Текст книги "William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition"

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4.6 Enter Queen Cordelia, the Earl of Kent disguised, and ⌈the First⌉ Gentleman

CORDELIA

O thou good Kent, how shall I live and work

To match thy goodness? My life will be too short,

And every measure fail me.

KENT

To be acknowledged, madam, is o’erpaid.

All my reports go with the modest truth,

Nor more, nor clipped, but so.

CORDELIA

Be better suited.

These weeds are memories of those worser hours.

I prithee put them off.

KENT Pardon, dear madam.

Yet to be known shortens my made intent.

My boon I make it that you know me not

Till time and I think meet.

CORDELIA

Then be’t so, my good lord.—

How does the King?

⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN Madam, sleeps still.

CORDELIA

O you kind gods,

Cure this great breach in his abused nature;

Th’untuned and jarring senses O wind up

Of this child-changed father!

⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN

So please your majesty

That we may wake the King? He hath slept long.

CORDELIA

Be governed by your knowledge, and proceed

I’th’ sway of your own will. Is he arrayed?

⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN

Ay, madam. In the heaviness of sleep

We put fresh garments on him.

Enter King Lear asleep, in a chair carried by servants

Be by, good madam, when we do awake him.

I doubt not of his temperance.

CORDELIA

O my dear father, restoration hang

Thy medicine on my lips, and let this kiss

Repair those violent harms that my two sisters

Have in thy reverence made!

KENT

Kind and dear princess!

CORDELIA

Had you not been their father, these white flakes

Did challenge pity of them. Was this a face

To be opposed against the warring winds?

Mine enemy’s dog, though he had bit me, should

have stood

That night against my fire. And wast thou fain, poor

father,

To hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn

In short and musty straw? Alack, alack,

’Tis wonder that thy life and wits at once

Had not concluded all! (To the Gentleman) He wakes.

Speak to him.

⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN Madam, do you; ’tis fittest.

CORDELIA (to Lear)

How does my royal lord? How fares your majesty?

LEAR

You do me wrong to take me out o’th’ grave.

Thou art a soul in bliss, but I am bound

Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears

Do scald like molten lead.

CORDELIA

Sir, do you know me?

LEAR

You are a spirit, I know. Where did you die?

CORDELIA (to the Gentleman) Still, still far wide!

⌈FIRST GENTLEMAN

He’s scarce awake. Let him alone a while.

LEAR

Where have I been? Where am I? Fair daylight?

I am mightily abused. I should ev’n die with pity

To see another thus. I know not what to say.

I will not swear these are my hands. Let’s see:

I feel this pin prick. Would I were assured

Of my condition.

CORDELIA (kneeling) O look upon me, sir,

And hold your hands in benediction o’er me.

You must not kneel.

LEAR

Pray do not mock.

I am a very foolish, fond old man,

Fourscore and upward,

Not an hour more nor less; and to deal plainly,

I fear I am not in my perfect mind.

Methinks I should know you, and know this man;

Yet I am doubtful, for I am mainly ignorant

What place this is; and all the skill I have

Remembers not these garments; nor I know not

Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me,

For as I am a man, I think this lady

To be my child, Cordelia.

CORDELIA

And so I am, I am.

LEAR

Be your tears wet? Yes, faith. I pray, weep not.

If you have poison for me, I will drink it.

I know you do not love me; for your sisters

Have, as I do remember, done me wrong.

You have some cause; they have not.

CORDELIA

No cause, no cause.

LEAR Am I in France?

KENT In your own kingdom, sir.

LEAR Do not abuse me.

⌈FIRST⌉GENTLEMAN

Be comforted, good madam. The great rage

You see is killed in him. Desire him to go in.

Trouble him no more till further settling.

CORDELIA (to Lear) Will’t please your highness walk?

LEAR

You must bear with me. Pray you now, forget

And forgive. I am old and foolish.

Exeunt

5.1 Enter with a drummer and colours Edmond, Regan, Gentlemen, and soldiers

EDMOND

Know of the Duke if his last purpose hold,

Or whether since he is advised by aught

To change the course. He’s full of abdication

And self-reproving. Bring his constant pleasure.

Exit one or more

REGAN

Our sister’s man is certainly miscarried.

EDMOND

’Tis to be doubted, madam.

