King Lear by William Shakespeare
Act 2 - Scene 1
A court within the Castle of the Earl of Gloucester.
Edmund : Save thee, Curan.
Curan : And you, sir. I have been with your father, and given him
[p]notice
that the Duke of Cornwall and Regan his Duchess will be
[p]here with
him this night.
Edmund : How comes that?
Curan : Nay, I know not. You have heard of the news abroad- I mean
the
[p]whisper'd ones, for they are yet but ear-kissing arguments?
Edmund : Not I. Pray you, what are they?
Curan : Have you heard of no likely wars toward 'twixt the two Dukes
[p]of
Cornwall and Albany?
Edmund : Not a word.
Curan : You may do, then, in time. Fare you well, sir. Exit.
Edmund : The Duke be here to-night? The better! best!
[p]This weaves itself
perforce into my business.
[p]My father hath set guard to take my
brother;
[p]And I have one thing, of a queasy question,
[p]Which I
must act. Briefness and fortune, work!
[p]Brother, a word! Descend!
Brother, I say!
[p][Enter Edgar.]
[p]My father watches. O sir, fly
this place!
[p]Intelligence is given where you are hid.
[p]You have
now the good advantage of the night.
[p]Have you not spoken 'gainst
the Duke of Cornwall?
[p]He's coming hither; now, i' th' night, i' th'
haste,
[p]And Regan with him. Have you nothing said
[p]Upon his party
'gainst the Duke of Albany?
[p]Advise yourself.
Edgar : I am sure on't, not a word.
Edmund : I hear my father coming. Pardon me!
[p]In cunning I must draw my sword
upon you.
[p]Draw, seem to defend yourself; now quit you
well.-
[p]Yield! Come before my father. Light, ho, here!
[p]Fly,
brother.- Torches, torches!- So farewell.
[p][Exit Edgar.]
[p]Some
blood drawn on me would beget opinion
[p]Of my more fierce endeavour.
[Stabs his arm.] I have seen
[p] drunkards
[p]Do more than this in
sport.- Father, father!-
[p]Stop, stop! No help?
Earl of Glouchester : Now, Edmund, where's the villain?
Edmund : Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out,
[p]Mumbling of wicked
charms, conjuring the moon
[p]To stand 's auspicious mistress.
Earl of Glouchester : But where is he?
Edmund : Look, sir, I bleed.
Earl of Glouchester : Where is the villain, Edmund?
Edmund : Fled this way, sir. When by no means he could-
Earl of Glouchester : Pursue him, ho! Go after. [Exeunt some Servants].
[p]By no means
what?
Edmund : Persuade me to the murther of your lordship;
[p]But that I told him
the revenging gods
[p]'Gainst parricides did all their thunders
bend;
[p]Spoke with how manifold and strong a bond
[p]The child was
bound to th' father- sir, in fine,
[p]Seeing how loathly opposite I
stood
[p]To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion
[p]With his prepared
sword he charges home
[p]My unprovided body, lanch'd mine arm;
[p]But
when he saw my best alarum'd spirits,
[p]Bold in the quarrel's right,
rous'd to th' encounter,
[p]Or whether gasted by the noise I
made,
[p]Full suddenly he fled.
Earl of Glouchester : Let him fly far.
[p]Not in this land shall he remain uncaught;
[p]And
found- dispatch. The noble Duke my master,
[p]My worthy arch and
patron, comes to-night.
[p]By his authority I will proclaim it
[p]That
he which find, him shall deserve our thanks,
[p]Bringing the murderous
caitiff to the stake;
[p]He that conceals him, death.
Edmund : When I dissuaded him from his intent
[p]And found him pight to do it,
with curst speech
[p]I threaten'd to discover him. He
replied,
[p]'Thou unpossessing bastard, dost thou think,
[p]If I would
stand against thee, would the reposal
[p]Of any trust, virtue, or
worth in thee
[p]Make thy words faith'd? No. What I should deny
[p](As
this I would; ay, though thou didst produce
[p]My very character),
I'ld turn it all
[p]To thy suggestion, plot, and damned
practice;
[p]And thou must make a dullard of the world,
[p]If they not
thought the profits of my death
[p]Were very pregnant and potential
spurs
[p]To make thee seek it.'
Earl of Glouchester : Strong and fast'ned villain!
[p]Would he deny his letter? I never got
him.
[p][Tucket within.]
[p]Hark, the Duke's trumpets! I know not why
he comes.
[p]All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not scape;
[p]The
Duke must grant me that. Besides, his picture
[p]I will send far and
near, that all the kingdom
[p]May have due note of him, and of my
land,
[p]Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means
[p]To make thee
capable.
Duke of Cornwall : How now, my noble friend? Since I came hither
[p](Which I can call but
now) I have heard strange news.
Regan : If it be true, all vengeance comes too short
[p]Which can pursue th'
offender. How dost, my lord?
Earl of Glouchester : O madam, my old heart is crack'd, it's crack'd!
Regan : What, did my father's godson seek your life?
[p]He whom my father
nam'd? Your Edgar?
Earl of Glouchester : O lady, lady, shame would have it hid!
Regan : Was he not companion with the riotous knights
[p]That tend upon my
father?
Earl of Glouchester : I know not, madam. 'Tis too bad, too bad!
Edmund : Yes, madam, he was of that consort.
Regan : No marvel then though he were ill affected.
[p]'Tis they have put him
on the old man's death,
[p]To have th' expense and waste of his
revenues.
[p]I have this present evening from my sister
[p]Been well
inform'd of them, and with such cautions
[p]That, if they come to
sojourn at my house,
[p]I'll not be there.
Duke of Cornwall : Nor I, assure thee, Regan.
[p]Edmund, I hear that you have shown your
father
[p]A childlike office.
Edmund : 'Twas my duty, sir.
Earl of Glouchester : He did bewray his practice, and receiv'd
[p]This hurt you see,
striving to apprehend him.
Duke of Cornwall : Is he pursued?
Earl of Glouchester : Ay, my good lord.
Duke of Cornwall : If he be taken, he shall never more
[p]Be fear'd of doing harm. Make
your own purpose,
[p]How in my strength you please. For you,
Edmund,
[p]Whose virtue and obedience doth this instant
[p]So much
commend itself, you shall be ours.
[p]Natures of such deep trust we
shall much need;
[p]You we first seize on.
Edmund : I shall serve you, sir,
[p]Truly, however else.
Earl of Glouchester : For him I thank your Grace.
Duke of Cornwall : You know not why we came to visit you-
Regan : Thus out of season, threading dark-ey'd night.
[p]Occasions, noble
Gloucester, of some poise,
[p]Wherein we must have use of your
advice.
[p]Our father he hath writ, so hath our sister,
[p]Of
differences, which I best thought it fit
[p]To answer from our home.
The several messengers
[p]From hence attend dispatch. Our good old
friend,
[p]Lay comforts to your bosom, and bestow
[p]Your needful
counsel to our business,
[p]Which craves the instant use.
Earl of Glouchester : I serve you, madam.
[p]Your Graces are right welcome.
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Next: Act 2 - Scene 2
