109 Began to crack: twice, then, the trumpets sounded, Allany. But who was this? Edar. Kent, Sir, the banish'd Kent; who in disguise Follow his enemy king, and did him service Impropr for a slave. 1lb. Who dead? speak, man. O she's dead! rent. Your lady, Sir, your lady: and her sister Edm. I was contracted to them both: all three Edg. Here comes Kent. Alb. Produce the bodies, be they alive or dead! Tjudgment of the heavens, that makes us tremble, ches us not with pity. [Exit Gentleman. Enter KENT. O! is this he? 1 I am come e time will not allow the compliment, hich very manners urges. Kent. 2 bid my king and master aye good night: he not here? Alb. Great thing of us forgot! beak, Edmund, where's the king? and where 's Cordelia? eest thou this object, Kent? [The bodies of GONERIL and REGAN are brought in. Kent. Alack! why thus? Edm. Yet Edmund was belov'd: 1. Which even manners (4. e. po-ceived as one idea, and govern the liteness) itself dictates. Manners, like news and some other words, although constructed in the plural, may be con verb in the singular. The one the other poison'd for my sake, Albany. Even so. Cover their faces. Alb. my Run, run! O, run! Edgar. To whom, my lord? Thy token of reprieve. 1 writ1 Who has the office? send Edm. Well thought on: take my sword, Give it the captain. Haste thee, for thy life. [Exit EDGAR. Edm. 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 2 herself. Alb. The gods defend her! Bear him hence awhile. [EDMUND is borne off. Enter LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his Arms; EDGAR, Officer, and Others. Lear. Howl, howl, howl, howl! O! you are men of Had I your tongues and eyes, I 'd use them so stones; That heaven's vault should crack. She's gone for ever. I know when one is dead, and when one lives; Kent. Is this the promis'd end?4 1. i. e. for my written order has gone forth touching the life of, &c. 2. To fordo, or foredo, to destroy. Obsolete. 3. It must be recollected that mirrors of polished metal were formerly used. 4. i. e. end of the world. 5. Albany is looking with attention at the pains employed by Lear to recover his child, and knows to what miseries he must survive, when he finds them to be ineffectual. Having these images present to his eyes and imagination, he cries out, Rather fall, and cease to be, at once, than continue in existence only to be wretched. It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows That ever I have felt. Kent. O, my good master! [Kneeling. Lear. Pr'ythee, away. Edgar. 'T is noble Kent, your friend. Lear. A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all! I might have sav'd her; now, she 's gone for ever! Cordelia, Cordelia! stay a little. Ha! What is 't thou say'st? Her voice was ever soft, I kill'd the slave that was a hanging thee. Lear. Did I not, fellow? I have seen the day, with my good biting faulchion I would have made them skip: I am old now, And these same crosses spoil me. 1 Who are you? Mine eyes are not o' the best: - I'll tell you straight. Kent. If fortune brag of two she lov'd and hated, One of them we behold. 2 Lear. This is a dull sight. Are you not Kent? The same, Your servant Kent. Where is your servant Caius? 3 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,5 Have follow'd your sad steps. Albany. He knows not what he says; and vain is it, That we present us to him. Edgar. Very bootless. 1 Enter an Officer. Officer. Edmund is dead, my lord. That 's but a trifle here. - Alb. During the life of this old majesty, You, to your rights, [To EDGAR and KENT. With boot, 2 and such addition, as your honours O! see, see! thank you, Sir. Do you see this? Look on her, look, - her lips, Edg. He dies. He faints! My lord, my lord! Look up, my lord. Kent. Break, heart; I pr'ythee, break! Edg. 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. Is general woe. - Friends of my Our present business soul, you twain [To KENT and EDGAR. Rule in this realm, and the gor'd state sustain. 1. Bootless, useless, unavailing. 2. See note 3, page 91. 3. Cup as in Matthew, cap. xxvI. ver. 39: "0 my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." 4. Meaning Cordelia. Poor fool, in the age of Shakspeare, was an ex 5. It has been remarked that the swelling and heaving of the heart is described by this most expressive circumstance. Kent. I have a journey, Sir, shortly to go; My master calls me, I must not say no. Albany. 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. 5. This last speech in commonly given to Edgar, according to the edition of the players, but Theobald remarks, that the case was this: he who played Edgar, being a more fa 5 [Exeunt with a dead march. vorite actor than he who personated Albany, in spite of decorum it was thought proper he should have the last word. |