REGAN

Now, sweet lord,

You know the goodness I intend upon you.

Tell me but truly—but then speak the truth-

Do you not love my sister?

EDMOND

In honoured love.

REGAN

But have you never found my brother’s way

To the forfended place?

EDMOND

No, by mine honour, madam.

REGAN

I never shall endure her. Dear my lord,

Be not familiar with her.

EDMOND Fear me not.

She and the Duke her husband—

Enter with a drummer and colours the Duke of Albany, Goneril, and soldiers

ALBANY (to Regan)

Our very loving sister, well bemet.

(To Edmond) Sir, this I heard: the King is come to his

daughter,

With others whom the rigour of our state

Forced to cry out.

REGAN

Why is this reasoned?

GONERIL

Combine together ’gainst the enemy;

For these domestic and particular broils

Are not the question here.

ALBANY

Let’s then determine with th’ensign of war

On our proceeding.

REGAN

Sister, you’ll go with us?

GONERIL No.

REGAN

’Tis most convenient. Pray go with us.

GONERIL (aside)

O ho, I know the riddle! (To Regan) I will go.

Enter Edgar disguised as a peasant

EDGAR (to Albany)

If e’er your grace had speech with man so poor,

Hear me one word.

ALBANY (to the others) I’ll overtake you.

Exeunt both the armies

Speak.

EDGAR

Before you fight the battle, ope this letter.

If you have victory, let the trumpet sound

For him that brought it. Wretched though I seem,

I can produce a champion that will prove

What is avouchèd there. If you miscarry,

Your business of the world hath so an end,

And machination ceases. Fortune love you.

ALBANY

Stay till I have read the letter.

EDGAR

I was forbid it.

When time shall serve, let but the herald cry,

And I’ll appear again.

ALBANY Why, fare thee well.

I will o’erlook thy paper.

Exit Edgar

Enter Edmond

EDMOND

The enemy’s in view; draw up your powers.

He ⌈offers⌉Albany a paper

Here is the guess of their true strength and forces

By diligent discovery; but your haste

Is now urged on you.

ALBANY

We will greet the time.

Exit

EDMOND

To both these sisters have I sworn my love,

Each jealous of the other as the stung

Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take?—

Both?—one?—or neither? Neither can be enjoyed

If both remain alive. To take the widow

Exasperates, makes mad, her sister Goneril,

And hardly shall I carry out my side,

Her husband being alive. Now then, we’ll use

His countenance for the battle, which being done,

Let her who would be rid of him devise

His speedy taking off. As for the mercy

Which he intends to Lear and to Cordelia,

The battle done, and they within our power,

Shall never see his pardon; for my state

Stands on me to defend, not to debate.

Exit

5.2 Alarum within. Enter with a drummer and colours King Lear, Queen Cordelia, and soldiers over the stage; and exeunt. Enter Edgar disguised as a peasant, guiding the blind Duke of Gloucester

EDGAR

Here, father, take the shadow of this tree

For your good host; pray that the right may thrive.

If ever I return to you again

I’ll bring you comfort.

GLOUCESTER

Grace go with you, sir.

Exit Edgar

Alarum and retreat within. Enter Edgar

EDGAR

Away, old man. Give me thy hand. Away.

King Lear hath lost, he and his daughter ta’en.

Give me thy hand. Come on.

GLOUCESTER

No further, sir. A man may rot even here.

EDGAR

What, in ill thoughts again? Men must endure

Their going hence even as their coming hither.

Ripeness is all. Come on.

GLOUCESTER

And that’s true, too.

Exit Edgar guiding Gloucester

5.3 Enter in conquest with a drummer and colours Edmond; King Lear and Queen Cordelia as prisoners; soldiers; a Captain

EDMOND

Some officers take them away. Good guard

Until their greater pleasures first be known

That are to censure them.

CORDELIA (to Lear)

We are not the first

Who with best meaning have incurred the worst.

For thee, oppressed King, I am cast down,

Myself could else outfrown false fortune’s frown.

Shall we not see these daughters and these sisters?

LEAR

No, no, no, no. Come, let’s away to prison.

We two alone will sing like birds i’th’ cage.

