ARKCODEX
Act IV, Scene 6
1Fields near Dover.
2Enter Gloucester, and Edgar dressed like a peasant.
3GloucesterWhen shall we come to the top of that same hill?
4EdgarYou do climb up it now: look, how we labour.
5GloucesterMethinks the ground is even.
6EdgarHorrible steep. Hark, do you hear the sea?
7GloucesterNo, truly.
8EdgarWhy, then, your other senses grow imperfect
By your eyes’ anguish.
9GloucesterSo may it be, indeed:
Methinks thy voice is alter’d; and thou speak’st
In better phrase and matter than thou didst.
10EdgarYou’re much deceived: in nothing am I changed
But in my garments.
11GloucesterMethinks you’re better spoken.
12EdgarCome on, sir; here’s the place: stand still. How fearful
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 yond 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.
13GloucesterSet me where you stand.
14EdgarGive me your hand: you are now within a foot
Of the extreme verge: for all beneath the moon
Would I not leap upright.
15GloucesterLet go my hand.
Here, friend, ’s another purse; in it a jewel
Well worth a poor man’s taking: fairies and gods
Prosper it with thee! Go thou farther off;
Bid me farewell, and let me hear thee going.
16EdgarNow fare you well, good sir.
17GloucesterWith all my heart.
18EdgarWhy I do trifle thus with his despair Is done to cure it.
19GloucesterKneeling. 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. He falls forward.
20EdgarGone, sir: farewell.
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?
21GloucesterAway, and let me die.
22EdgarHadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air,
So many fathom down precipitating,
Thou’dst 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.
23GloucesterBut have I fall’n, or no?
24EdgarFrom the dread summit of this chalky bourn.
Look up a-height; the shrill-gorged lark so far
Cannot be seen or heard: do but look up.
25GloucesterAlack, I have no eyes.
Is wretchedness deprived that benefit,
To end itself by death? ’Twas yet some comfort,
When misery could beguile the tyrant’s rage,
And frustrate his proud will.
26EdgarGive me your arm: Up: so. How is ’t? Feel you your legs? You stand.
27GloucesterToo well, too well.
28EdgarThis is above all strangeness.
Upon the crown o’ the cliff, what thing was that
Which parted from you?
29GloucesterA poor unfortunate beggar.
30EdgarAs I stood here below, methought his eyes
Were two full moons; he had a thousand noses,
Horns whelk’d and waved like the enridged sea:
It was some fiend; therefore, thou happy father,
Think that the clearest gods, who make them honours
Of men’s impossibilities, have preserved thee.
31GloucesterI do remember now: henceforth I’ll bear
Affliction till it do cry out itself
“Enough, enough,” and die. That thing you speak of,
I took it for a man; often ’twould say
“The fiend, the fiend:” he led me to that place.
32EdgarBear free and patient thoughts. But who comes here?
33Enter King Lear, fantastically dressed with wild flowers.
34The safer sense will ne’er accommodate
His master thus.
35King LearNo, they cannot touch me for coining; I am the king himself.
36EdgarO thou side-piercing sight!
37King LearNature’s above art in that respect. There’s your press-money. That fellow handles his bow like a crow-keeper: draw me a clothier’s yard. Look, look, a mouse! Peace, peace; this piece of toasted cheese will do ’t. There’s my gauntlet; I’ll prove it on a giant. Bring up the brown bills. O, well flown, bird! i’ the clout, i’ the clout: hewgh! Give the word.
38EdgarSweet marjoram.
39King LearPass.
40GloucesterI know that voice.
41King LearHa! Goneril, with a white beard! They flattered me like a dog; and told me I had white hairs in my beard ere the black ones were there. To say “ay” and “no” to every thing that I said!—“Ay” and “no” too was no good divinity. When the rain came to wet me once, and the wind to make me chatter; when the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I found ’em, there I smelt ’em out. Go to, they are not men o’ their words: they told me I was every thing; ’tis a lie, I am not ague-proof.
42GloucesterThe trick of that voice I do well remember:
Is ’t not the king?
43King LearAy, every inch a king:
When I do stare, see how the subject quakes.
