The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 291

Come hither, herald. Let the trumpet sound, And read out this.

Capt. Sound, trumpet! A trumpet sounds.

Her. (reads) 'If any man of quality or degree within the lists of the army will maintain upon Edmund, supposed Earl of Gloucester, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear by the third sound of the trumpet. He is bold in his defence.'

Edm. Sound! First trumpet.

Her. Again! Second trumpet.

Her. Again! Third trumpet.

Trumpet answers within.

Enter Edgar, armed, at the third sound, a Trumpet before him.

Alb. Ask him his purposes, why he appears Upon this call o' th' trumpet.

Her. What are you?

Your name, your quality? and why you answer This present summons?

Edg. Know my name is lost; By treason's tooth bare-gnawn and canker-bit.

Yet am I n.o.ble as the adversary I come to cope.

Alb. Which is that adversary?

Edg. What's he that speaks for Edmund Earl of Gloucester?

Edm. Himself. What say'st thou to him?

Edg. Draw thy sword, That, if my speech offend a n.o.ble heart, Thy arm may do thee justice. Here is mine.

Behold, it is the privilege of mine honours, My oath, and my profession. I protest- Maugre thy strength, youth, place, and eminence, Despite thy victor sword and fire-new fortune, Thy valour and thy heart- thou art a traitor; False to thy G.o.ds, thy brother, and thy father; Conspirant 'gainst this high ill.u.s.trious prince; And from th' extremest upward of thy head To the descent and dust beneath thy foot, A most toad-spotted traitor. Say thou 'no,'

This sword, this arm, and my best spirits are bent To prove upon thy heart, whereto I speak, Thou liest.

Edm. In wisdom I should ask thy name; But since thy outside looks so fair and warlike, And that thy tongue some say of breeding breathes, What safe and nicely I might well delay By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn.

Back do I toss those treasons to thy head; With the h.e.l.l-hated lie o'erwhelm thy heart; Which- for they yet glance by and scarcely bruise- This sword of mine shall give them instant way Where they shall rest for ever. Trumpets, speak!

Alarums. Fight. [Edmund falls.]

Alb. Save him, save him!

Gon. This is mere practice, Gloucester.

By th' law of arms thou wast not bound to answer An unknown opposite. Thou art not vanquish'd, But cozen'd and beguil'd.

Alb. Shut your mouth, dame, Or with this paper shall I stop it. [Shows her her letter to Edmund.]- [To Edmund]. Hold, sir.

[To Goneril] Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil.

No tearing, lady! I perceive you know it.

Gon. Say if I do- the laws are mine, not thine.

Who can arraign me for't?

Alb. Most monstrous!

Know'st thou this paper?

Gon. Ask me not what I know. Exit.

Alb. Go after her. She's desperate; govern her.

[Exit an Officer.]

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 n.o.ble, I do forgive thee.

Edg. Let's exchange charity.

I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund; If more, the more th' hast wrong'd me.

My name is Edgar and thy father's son.

The G.o.ds are just, and of our pleasant vices Make instruments to scourge us.

The dark and vicious place where thee he got Cost him his eyes.

Edm. Th' hast spoken right; 'tis true.

The wheel is come full circle; I am here.

Alb. Methought thy very gait did prophesy A royal n.o.bleness. 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 b.l.o.o.d.y proclamation to escape That follow'd me so near (O, our lives' sweetness!

That with the pain of death would hourly die Rather than die at once!) taught me to shift Into a madman's rags, t' a.s.sume a semblance That very dogs disdain'd; and in this habit Met I my father with his bleeding rings, Their precious stones new lost; became his guide, Led him, begg'd for him, sav'd him from despair; Never (O fault!) reveal'd myself unto him Until some half hour past, when I was arm'd, Not sure, though hoping of this good success, I ask'd his blessing, and from first to last Told him my pilgrimage. But his flaw'd heart (Alack, too weak the conflict to support!) 'Twixt two extremes of pa.s.sion, joy and grief, Burst smilingly.

Edm. This speech of yours hath mov'd me, And shall perchance do good; but speak you on; You look as you had something more to say.

Alb. If there be more, more woful, hold it in; For I am almost ready to dissolve, Hearing of this.

Edg. This would have seem'd a period To such as love not sorrow; but another, To amplify too much, would make much more, And top extremity.

Whilst I was big in clamour, came there a man, Who, having seen me in my worst estate, Shunn'd my abhorr'd society; but then, finding Who 'twas that so endur'd, with his strong arms He fastened on my neck, and bellowed out As he'd burst heaven; threw him on my father; Told the most piteous tale of Lear and him That ever ear receiv'd; which in recounting His grief grew puissant, and the strings of life Began to crack. Twice then the trumpets sounded, And there I left him tranc'd.

Alb. But who was this?

Edg. Kent, sir, the banish'd Kent; who in disguise Followed his enemy king and did him service Improper for a slave.

Enter a Gentleman with a b.l.o.o.d.y knife.

Gent. Help, help! O, help!

Edg. What kind of help?

Alb. Speak, man.

Edg. What means that b.l.o.o.d.y knife?

Gent. 'Tis hot, it smokes.

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 poisoned; she hath confess'd it.

Edm. I was contracted to them both. All three Now marry in an instant.

Enter Kent.

Edg. Here comes Kent.

Alb. Produce their bodies, be they alive or dead.

[Exit Gentleman.]

This judgement of the heavens, that makes us tremble Touches us not with pity. O, is this he?

The time will not allow the compliment That very manners urges.

Kent. I am come To bid my king and master aye good night.

Is he not here?

Alb. Great thing of us forgot!

Speak, Edmund, where's the King? and where's Cordelia?

The bodies of Goneril and Regan are brought in.

Seest thou this object, Kent?

Kent. Alack, why thus?

Edm. Yet Edmund was belov'd.

The one the other poisoned for my sake, And after slew herself.

Alb. Even so. Cover their faces.

Edm. I pant for life. Some good I mean to do, Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send (Be brief in't) to the castle; for my writ 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 G.o.ds defend her! Bear him hence awhile.