Alb. Knows he the wickedness? Mess. Ay, my good lord; 'twas he informed 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, [Exeunt. SCENE III.1 The French Camp near Dover. Enter KENT and a Gentleman. Kent. Why the king of France is so suddenly gone back, know you the reason? Gent. Something he left imperfect in the state, Kent. Who hath he left behind him general? Gent. Ay, sir; she took them, read them in my presence; And now and then an ample tear trilled down Her delicate cheek. It seemed, she was a queen Sought to be king o'er her. O, then it moved her. Kent. 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 1 This scene is left out in the folio copy. Were like a better way.1 Those happy smiles,2 That played on her ripe lip, seemed not to know What guests were in her eyes; which parted thence, As pearls from diamonds dropped.3-In brief, sorrow Would be a rarity most beloved, if all Could so become it. Kent. Made she no verbal question ?4 Gent. 'Faith, once, or twice, she heaved the name of father Pantingly forth, as if it pressed her heart; Cried, Sisters! sisters!—Shame of ladies! sisters! And clamor moistened; then away she started Kent. It is the stars, The stars above us, govern our conditions ;7 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 returned? Gent. No; since. Kent. Well, sir; the poor, distressed Lear is i' the town; Who sometime, in his better tune, remembers Will yield to see his daughter. 1 Both the quartos read, "Were like a better way." Steevens reads, upon the suggestion of Theobald, "a better day." Warburton reads, "a wetter May." Malone adopts a part of his emendation, and reads, “a better May." Mr. Boaden proposes to read, 2 The quartos read smilets, which may be a diminutive of the Poet's coining. 3 Steevens would read dropping; but as must be understood to signify as if. 4 i. e. discourse, conversation. 5 i. e. let not pity be supposed to exist. 6 That is, "her outcries were accompanied with tears." 7 Conditions are dispositions. 8 i. e. the self-same husband and wife. Gent. Why, good sir? Kent. A sovereign shame so elbows him; his own unkindness, That stripped her from his benediction, turned her "To his dog-hearted daughters,--these things sting Gent. Alack, poor gentleman! Kent. Of Albany's and Cornwall's powers 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 1 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. [Exeunt. Enter CORDELIA, Physician, and Soldiers. Cor. Alack, 'tis he; why, he was met even now As mad as the vexed sea; singing aloud; Crowned with rank fumiter, and furrow weeds, With harlocks,3 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. [Exit an Officer.]-What can man's wisdom do,5 1 Important business. 2 i. e. fumitory, written by the old herbalists fumittery. 3 The quartos read hardocks, the folio hardokes. Drayton mentions harlocks in one of his Eclogues. Perhaps the charlock (sinapis arvensis), or wild-mustard, may be meant. 4 Darnel, according to Gerard, is the most hurtful of weeds among corn. 5 Steevens says that do should be omitted as needless and injurious to the metre. Do is found in none of the old copies but quarto B. In the restoring his bereaved sense? He that helps him, take all my outward worth. Our foster-nurse of nature is repose, The which he lacks; that to provoke in him, Cor. All blessed secrets, All you unpublished virtues of the earth, Spring with my tears! be aidant, and remediate, That wants the means to lead it.1 Mess. Enter a Messenger. Madam, news; The British powers are marching hitherward. It is thy business that I go about; My mourning, and important tears hath pitied. 3 But love, dear love, and our aged father's right. [Exeunt SCENE V. A Room in Gloster's Castle. Enter REGAN and Steward. Reg. But are my brother's powers set forth? Stew. Reg. Ay, madam. In person there? Stew. Madam, with much ado; Your sister is the better soldier. 1 i. e. the reason which should guide it 2 Important for importunate. 3 No inflated, no swelling pride. 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 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 œiliads,' 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. 2 My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talked; If 1 Eillade (Fr.), a cast or significant glance of the eye. 2 That is, observe what I am saying. 3 You may infer more than I have directly told you. 4 Perhaps a ring, or some token, is given to the steward by Regan to be conveyed to Edmund. |