I pardon that man’s life. What was thy cause? Adultery?
Thou shalt not die: die for adultery! No:
The wren goes to ’t, and the small gilded fly
Does lecher in my sight.
Let copulation thrive; for Gloucester’s bastard son
Was kinder to his father than my daughters
Got ’tween the lawful sheets.
To ’t, luxury, pell-mell! for I lack soldiers.
Behold yond simpering dame,
Whose face between her forks presages snow;
That minces virtue, and does shake the head
To hear of pleasure’s name;
The fitchew, nor the soiled horse, goes to ’t
With a more riotous appetite.
Down from the waist they are Centaurs,
Though women all above:
But to the girdle do the gods inherit,
Beneath is all the fiends’;
44There’s hell, there’s darkness, there’s the sulphurous pit, Burning, scalding, stench, consumption; fie, fie, fie! pah, pah! Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination: there’s money for thee.
45GloucesterO, let me kiss that hand!
46King LearLet me wipe it first; it smells of mortality.
47GloucesterO ruin’d piece of nature! This great world
Shall so wear out to nought. Dost thou know me?
48King LearI remember thine eyes well enough. Dost thou squiny at me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid! I’ll not love. Read thou this challenge; mark but the penning of it.
49GloucesterWere all the letters suns, I could not see one.
50EdgarI would not take this from report; it is,
And my heart breaks at it.
51King LearRead.
52GloucesterWhat, with the case of eyes?
53King LearO, ho, are you there with me? No eyes in your head, nor no money in your purse? Your eyes are in a heavy case, your purse in a light; yet you see how this world goes.
54GloucesterI see it feelingly.
55King LearWhat, art mad? A man may see how this world goes with no eyes. Look with thine ears: see how yond justice rails upon yond simple thief. Hark, in thine ear: change places; and, handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief? Thou hast seen a farmer’s dog bark at a beggar?
56GloucesterAy, sir.
57King LearAnd the creature run from the cur? There thou mightst behold the great image of authority: a dog’s obeyed in office.
58Thou rascal beadle, hold thy bloody hand!
Why dost thou lash that whore? Strip thine own back;
Thou hotly lust’st to use her in that kind
For which thou whipp’st her. The usurer hangs the cozener.
Through tatter’d clothes small vices do appear;
Robes and furr’d gowns hide all. Plate sin with gold,
And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks:
Arm it in rags, a pygmy’s straw does pierce it.
None does offend, none, I say, none; I’ll able ’em:
Take that of me, my friend, who have the power
To seal the accuser’s lips. Get thee glass eyes;
And like a scurvy politician, seem
To see the things thou dost not. Now, now, now, now:
Pull off my boots: harder, harder: so.
59EdgarO, matter and impertinency mix’d! Reason in madness!
60King LearIf thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes.
I know thee well enough; thy name is Gloucester:
Thou must be patient; we came crying hither:
Thou know’st, the first time that we smell the air,
We wawl and cry. I will preach to thee: mark.
61GloucesterAlack, alack the day!
62King LearWhen we are born, we cry that we are come
To this great stage of fools: this a good block;
It were a delicate stratagem, to shoe
A troop of horse with felt: I’ll put ’t in proof;
And when I have stol’n upon these sons-in-law,
Then, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!
63Enter a Gentleman, with Attendants.
64GentlemanO, here he is: lay hand upon him. Sir,
Your most dear daughter—
65King LearNo rescue? What, a prisoner? I am even
The natural fool of fortune. Use me well;
You shall have ransom. Let me have surgeons;
I am cut to the brains.
66GentlemanYou shall have any thing.
67King LearNo seconds? all myself?
Why, this would make a man a man of salt,
To use his eyes for garden water-pots,
Ay, and laying autumn’s dust.
68GentlemanGood sir—
69King LearI will die bravely, like a bridegroom. What!
I will be jovial: come, come; I am a king,
My masters, know you that.
70GentlemanYou are a royal one, and we obey you.
71King LearThen there’s life in’t. Nay, if you get it, you shall get it with running. Sa, sa, sa, sa. Exit running; Attendants follow.