When thou dost ask me blessing, I’ll kneel down

And ask of thee forgiveness; so we’ll live,

And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh

At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues

Talk of court news, and we’ll talk with them too—

Who loses and who wins, who’s in, who’s out,

And take upon ’s the mystery of things

As if we were God’s spies; and we’ll wear out

In a walled prison packs and sects of great ones

That ebb and flow by th’ moon.

EDMOND (to soldiers)

Take them away.

LEAR

Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia,

The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught

thee?

He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven

And fire us hence like foxes. Wipe thine eyes.

The goodyear shall devour them, flesh and fell,

Ere they shall make us weep. We’ll see ’em starved

first. Come. Exeunt all but Edmond and the Captain

EDMOND Come hither, captain. Hark.

Take thou this note. Go follow them to prison.

One step I have advanced thee; if thou dost

As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way

To noble fortunes. Know thou this: that men

Are as the time is. To be tender-minded

Does not become a sword. Thy great employment

Will not bear question. Either say thou‘It do’t,

Or thrive by other means.

CAPTAIN

I’ll do’t, my lord.

EDMOND

About it, and write ‘happy’ when thou’st done.

Mark, I say, instantly, and carry it so

As I have set it down.

Exit the Captain

Flourish. Enter the Duke of Albany, Goneril, Regan, ⌈drummer, trumpeter⌉ and soldiers

ALBANY

Sir, you have showed today your valiant strain,

And fortune led you well. You have the captives

Who were the opposites of this day’s strife.

I do require them of you, so to use them

As we shall find their merits and our safety

May equally determine.

EDMOND

Sir, I thought it fit

To send the old and miserable King

To some retention and appointed guard,

Whose age had charms in it, whose title more,

To pluck the common bosom on his side

And turn our impressed lances in our eyes

Which do command them. With him I sent the Queen,

My reason all the same, and they are ready

Tomorrow, or at further space, t’appear

Where you shall hold your session.

ALBANY

Sir, by your patience,

I hold you but a subject of this war,

Not as a brother.

REGAN

That’s as we list to grace him.

Methinks our pleasure might have been demanded

Ere you had spoke so far. He led our powers,

Bore the commission of my place and person,

The which immediacy may well stand up

And call itself your brother.

GONERIL

Not so hot.

In his own grace he doth exalt himself

More than in your addition.

REGAN

In my rights

By me invested, he compeers the best.

ALBANY

That were the most if he should husband you.

REGAN

Jesters do oft prove prophets.

GONERIL

Holla, holla—

That eye that told you so looked but asquint.

REGAN

Lady, I am not well, else I should answer

From a full-flowing stomach. (To Edmond) General,

Take thou my soldiers, prisoners, patrimony.

Dispose of them, of me. The walls is thine.

Witness the world that I create thee here

My lord and master.

GONERIL

Mean you to enjoy him?

ALBANY

The let-alone lies not in your good will.

EDMOND

Nor in thine, lord.

ALBANY

Half-blooded fellow, yes.

REGAN (to Edmond)

Let the drum strike and prove my title thine.

ALBANY

Stay yet, hear reason. Edmond, I arrest thee

On capital treason, and in thy attaint

This gilded serpent. (To Regan) For your claim, fair

sister,

I bar it in the interest of my wife.

’Tis she is subcontracted to this lord,

And I, her husband, contradict your banns.

If you will marry, make your loves to me.

My lady is bespoke.

GONERIL

An interlude!

ALBANY

Thou art armed, Gloucester. Let the trumpet sound.

If none appear to prove upon thy person

Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons,

There is my pledge.

⌈He throws down a glove⌉

I’ll make it on thy heart,

Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less

Than I have here proclaimed thee.

REGAN Sick, O sick!

GONERIL (aside) If not, I’ll ne’er trust medicine.

EDMOND (to Albany, ⌈throwing down a glovel⌉

There’s my exchange. What in the world he is

That names me traitor, villain-like he lies.

Call by the trumpet. He that dares, approach;

On him, on you,—who not?—I will maintain

My truth and honour firmly.

ALBANY

A herald, ho!

Enter a Herald

(To Edmond) Trust to thy single virtue, for thy soldiers,

All levied in my name, have in my name

Took their discharge.

REGAN

My sickness grows upon me.

ALBANY

She is not well. Convey her to my tent.

Exit one or more with Regan

Come hither, herald. Let the trumpet sound,

And read out this.

