Slain by his servant, going to put out

The other eye of Gloster.

Alb. Gloster's eyes!

Mess. A servant that he bred, thrill'd with remorse, Opposed against the act, bending his sword

To his great master; who, thereat enraged,

Flew on him, and amongst them fell'd him dead:
But not without that harmful stroke, which since
Hath pluck'd him after.

Alb. This shows you are above,

You justicers, that these our nether crimes
So speedly can venge!-But, O poor Gloster !
Lost he his other eye?

Mess. Both, both, my lord.

This letter, Madam, craves a speedy answer; 'Tis from your sister.

Gon. [aside]. One way I like this well;

But being widow, and my Gloster with her,
May all the building in my fancy pluck
Upon my hateful life: Another way,

The news is not so tart.-I'll read and answer.

Alb. Where was his son, when they did take his eyes?
Mess. Come with my lady hither.

Alb. He is not here.

Mess. No, my good lord; I met him back again.

Alb. Knows he the wickedness ?

[Exit.

Mess. Ay, my good lord; 'twas he inform'd against him; And quit the house on purpose, that their punishment Might have the freer course.

Alb. Gloster, I live

To thank thee for the love thou show'dst the king,
And to revenge thine eyes.-Come hither, friend;
Tell me what more thou knowest.

SCENE III.-The French Camp near Dover.

Enter KENT, and a GENTLEMAN.

[Exeunt.

Kent. Why the king of France is so suddenly gone back know you the reason?

Gent. Something he left imperfect in the state,

Which since his coming forth is thought of; which
Imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger,
That his personal return was most required,

And necessary.

Kent. Who hath he left behind him general?

Gent. The mareschal of France, Monsieur le Fer.

Kent. Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration

of grief?

Gent. Ay, Sir; she took them, read them in my presence;
And now and then an ample tear trill'd down

Her delicate cheek: it seem'd, she was a queen
Over her passion; who, most rebel-like,
Sought to be king o'er her.

Kent. O, then it moved her.

Gent. Not to a rage: patience and sorrow strove
Who should express her goodliest. You have seen
Sunshine and rain at once: her smiles and tears
Were like a better day: Those happy smiles,
That play'd on her ripe lip, seem'd not to know
What guests were in her eyes; which parted thence,
As pearls from diamonds dropp'd.-In brief, sorrow
Would be a rarity most beloved, if all

Could so become it.

Kent. Made she no verbal question?

Gent. 'Faith, once or twice, she heaved the name of father Pantingly forth, as if it press'd her heart;

Cried, Sisters! sisters!-Shame of ladies! sisters!

Kent! father! sisters! What? i'the storm? i' the night?
Let pity not be believed!-There she shook
The holy water from her heavenly eyes,

And clamour moisten'd: then away she started
To deal with grief alone.

Kent. It is the stars,

The stars above us, govern our conditions ;*

Else one self mate and mate could not beget

Such different issues. You spoke not with her since?

Gent. No.

Kent. Was this before the king return'd?

Gent. No, since.

Kent. Well, Sir: the poor distressed Lear is i' the town:

Who sometime, in his better tune, remembers

What we are come about, and by no means

Will yield to see his daughter.

Gent. Why, good Sir?

Kent. A sovereign shame so elbows him: his own unkindness,

That stripp'd her from his benediction, turn'd her

To foreign casualties, gave her dear rights

To his dog-hearted daughters, these things sting

His mind so venomously, that burning shame

Detains him from Cordelia.

Gent. Alack, poor gentleman!

Kent. Of Albany's and Cornwall's powerst you heard not?

Gent. 'Tis so; they are afoot.

Kent. Well, Sir, I'll bring you to our master Lear,

And leave you to attend him: some dear cause

Will in concealment wrap me up awhile;

When I am known aright, you shall not grieve
Lending me this acquaintance. I pray you go
Along with me.

SCENE IV-The same. A Tent.
Enter CORDELIA, PHYSICIAN, and SOLDIERS.
Cor. Alack, 'tis he; why, he was met even now
As mad as the vex'd sea: singing aloud;

[Exeunt.

* Disposition.

† Forces.

Important business.

Crown'd with rank fumiter,* and furrow weeds,
With harlocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers,
Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow

In our sustaining corn.-A century send forth;
Search every acre in the high grown field,
And bring him to our eye.

What can man's wisdom do,

In the restoring his bereaved sense?

[Exit an OFFICER.

He, that helps him, take all my outward worth.

Phys. There is means, madam:

Our foster-nurse of nature is repose,

The which he lacks; that to provoke in him,

Are many simples operative, whose power
Will close the eye of anguish.

Cor. All bless'd secrets,

All you unpublish'd virtues of the earth,
Spring with my tears! be aidant, and remediate,
In the good man's distress!-Seek, seek for him
Lest his ungovern'd rage dissolve the life

That wants the means to lead it.

Enter a MESSENGER.

Mess. Madam, news;

The British powers are marching hitherward.