72GentlemanA sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch,
Past speaking of in a king! Thou hast one daughter,
Who redeems nature from the general curse
Which twain have brought her to.
73EdgarHail, gentle sir.
74GentlemanSir, speed you: what’s your will?
75EdgarDo you hear aught, sir, of a battle toward?
76GentlemanMost sure and vulgar: every one hears that,
Which can distinguish sound.
77EdgarBut, by your favour,
How near’s the other army?
78GentlemanNear and on speedy foot; the main descry
Stands on the hourly thought.
79EdgarI thank you, sir: that’s all.
80GentlemanThough that the queen on special cause is here,
Her army is moved on.
81EdgarI thank you, sir. Exit Gentleman.
82GloucesterYou ever-gentle gods, take my breath from me:
Let not my worser spirit tempt me again
To die before you please!
83EdgarWell pray you, father.
84GloucesterNow, good sir, what are you?
85EdgarA most poor man, made tame to fortune’s blows;
Who, by the art of known and feeling sorrows,
Am pregnant to good pity. Give me your hand,
I’ll lead you to some biding.
86GloucesterHearty thanks:
The bounty and the benison of heaven
To boot, and boot!
87Enter Oswald.
88OswaldA proclaim’d prize! Most happy!
That eyeless head of thine was first framed flesh
To raise my fortunes. Thou old unhappy traitor,
Briefly thyself remember: the sword is out
That must destroy thee.
89GloucesterNow let thy friendly hand
Put strength enough to’t. Edgar interposes.
90OswaldWherefore, bold peasant,
Darest thou support a publish’d traitor? Hence;
Lest that the infection of his fortune take
Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.
91EdgarCh’ill not let go, zir, without vurther ’casion.
92OswaldLet go, slave, or thou diest!
93EdgarGood gentleman, go your gait, and let poor volk pass. An chud ha’ bin zwaggered out of my life, ’twould not ha’ bin zo long as ’tis by a vortnight. Nay, come not near th’ old man; keep out, che vor ye, or ise try whether your costard or my ballow be the harder: ch’ill be plain with you.
94OswaldOut, dunghill!
95EdgarCh’ill pick your teeth, zir: come; no matter vor your foins. They fight, and Edgar knocks him down.
96OswaldSlave, thou hast slain me: villain, take my purse:
If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body;
And give the letters which thou find’st about me
To Edmund earl of Gloucester; seek him out
Upon the British party: O, untimely death! Dies.
97EdgarI know thee well: a serviceable villain;
As duteous to the vices of thy mistress
As badness would desire.
98GloucesterWhat, is he dead?
99EdgarSit you down, father; rest you
Let’s see these pockets: the letters that he speaks of
May be my friends. He’s dead; I am only sorry
He had no other death’s-man. Let us see:
Leave, gentle wax; and, manners, blame us not:
To know our enemies’ minds, we’ld rip their hearts;
Their papers, is more lawful.
100Reads.
“Let our reciprocal vows be remembered. You have many opportunities to cut him off: if your will want not, time and place will be fruitfully offered. There is nothing done, if he return the conqueror: then am I the prisoner, and his bed my goal; from the loathed warmth whereof deliver me, and supply the place for your labour.
“Your—wife, so I would say—
Affectionate servant,
“Goneril.”
101O undistinguish’d space of woman’s will!
A plot upon her virtuous husband’s life;
And the exchange my brother! Here, in the sands,
Thee I’ll rake up, the post unsanctified
Of murderous lechers: and in the mature time
With this ungracious paper strike the sight
Of the death practised duke: for him ’tis well
That of thy death and business I can tell.
102GloucesterThe king is mad: how stiff is my vile sense,
That I stand up, and have ingenious feeling
Of my huge sorrows! Better I were distract:
So should my thoughts be sever’d from my griefs,
And woes by wrong imaginations lose
The knowledge of themselves.
103EdgarGive me your hand: Drum afar off.
Far off, methinks, I hear the beaten drum:
Come, father, I’ll bestow you with a friend. Exeunt.