A trumpet sounds

HERALD (reads) ‘If any man of quality or degree within the lists of the army will maintain upon Edmond, 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.’

First trumpet

Again.

Second trumpet

Again.

Third trumpet.

Trumpet answers within. Enter Edgar, armed

ALBANY (to the Herald)

Ask him his purposes, why he appears

Upon this call o’th’ trumpet.

HERALD (to Edgar)

What are you?

Your name, your quality, and why you answer

This present summons?

EDGAR

Know, my name is lost,

By treason’s tooth bare-gnawn and canker-bit.

Yet am I noble as the adversary

I come to cope.

ALBANY

Which is that adversary?

EDGAR

What’s he that speaks for Edmond, Earl of Gloucester?

EDMOND

Himself. What sayst thou to him?

EDGAR

Draw thy sword,

That if my speech offend a noble heart

Thy arm may do thee justice. Here is mine.

He draws his sword

Behold, it is the privilege of mine honour,

My oath, and my profession. I protest,

Maugre thy strength, place, youth, and eminence,

Despite thy victor-sword and fire-new fortune,

Thy valour and thy heart, thou art a traitor,

False to thy gods, thy brother, and thy father,

Conspirant ‘gainst this high illustrious prince,

And from th’extremest upward of thy head

To the descent and dust below 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.

EDMOND

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 demand

By rule of knighthood I disdain and spurn.

Back do I toss those treasons to thy head,

With the hell-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. They fight. Edmond is vanquished

⌈ALL⌉

Save him, save him!

GONERIL

This is practice, Gloucester.

By th’ law of arms thou wast not bound to answer

An unknown opposite. Thou art not vanquished,

But cozened and beguiled.

ALBANY

Shut your mouth, dame,

Or with this paper shall I stopple it.

⌈To Edmond⌉ Hold, sir, thou worse than any name:

read thine own evil.

(To Goneril) No tearing, lady. I perceive you know it.

GONERIL

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

Who can arraign me for’t?

Exit

ALBANY Most monstrous!—

O, know’st thou this paper?

EDMOND

Ask me not what I know.

ALBANY

Go after her. She’s desperate. Govern her.

Exit one or more

EDMOND

What you have charged me with, that have I done,

And more, much more. The time will bring it out.

‘Tis past, and so am I. (To Edgar) But what art thou,

That hast this fortune on me? If thou’rt noble,

I do forgive thee.

EDGAR

Let’s exchange charity.

I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmond.

If more, the more thou’st wronged me.

⌈He takes off his helmet⌉

My name is Edgar, and thy father’s son.

The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices

Make instruments to plague us.

The dark and vicious place where thee he got

Cost him his eyes.

EDMOND

Thou‘st spoken right. ’Tis true.

The wheel is come full circle. I am here.

ALBANY (to Edgar)

Methought thy very gait did prophesy

A royal nobleness. I must embrace thee.

Let sorrow split my heart if ever I

Did hate thee or thy father.

EDGAR Worthy prince, I know’t.

ALBANY Where have you hid yourself?

How have you known the miseries of your father?

EDGAR

By nursing them, my lord. List a brief tale,

And when ‘tis told, O that my heart would burst!

The bloody proclamation to escape

That followed me so near—O, 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, t’assume a semblance

That very dogs disdained; and in this habit

Met I my father with his bleeding rings,

Their precious stones new-lost; became his guide,

Led him, begged for him, saved him from despair;

Never—O fault!—revealed myself unto him

Until some half hour past, when I was armed.

Not sure, though hoping, of this good success,

I asked his blessing, and from first to last

Told him our pilgrimage; but his flawed heart—

Alack, too weak the conflict to support—

’Twixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief,

Burst smilingly.

EDMOND

This speech of yours hath moved me,

And shall perchance do good. But speak you on—

You look as you had something more to say.

ALBANY

If there be more, more woeful, hold it in,

For I am almost ready to dissolve,

Hearing of this.

Enter a Gentleman with a bloody knife

GENTLEMAN

Help, help, O help!

EDGAR

What kind of help?

ALBANY

Speak, man.

EDGAR

What means this bloody knife?

GENTLEMAN

’Tis hot, it smokes.

It came even from the heart of—O, she’s dead!

