Edm. How, my lord, I may be censured, that nature thus gives way to loyalty, something fears me to think of.
Corn. I now perceive it was not altogether your brother’s evil disposition made him seek his death; but a provoking merit, set a-work by a reproveable badness in himself.
Edm. How malicious is my fortune, that I must repent to be just! This is the letter he spoke of, which approves him an intelligent party to the advantages of France. O heavens! that this treason were not—or not I the detector!
Corn.
Go with me to the duchess.
Edm. If the matter of this paper be certain, you have mighty business in hand.
Corn. True or false, it hath made thee earl of Gloster. Seek out where thy father is, that he may be ready for our apprehension.
Edm. [Aside.] If I find him comforting the king, it will stuff his suspicion more fully.—I will persever in my course of loyalty, though the conflict be sore between that and my blood.
Corn. I will lay trust upon thee; and thou shalt find a dearer father in my love.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE VI. A Chamber in a Farmhouse adjoining the Castle.
[Enter Gloster, Lear, Kent, Fool, and Edgar.]
Glou. Here is better than the open air; take it thankfully. I will piece out the comfort with what addition I can: I will not be long from you.
Kent. All the power of his wits have given way to his impatience:— the gods reward your kindness!
[Exit Gloster.]
Edg. Frateretto calls me; and tells me Nero is an angler in the lake of darkness.—Pray, innocent, and beware the foul fiend.
Fool. Pr’ythee, nuncle, tell me whether a madman be a gentleman or a yeoman.
Lear.
A king, a king!
Fool. No, he’s a yeoman that has a gentleman to his son; for he’s a mad yeoman that sees his son a gentleman before him.
Lear.
To have a thousand with red burning spits
Come hissing in upon ‘em,—
Edg.
The foul fiend bites my back.
Fool. He’s mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse’s health, a boy’s love, or a whore’s oath.
Lear.
It shall be done; I will arraign them straight.—
[To Edgar.] Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer—
[To the Fool.] Thou, sapient sir, sit here. Now, you she-foxes!—
Edg.
Look, where he stands and glares!—Want’st thou eyes at trial,
madam?
Come o’er the bourn, Bessy, to me,—
Fool.
Her boat hath a leak,
And she must not speak
Why she dares not come over to thee.
Edg.
The foul fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice of a nightingale.
Hoppedance cries in Tom’s belly for two white herring. Croak not,
black angel; I have no food for thee.
Kent.
How do you, sir? Stand you not so amaz’d;
Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions?
Lear.
I’ll see their trial first.—Bring in their evidence.
[To Edgar.] Thou, robed man of justice, take thy place;—
[To the Fool.] And thou, his yokefellow of equity,
Bench by his side:—[To Kent.] you are o’ the commission,
Sit you too.
Edg.
Let us deal justly.
Sleepest or wakest thou, jolly shepherd?
Thy sheep be in the corn;
And for one blast of thy minikin mouth
Thy sheep shall take no harm.
Purr! the cat is gray.
Lear. Arraign her first; ‘tis Goneril. I here take my oath before this honourable assembly, she kicked the poor king her father.
Fool.
Come hither, mistress. Is your name Goneril?
Lear.
She cannot deny it.
Fool.
Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool.
Lear.
And here’s another, whose warp’d looks proclaim
What store her heart is made on.—Stop her there!
Arms, arms! sword! fire!—Corruption in the place!—
False justicer, why hast thou let her ‘scape?
Edg.
Bless thy five wits!
Kent.
O pity!—Sir, where is the patience now
That you so oft have boasted to retain?
Edg.
[Aside.] My tears begin to take his part so much
They’ll mar my counterfeiting.
Lear.
The little dogs and all,
Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart, see, they bark at me.
Edg.
Tom will throw his head at them.—Avaunt, you curs!
Be thy mouth or black or white,
Tooth that poisons if it bite;
Mastiff, greyhound, mongrel grim,
