THE FOURTH. SCENE I. The Heath. Enter EDGAR. Edg. Yet better thus, and known to be contemn'd, Than still contemn'd and flatter'd. To be worst, The wretch, that thou hast blown unto the worst, But who comes Enter GLOSTER, led by an Old Man. My father, poorly led? — World, world, O world! But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee, Life would not yield to age. Old Man. O my good lord, I have been your tenant, and your father's tenant, these fourscore years. Glo. 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. 6 In hope. I stumbled when I saw : Full oft 'tis seen, Might I but live to see thee in my touch, Old Man. 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. Old Man. "Tis poor mad Tom. Edg. [Aside.] And worse I may be yet: The worst is not, So long as we can say, This is the worst. Old Man. Fellow, where goest? Glo. Glo. He has some reason, else he could not beg. Edg. How should this be? Bad is the trade must play the fool to sorrow, Ang'ring itself and others. [Aside.] - Bless thee, master! Glo. Is that the naked fellow? Old Man. Ay, my lord. Glo. Then, pr'y thee, get thee gone: If, for my sake, Thou wilt o'ertake us, hence a mile or twain, Old Man. Alack, sir, he 's mad. Glo. 'Tis the time's plague, when madmen lead the blind. Do as I bid thee, or rather do thy pleasure; Above the rest, be gone. Old Man. I'll bring him the best 'parel that I have, Come on 't what will. Glo. Sirrah, naked fellow. [Exit. Edg. Poor Tom 's a-cold :- I cannot daub it further. [Aside. Edg. [Aside.] And yet I must. - Bless thy sweet eyes, they bleed, Glo. Come hither, fellow. Glo. Know'st thou the way to Dover ? Edg. Both stile and gate, horse-way and footpath. Poor Tom hath been scared out of his good wits: Bless the good man from the foul fiend! Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once. So, bless thee, master! Glo. Here, take this purse, thou whom the heaven's plagues Have humbled to all strokes: that I am wretched, And each man have enough. - Dost thou know Edg. Ay, master. Glo. There is a cliff, whose high and bending head Looks fearfully in the confined deep : Bring me but to the very brim of it, And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear, With something rich about me: from that place Edg. Poor Tom shall lead thee. Give me thy arm; [Exeunt. 7 Disguise. SCENE II. Before the Duke of Albany's Palace. Enter GONERIL and EDMUND; Steward meeting them. Gon. Welcome, my lord: I marvel, our mild husband Not met us on the way:- Now, where's your master? Stew. Madam, within; but never man so chang'd: I told him of the army that was landed; He smil'd at it: I told him, you were coming; When I inform'd him, then he call'd me sot; him; What like, offensive. Gon. Then shall you go no further. [To EDMUND. It is the cowish terror of his spirit, way, 8 May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my brother; A mistress's command. Wear this; spare speech; [Giving a Favour. Decline your head: this kiss, if it durst speak, • i. e. Our wishes on the road may be completed. |