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A Court within the Castle of the EARL OF GLOUCESTER. | |
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Enter EDMUND and CURAN, meeting. | |
| Edm. Save thee, Curan. | |
| Cur. 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 to-night. | |
| Edm. How comes that? | 5 |
| Cur. Nay, I know not. You have heard of the news abroad? I mean the whispered ones, for they are yet but ear-kissing arguments? | |
| Edm. Not I: pray you, what are they? | |
| Cur. Have you heard of no likely wars toward, ’twixt the Dukes of Cornwall and Albany? | |
| Edm. Not a word. | |
| Cur. You may do then, in time. Fare you well, sir. [Exit. | 10 |
| Edm. The duke be here to-night! The better! best! | |
| This weaves itself perforce into my business. | |
| 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! | 15 |
| Brother, a word; descend: brother, I say! | |
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Enter EDGAR. | |
| My father watches: O sir! fly this place; | |
| Intelligence is given where you are hid; | |
| You have now the good advantage of the night. | 20 |
| 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 | |
| Upon his party ’gainst the Duke of Albany? | |
| Advise yourself. | 25 |
| Edg. I am sure on ’t, not a word. | |
| Edm. I hear my father coming; pardon me; | |
| In cunning I must draw my sword upon you; | |
| Draw; seem to defend yourself; now ’quit you well. | |
| Yield;—come before my father. Light, ho! here! | 30 |
| 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 | |
| Do more than this in sport. Father! father! | |
| Stop, stop! No help? | 35 |
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Enter GLOUCESTER, and Servants with torches. | |
| Glo. Now, Edmund, where’s the villain? | |
| Edm. Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out, | |
| Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon | |
| To stand auspicious mistress. | 40 |
| Glo. But where is he? | |
| Edm. Look, sir, I bleed. | |
| Glo. Where is the villain, Edmund? | |
| Edm. Fled this way, sir. When by no means he could— | |
| Glo. Pursue him, ho! Go after. [Exeunt some Servants.] ‘By no means’ what? | 45 |
| Edm. Persuade me to the murder of your lordship; | |
| But that I told him, the revenging gods | |
| ’Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend; | |
| Spoke with how manifold and strong a bond | |
| The child was bound to the father; sir, in fine, | 50 |
| Seeing how loathly opposite I stood | |
| To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion, | |
| With his prepared sword he charges home | |
| My unprovided body, lanc’d mine arm: | |
| But when he saw my best alarum’d spirits | 55 |
| Bold in the quarrel’s right, rous’d to the encounter, | |
| Or whether gasted by the noise I made, | |
| Full suddenly he fled. | |
| Glo. Let him fly far: | |
| Not in this land shall he remain uncaught; | 60 |
| And found—dispatch. The noble duke my master, | |
| My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night: | |
| By his authority I will proclaim it, | |
| That he which finds him shall deserve our thanks, | |
| Bringing the murderous coward to the stake; | 65 |
| He that conceals him, death. | |
| Edm. When I dissuaded him from his intent, | |
| And found him pight to do it, with curst speech | |
| I threaten’d to discover him: he replied, | |
| ‘Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think, | 70 |
| 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,— | |
| As this I would; ay, though thou didst produce | |
| My very character,—I’d turn it all | 75 |
| To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practice: | |
| And thou must make a dullard of the world, | |
| If they not thought the profits of my death | |
| Were very pregnant and potential spurs | |
| To make thee seek it.’ | 80 |
| Glo. 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. | |
| All ports I’ll bar; the villain shall not ’scape; | |
| The duke must grant me that: besides, his picture | 85 |
| I will send far and near, that all the kingdom | |
| May have due note of him; and of my land, | |
| Loyal and natural boy, I’ll work the means | |
| To make thee capable. | |
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Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, and Attendants. | 90 |
| Corn. How now, my noble friend! since I came hither,— | |
| Which I can call but now,—I have heard strange news. | |
| Reg. If it be true, all vengeance comes too short | |
| Which can pursue the offender. How dost, my lord? | |
| Glo. O! madam, my old heart is crack’d, it’s crack’d. | 95 |
| Reg. What! did my father’s godson seek your life? | |
| He whom my father nam’d? your Edgar? | |
| Glo. O! lady, lady, shame would have it hid. | |
| Reg. Was he not companion with the riotous knights | |
| That tend upon my father? | 100 |
| Glo. I know not, madam; ’tis too bad, too bad. | |
| Edm. Yes, madam, he was of that consort. | |
| Reg. No marvel then though he were ill affected; | |
| ’Tis they have put him on the old man’s death, | |
| To have the expense and waste of his revenues. | 105 |
| 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. | |
| Corn. Nor I, assure thee, Regan. | 110 |
| Edmund, I hear that you have shown your father | |
| A child-like office. | |
| Edm. ’Twas my duty, sir. | |
| Glo. He did bewray his practice; and receiv’d | |
| This hurt you see, striving to apprehend him. | 115 |
| Corn. Is he pursu’d? | |
| Glo. Ay, my good lord. | |
| Corn. If he be taken he shall never more | |
| Be fear’d of doing harm; make your own purpose, | |
| How in my strength you please. For you, Edmund, | 120 |
| 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. | |
| Edm. I shall serve you, sir, | 125 |
| Truly, however else. | |
| Glo. For him I thank your Grace. | |
| Corn. You know not why we came to visit you,— | |
| Reg. Thus out of season, threading dark-ey’d night: | |
| Occasions, noble Gloucester, of some prize, | 130 |
| Wherein we must have use of your advice. | |
| Our father he hath writ, so hath our sister, | |
| Of differences, which I best thought it fit | |
| To answer from our home; the several messengers | |
| From hence attend dispatch. Our good old friend, | 135 |
| Lay comforts to your bosom, and bestow | |
| Your needful counsel to our businesses, | |
| Which craves the instant use. | |
| Glo. I serve you, madam. | |
| Your Graces are right welcome. [Exeunt. | 140 |
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