Which 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 ? See'st thou this object, Kent? [The bodies of Goneril and Regan are brought in. Kent. Alack, why thus? Edm. Yet Edmund was beloved: The one the other poison'd for my sake, And after slew herself. Alb. Even so. Cover their faces. Edm. I pant for life: some good I mean to do, Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia : Alb. Run, run, O, run! Edg. To who, my lord? Who hath the office? send Thy token of reprieve. Edm. Well thought on: take my sword, Give it the captain. Alb. Haste thee, for thy life. Edm. He hath commission from thy wife and me To lay the blame upon her own despair, [Exit Edgar. Alb. The gods defend her! Bear him hence awhile. [Edmund is borne off. Re-enter Lear, with Cordelia dead in his arms; Edgar, Captain, and others following. Lear. Howl, howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones: I know when one is dead and when one lives; She's dead as earth. Lend me a looking-glass; Kent. Is this the promised end? Edg. Or image of that horror? 'Alb. : Fall and cease. Lear. This feather stirs ; she lives. If it be so, Kent. [Kneeling] Lear. Prithee, away. Edg. O my good master! 'Tis noble Kent, your friend. What is 't thou say'st? Her voice was ever soft, Lear. Did I not, fellow? I have seen the day, with my good biting falchion Lear. This is a dull sight. Are you not Kent? The same, Your servant Kent. Where is your servant Caius? Lear. He's a good fellow, I can tell you that; He'll strike, and quickly too: he's dead and rotten. Kent. No, my good lord; I am the very man— Lear. I'll see that straight. Kent. That from your first of difference and decay Lear. You are welcome hither. Kent. Nor no man else: all's cheerless, dark and deadly. And desperately are dead. Lear. Ay, so I think. Alb. He knows not what he says, and vain is it Edg. Very bootless. Enter a Captain. That's but a trifle here. Capt. Edmund is dead, my lord. You lords and noble friends, know our intent. During the life of this old majesty, To him our absolute power: [To Edgar and Kent] you, to your rights; With boot, and such addition as your honours Have more than merited. All friends shall taste The wages of their virtue, and all foes The cup of their deservings. O, see, see! Lear. And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life! And thou no breath at all? Thou 'lt come no more, Pray you, undo this button: thank you, sir. Do you see this? Look on her, look, her lips, Edg. He faints. My lord, my lord! Kent. Break, heart; I prithee, break! Edg. Look up, my lord. Kent. Vex not his ghost: O, let him pass! he hates him Stretch him out longer. Edg. He is gone indeed. Kent. The wonder is he hath endured so long: Alb. Bear them from hence. Our present business [Dies. Is general woe. [To Kent and Edgar] Friends of my soul, you twain Rule in this realm and the gored state sustain. [Exeunt, with a dead march. Sailor, Messenger, Herald, Officers, Gentlemen, Musicians, and Attendants. SCENE: Venice: a seaport in Cyprus. ACT I-SCENE I Venice. A street. Enter Roderigo and Iago. Rod. Tush, never tell me; I take it much unkindly As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this. If ever I did dream of such a matter, Abhor me. Rod. Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate. I know my price, I am worth no worse a place: And, in conclusion, Nonsuits my mediators; for, 'Certes,' says he, Forsooth, a great arithmetician, One Michael Cassio, a Florentine, A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife; More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric, As masterly as he mere prattle without practice At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds And I-God bless the mark !—his Moorship's ancient. And not by old gradation, where each second Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself To love the Moor. Rod. I would not follow him then. Iago. O, sir, content you; I follow him to serve my turn upon him: Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave, That doting on his own obsequious bondage Do well thrive by them, and when they have lined their coats For, sir, It is as sure as you are Roderigo, Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago: In following him, I follow but myself; Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, Iago. Call up her father, Rouse him make after him, poison his delight, |