ALBANY Who dead? Speak, man.

GENTLEMAN

Your lady, sir, your lady; and her sister

By her is poisoned. She confesses it.

EDMOND

I was contracted to them both; all three

Now marry in an instant.

EDGAR

Here comes Kent.

Enter the Earl of Kent as himself

ALBANY

Produce the bodies, be they alive or dead.

Goneril’s and Regan’s bodies brought out

This judgement of the heavens, that makes us tremble,

Touches us not with pity.—O, is this he?

(To Kent) The time will not allow the compliment

Which very manners urges.

KENT

I am come

To bid my king and master aye good night.

Is he not here?

ALBANY

Great thing of us forgot!—

Speak, Edmond; where’s the King, and where’s

Cordelia?-

Seest thou this object, Kent?

KENT Alack, why thus?

EDMOND Yet Edmond was beloved.

The one the other poisoned for my sake,

And after slew herself.

ALBANY

Even so.—Cover their faces.

EDMOND

I pant for life. Some good I mean to do,

Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send,

Be brief in it, to th’ castle; for my writ

Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia.

Nay, send in time.

ALBANY

Run, run, O run!

EDGAR

To who, my lord?—Who has the office? Send Thy token of reprieve.

EDMOND

Well thought on! Take my sword. The captain, Give it the captain.

EDGAR

Haste thee for thy life.

Exit ⌈the Gentleman⌉

EDMOND (to Albany)

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.

ALBANY

The gods defend her!—Bear him hence a while.

Exeunt some with Edmond

Enter King Lear with Queen Cordelia in his arms,

⌈followed by the Gentleman⌉

LEAR

Howl, howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones.

Had I your tongues and eyes, I’d use them so

That heaven’s vault should crack. She’s gone for ever.

I know when one is dead and when one lives.

She’s dead as earth.

⌈He lays her down⌉

Lend me a looking-glass.

If that her breath will mist or stain the stone,

Why, then she lives.

KENT

Is this the promised end?

EDGAR

Or image of that horror?

ALBANY

Fall and cease.

LEAR

This feather stirs. She lives. If it be so,

It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows

That ever I have felt.

KENT ⌈kneeling⌉

O, my good master!

LEAR

Prithee, away.

EDGAR

’Tis noble Kent, your friend.

LEAR

A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all.

I might have saved her; now she’s gone for ever.-

Cordelia, Cordelia: stay a little. Ha?

What is’t thou sayst?—Her voice was ever soft,

Gentle, and low, an excellent thing in woman.—

I killed the slave that was a-hanging thee.

GENTLEMAN

’Tis true, my lords, he did.

LEAR

Did I not, fellow?

I have seen the day with my good biting falchion

I would have made them skip. I am old now,

And these same crosses spoil me. (To Kent) Who are

you?

Mine eyes are not o’th’ best, I’ll tell you straight.

KENT

If fortune brag of two she loved and hated,

One of them we behold.

LEAR

This’ a dull sight.

Are you not Kent?

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

Have followed your sad steps.

LEAR

You’re welcome hither.

KENT

Nor no man else. All’s cheerless, dark, and deadly.

Your eldest daughters have fordone themselves,

And desperately are dead.

LEAR

Ay, so think I.

ALBANY

He knows not what he says; and vain is it

That we present us to him.

Enter a Messenger

EDGAR

Very bootless.

MESSENGER (to Albany)

Edmond is dead, my lord.

ALBANY

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,

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 hanged. No, no, no life?

Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life,

And thou no breath at all? Thou’lt come no more.

Never, never, never, never, never.

⌈To Kent⌉ Pray you, undo this button. Thank you, sir.

Do you see this? Look on her. Look, her lips.

Look there, look there. He dies

EDGAR

He faints. (To Lear) My lord, my lord!

KENT ⌈to Lear⌉

Break, heart, I prithee break.

EDGAR (to Lear)

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.

EDGAR

He is gone indeed.

KENT

The wonder is he hath endured so long.

He but usurped his life.

ALBANY

Bear them from hence. Our present business

Is general woe. (To Edgar and Kent) Friends of my

soul, you twain

Rule in this realm, and the gored state sustain.

KENT

I have a journey, sir, shortly to go:

My master calls me; I must not say no.

EDGAR

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, carrying the bodies