Her. If any man of quality or degree within the Ask me not what I know. 19) Alb. Go after her: she's desperate; govern her. Exit an Oficer. Edm. What you have charg'd me with, that have I done, lists of the army will maintain upon Edmund, sup- And more, much more; the time will bring it out: posed 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! Her. Again! Her. Again! 114 First trumpet. Trumpet answers within. Which is that adversary? 'Tis past, and so am I. But what art thou Let's exchange charity. Edm. Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true. The wheel is come full circle; I am here. Worthy prince, I know 't. Alb. Where have you hid yourself Edg. What's he that speaks for Edmund Earl How have you known the miseries of your of Gloucester? Edm. Himself: what say'st thou to him? Edg. Draw thy sword, 130 That, if my speech offend a noble heart, Thou liest. Edm. 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, 140 In wisdom I should ask thy name; But since thy outside looks so fair and war-like, And that thy tongue some say of breeding breathes, What safe and nicely I might well delay Thhich, for they yet glance by and scarcely bruise, Edg. By nursing them, my lord. List a brief tale; And when 'tis told, O! that my heart wonid burst, The bloody proclamation to escape That follow'd me so near, -0! our lives' sweetness, That we the pain of death would hourly die Rather than die at once!-taught me to shift Into a madman's rags, to assume 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; Alack! too weak the conflict to support; Enter an Officer. Of Edmund is dead, my lord. Alb. That's but a trifle here. You lords and noble friends, know our intent; What comfort to this great decay may come Shall be applied for us, we will resign, During the life of this old majesty, : To him our absolute power: To EDGAR and KENT. You, to your rights, 300 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! Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, more, Never, never, never, never, never! Pray you, undo this button: thank you, sir. Do you see this? Look on her, look, her lips, Look there, look there! 309 Dies. Look up, my lord. Kent. Vex not his ghost: O! let him pass; he hates him That would upon the rack of this tough world Stretch him out longer. Edg. He is gone, indeed. Kent. The wonder is he hath endur'd so long: He but usurp'd his life. Alb. Bear them from hence. Our present business Is general woe. To KENT and EDGAR Friends of my soul, you twain Rule in this realm, and the gor'd state sustain. Kent. I have a journey, sir, shortly to go; s My master calls me, I must not say no. Edg. The weight of this sad time we must obey; Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. The oldest hath borne most: we that are young Shall never see so much, nor live so long. Exeunt, with a dead march. Sailor, Messengers, Herald, Officers, Gentlemen, Musicians, and Attendants. SCENE. For the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, at a Sea-port in Cyprus. Christian and heathen, must be be-lee'd and ACT I. SCENE I. Venice. A Street. Enter RODERIGO and IAGO, Rod. Tush! never tell me, I take it much unkindly That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse this. Iago. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me: If ever I did dream of such a matter, Abhor me. Rod. Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate. Iago. Despise me if I do not. Three great ones of the city, In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, Nonsuits my mediators; for, 'Certes,' says he, For nought but provender, and when he's old, Jago. O! sir, content you; And, in conclusion, I follow him to serve my turn upon him; 'I have already chose my officer.' cashier'd; And what was he? Forsooth, a great arithmetician, Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty, 50 20 Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves, And, throwing but shows of service on their That never set a squadron in the field, Nor the division of a battle knows lords, Do well thrive by them, and when they have What is the matter there? Rod. Signior, is all your family within? Why? wherefore ask you this? lago. 'Zounds! sir, you're robb'd; for shame, put on your gown; Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul; Arise, I say. Bra. 90 What! have you lost your wits? Rod. Most reverend signior, do you know my voice? 114 Bra. What profane wretch art thou ? lago. I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs. Bra. Thou art a villain. 129 Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But I be seech you, If 't be your pleasure and most wise consent, yourself: If she be in her chamber or your house, Let loose on me the justice of the state For thus deluding you. Bra. 10 Strike on the tinder, ho! Give me a taper! call up all my people! Iago. Exit from above. Farewell; for I must leave you: It seems not meet nor wholesome to my place To be produc'd, as if I stay I shall, Against the Moor; for I do know the state, However this may gall him with some check, Cannot with safety cast him; for he's embark'd With such loud reason to the Cyprus wars, 18 Which even now stand in act, that, for their souls, Another of his fathom they have none, To lead their business; in which regard, Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains, Yet, for necessity of present life, I must show out a flag and sign of love, Which is indeed but sign. That you shall surely find him, Lead to the Sagittary the raised search; And there will I be with him. So, farewell. 10 Exit Enter BRABANTIO and Servants with torches. Bra. It is too true an evil; gone she is, And what's to come of my despised time Is nought but bitterness. Now, Roderigo, Where didst thou see her? O unhappy girl! With the Moor, say'st thou? Who would be a How didst thou know 'twas she? O! she de ceives me father? |