| ACT II SCENE I | Gloucester's castle. | |
| [Enter EDMUND, and CURAN meets him] |
| EDMUND | Save thee, Curan. |
| CURAN | And you, sir. I have been with your father, and |
| given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall and Regan |
| his duchess will be here with him this night. |
| EDMUND | How comes that? | 5 |
| CURAN | Nay, I know not. You have heard of the news abroad; |
| I mean the whispered ones, for they are yet but |
| ear-kissing arguments? |
| EDMUND | Not I pray you, what are they? |
| CURAN | Have you heard of no likely wars toward, 'twixt the | 10 |
| Dukes of Cornwall and Albany? |
| EDMUND | Not a word. |
| CURAN | You may do, then, in time. Fare you well, sir. |
| [Exit] |
| EDMUND | The duke be here to-night? The better! best! |
| This weaves itself perforce into my business. | 15 |
| My father hath set guard to take my brother; |
| And I have one thing, of a queasy question, |
| Which I must act: briefness and fortune, work! |
| Brother, a word; descend: brother, I say! |
[Enter EDGAR] |
| My father watches: O sir, fly this place; | 20 |
| Intelligence is given where you are hid; |
| You have now the good advantage of the night: |
| Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall? |
| He's coming hither: now, i' the night, i' the haste, |
| And Regan with him: have you nothing said | 25 |
| Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany? |
| Advise yourself. |
| EDGAR | I am sure on't, not a word. |
| EDMUND | I hear my father coming: pardon me: |
| In cunning I must draw my sword upon you | 30 |
| Draw; seem to defend yourself; now quit you well. |
| Yield: come before my father. Light, ho, here! |
| Fly, brother. Torches, torches! So, farewell. |
[Exit EDGAR] |
| Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion. |
[Wounds his arm] |
| Of my more fierce endeavour: I have seen drunkards | 35 |
| Do more than this in sport. Father, father! |
| Stop, stop! No help? |
| [Enter GLOUCESTER, and Servants with torches] |
| GLOUCESTER | Now, Edmund, where's the villain? |
| EDMUND | Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out, |
| Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon | 40 |
| To stand auspicious mistress,-- |
| GLOUCESTER | But where is he? |
| EDMUND | Look, sir, I bleed. |
| GLOUCESTER | Where is the villain, Edmund? |
| EDMUND | Fled this way, sir. When by no means he could-- | 45 |
| GLOUCESTER | Pursue him, ho! Go after. |
[Exeunt some Servants] |
| By no means what? |
| EDMUND | Persuade me to the murder of your lordship; |
| But that I told him, the revenging gods |
| 'Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend; | 50 |
| Spoke, with how manifold and strong a bond |
| The child was bound to the father; sir, in fine, |
| Seeing how loathly opposite I stood |
| To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion, |
| With his prepared sword, he charges home | 55 |
| My unprovided body, lanced mine arm: |
| But when he saw my best alarum'd spirits, |
| Bold in the quarrel's right, roused to the encounter, |
| Or whether gasted by the noise I made, |
| Full suddenly he fled. | 60 |
| GLOUCESTER | Let him fly far: |
| Not in this land shall he remain uncaught; |
| And found--dispatch. The noble duke my master, |
| My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night: |
| By his authority I will proclaim it, | 65 |
| That he which finds him shall deserve our thanks, |
| Bringing the murderous coward to the stake; |
| He that conceals him, death. |
| EDMUND | When I dissuaded him from his intent, |
| And found him pight to do it, with curst speech | 70 |
| I threaten'd to discover him: he replied, |
| 'Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think, |
| If I would stand against thee, would the reposal |
| Of any trust, virtue, or worth in thee |
| Make thy words faith'd? No: what I should deny,-- | 75 |
| As this I would: ay, though thou didst produce |
| My very character,--I'ld turn it all |
| To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practise: |
| And thou must make a dullard of the world, |
| If they not thought the profits of my death | 80 |
| Were very pregnant and potential spurs |
| To make thee seek it.' |
| GLOUCESTER | Strong and fasten'd villain |
| Would he deny his letter? I never got him. |
[Tucket within] |
| Hark, the duke's trumpets! I know not why he comes. | 85 |
| All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not 'scape; |
| The duke must grant me that: besides, his picture |
| I will send far and near, that all the kingdom |
| May have the due note of him; and of my land, |
| Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means | 90 |
| To make thee capable. |
| [Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, and Attendants] |
| CORNWALL | How now, my noble friend! since I came hither, |
| Which I can call but now, I have heard strange news. |
| REGAN | If it be true, all vengeance comes too short |
| Which can pursue the offender. How dost, my lord? | 95 |
| GLOUCESTER | O, madam, my old heart is crack'd, it's crack'd! |
| REGAN | What, did my father's godson seek your life? |
| He whom my father named? your Edgar? |
| GLOUCESTER | O, lady, lady, shame would have it hid! |
| REGAN | Was he not companion with the riotous knights | 100 |
| That tend upon my father? |
| GLOUCESTER | I know not, madam: 'tis too bad, too bad. |
| EDMUND | Yes, madam, he was of that consort. |
| REGAN | No marvel, then, though he were ill affected: |
| 'Tis they have put him on the old man's death, | 105 |
| To have the expense and waste of his revenues. |
| I have this present evening from my sister |
| Been well inform'd of them; and with such cautions, |
| That if they come to sojourn at my house, |
| I'll not be there. | 110 |
| CORNWALL | Nor I, assure thee, Regan. |
| Edmund, I hear that you have shown your father |
| A child-like office. |
| EDMUND | 'Twas my duty, sir. |
| GLOUCESTER | He did bewray his practise; and received | 115 |
| This hurt you see, striving to apprehend him. |
| CORNWALL | Is he pursued? |
| GLOUCESTER | Ay, my good lord. |
| CORNWALL | If he be taken, he shall never more |
| Be fear'd of doing harm: make your own purpose, | 120 |
| How in my strength you please. For you, Edmund, |
| Whose virtue and obedience doth this instant |
| So much commend itself, you shall be ours: |
| Natures of such deep trust we shall much need; |
| You we first seize on. | 125 |
| EDMUND | I shall serve you, sir, |
| Truly, however else. |
| GLOUCESTER | For him I thank your grace. |
| CORNWALL | You know not why we came to visit you,-- |
| REGAN | Thus out of season, threading dark-eyed night: | 130 |
| Occasions, noble Gloucester, of some poise, |
| Wherein we must have use of your advice: |
| Our father he hath writ, so hath our sister, |
| Of differences, which I least thought it fit |
| To answer from our home; the several messengers | 135 |
| From hence attend dispatch. Our good old friend, |
| Lay comforts to your bosom; and bestow |
| Your needful counsel to our business, |
| Which craves the instant use. |
| GLOUCESTER | I serve you, madam: | 140 |
| Your graces are right welcome. |
| [Exeunt] |
King Lear Overview