And that's to punish this discarded traitor ; Reg. The grotto, sir, within the lower grove Edm. And there I may expect a comforterHa, madam? Reg. What may happen, sir, I know not; But twas a friend's advice. Corn. Bring in the traitor. [exit Edmund enter GLOSTER, brought in by two servants. Bind fast his arms. Glost. What mean your graces ? You are my guests; pray, do me no foul play. Corn. Speak, rebel, where hast thou sent the king? course. Reg. Say where, and why, thou hast conceal'd him? Give me some help.- O, cruel! oh, ye gods! Edw. Hold, hold, my lord. I bar your cruelty; To such inhuman practice. Corn. Ah, my villain! Edw. I have been your servant from my infancy; Corn. Take thy death, slave. (stabs Edward) warm! (draws his sword, runs Cornwall through the body, and is carried off, dying) Reg. Help here,- are you not hurt, my lord? Glost. (within) Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature, To quit this horrid act. Reg. Out, treacherous villain, Thou call'st on him that hates thee; it was he That broach'd thy treason, show'd us thy despatches; There-read, and save the cambrian prince the labor. (throws the letters out to him) Glost. (within) O my folly! Then Edgar was abused; kind gods, forgive me that! Reg. How is't, my lord? Corn. Turn out that eyeless villain, let him smell His way to Cambray; throw this slave upon a dung hill. Regan, I bleed apace; give me your arm. [exeunt Regan and Cornwall supported by his servants SCENE 11-the open country. enter EDGAR, in disguise. Edg. The lowest and most abject thing of fortune Stands still in hope, and is secure from fear. The lamentable change is from the best, The worst returns to better. Who comes here ? enter GLOSTER, led by an OLD MAN, My father poorly led ! deprived of sight! The precious stones torn from their bleeding rings ! Old M. O, my good lord! I have been your tenant, to Thee they may hurt. Old M. You cannot see your way. Glost. I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; I stumbled when I saw : o, dear son, Edgar, The food of thy abused father's wrath, Might I but live to see thee in my touch, Edg. Alas! he's sensible that I was wrong'd, Would break betwixt th' extremes of grief and joy. Edg. A charity for poor Tom.-Play fair, and defy the foul fiend. O gods! and must I still pursue this trade, et Old M. Tis poor mad Tom. Glost. In the late storm I such a fellow saw, Old M Here, my lord. Glost. Get thee now away: if for my sake Old M. Alack, my lord, he's mad. Glost. Tis the time's plague, when madmen lead the blind. Do as I bid thee. Old M. I'll bring him the best 'parel that I have, Glost. Sirrah! naked fellow! Edg. Both stile and gate, horse-way and foot-path. Makes thee the happier. Heaven deal so still; And each man have enough. Dost thou know Dover? Glost. There is a cliff whose high and bending head Looks dreadfully down on the roaring deep; Bring me but to the very brink of it, And I'll repair the poverty thou bear'st With something rich about me.-From that place Edg. Give me thy arm; poor Tom shall guide thee. enler KENT and CORDELIA. Cord. Ah me! your fear's too true, it was the king; Crown'd with rank fumiter, and furrow weeds, In our sustaining corn: conduct me to him, Kent. I will, good lady. Ha! Gloster here!-turn, poor dark man, and hear Forgets his own distress; thy old true Kent. Glost. How! Kent? from whence return'd? Kent. I have not since my banishment been ab sent, But in disguise follow'd th' abandon'd king: Cord. O, misery! To whom shall I complain, or in what language ? That brought thee to this pass; twas I that caused it ; en B I cast me at thy feet, and beg of thee To crush these weeping eyes to equal darkness, Edg. Was ever season so distrest as this? (aside)* Glost. I think Cordelia's voice; rise, pious princess, And take a dark man's blessing. Cord. O, my Edgar! My virtue's now grown guilty, works the bane That you should hate me too. Edg. O, wave this cutting speech, and spare to wound A heart that's on the rack. Glost. No longer cloud thee, Kent, in that dis guise; There's business for thee, and of noblest weight; Urged by the king's inhuman wrongs and mine, Edg. Brave britons! then there's life in't yet! (aside) Glost. And be your course as prosp'rous, as tis just. SCENE III- - Goneril's palace. enter GONERIL and OSWALD. Gon. It was great ignorance, Gloster's eyes being out, All hearts against us: Edmund, I think, is gone, Osw. No, madam, he's return'd on speedy summons Gon. Ah! I like not that; |