Cor. "Tis known before; our preparation stands In expectation of them.-O dear father

It is thy business that I go about;

Therefore great France

My mourning, and important+ tears, hath pitied.
No blown§ ambition doth our arms incite,
But love, dear love, and our aged father's right;
Soon may I hear, and see him.

SCENE V-A Room in GLOSTER'S Castle.

Enter REGAN and STEWARD.

Reg. But are my brother's powers set forth?

Stew. Ay, madam.

Reg. Himself

In person there?

Stew. Madam, with much ado:

Your sister is the better soldier.

[Exeunt.

Reg. Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home?
Stew. No, madam.

Reg. What might import my sister's letter to him?
Stew. I know not, lady.

Reg. 'Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter.

It was great ignorance, Gloster's eyes being out,
To let him live; where he arrives, he moves
All hearts against us: Edmund, I think, is gone,
In pity of his misery, to despatch

* Fumitory, a wild plant.

† Importunate.

+ Inflated.

*

His nighted life; moreover, to descry

The strength o' the enemy.

Stew. I must needs after him, madam, with my letter. Reg. Our troops set forth to-morrow; stay with us; The ways are dangerous.

Stew. I may not, madam;

My lady charged my duty in this business.

Reg. Why should she write to Edmund ? Might not you
Transport her purposes by word? Belike,

Something I know not what:-I'll love thee much,
Let me unseal the letter.

Stew. Madam, I had rather

Reg. I know, your lady does not love her husband;
I am sure of that: and, at her late being here,
She gave strange ceiliads,† and most speaking looks
To noble Edmund: I know, you are of her bosom.
Stew. I, madam?

Reg. I speak in understanding; you are, I know it:
Therefore, I do advise you, take this note:

My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talk'd;
And more convenient is he for my hand,

Than for your lady's :-You may gather § more

If you do find him, pray you, give him this;

And when your mistress hears thus much from you,
I pray, desire her call her wisdom to her.

So, fare you well.

If you do chance to hear of that blind traitor,

Preferment falls on him that cuts him off.

Stew. 'Would I could meet him, madam! I would show

What party I do follow.

Reg. Fare thee well.

SCENE VI.-The Country near Dover.

[Exeunt.

Enter GLOSTER, and EDGAR, dressed like a Peasant.
Glo. When shall we come to the top of that same hill?
Edg. You do climb up it now: look, how we labour.
Glo. Methinks the ground is even.

Edg. Horrible steep.

Hark, do you hear the sea?

Glo. No, truly.

Edg. Why, then, your other senses grow imperfect

By your eyes' anguish.

Glo. So may it be, indeed:

Methinks, thy voice is alter'd; and thou speak'st

In better phrase, and matter, than thou didst.

Edg. You are much deceived; in nothing am I changed,

But in my garments.

Glo. Methinks, you are better spoken.

Edg. Come on, Sir; here's the place:-stand still.-How fearful

* His life made dark as night.
✰ Observe what I am saying.

+ Glances.

Infer.

And dizzy 'tis, to cast one's eyes so low !

The crows, and choughs, that wing the midway air,
Show scarce so gross as beetles: Half way down
Hangs one that gathers samphire; dreadful trade!
Methinks he seems no bigger than his head:
The fishermen, that walk upon the beach,
Appear like mice; and yon tall anchoring bark,
Diminish'd to her cock;* her cock, a buoy
Almost too small for sight: The murmuring surge,
That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard so high :-I'll look no more;
Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight
Topple down headlong.

Glo. Set me where you stand.

Edg. Give me your hand: You are now within a foot
Of the extreme verge: for all beneath the moon
Would I not leap upright.

Glo. Let go my hand.

Here, friend, is another purse; in it a jewel

Well worth a poor man's taking: Fairies, and gods,
Prosper it with thee! Go thou further off;

Bid me farewell, and let me hear thee going.
Edg. Now fare you well, good Sir.

Glo. With all my heart.

Edg. Why I do trifle thus with his despair, Is done to cure it.

Glo. O you mighty gods!

This world I do renounce; and in your sights,
Shake patiently my great affliction off:
If I could bear it longer, and not fall

To quarrel with your great opposeless wills,
My snuff, and loathed part of nature should

Burn itself out. If Edgar live, O, bless him !—
Now, fellow, fare thee well.

Edg. Gone, Sir: farewell.

[Seems to go.

[GLOSTER leaps and falls along.

And yet I know not how conceit may rob

The treasury of life, when life itself

Yields to the theft: Had he been where he thought,

By this, had thought been past.-Alive or dead?

Ho, you Sir! friend!-Hear you, Sir ?-speak!
Thus might he pass indeed :-Yet he revives:
What are you, Sir?

Glo. Away, and let me die.

Edg. Hadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air, So many fathom down precipitating,

Thou hadst shiver'd like an egg: but thou dost breathe;

Hast heavy substance; bleed'st not; speak'st; art sound.
Ten masts at each make not the altitude,

Which thou hast perpendicularly fell;
Thy life's a miracle: Speak yet again.
Glo. But have I fallen, or no?

Edg. From the dread summit of this chalky bourn:†
*Cock-boat.

† Boundary.