SCENE V. A Prison. KING LEAR asleep, with his Head on CORDELIA'S Lap. Cord. What toils, thou wretched king, hast thou endur'd, To make thee draw, in chains, a sleep so sound! And now, my Edgar, I remember thee: What fate has seiz'd thee in this general wreck O gods! a sudden gloom o'erwhelms me, and the image Of death o'erspreads the place.-Ha! who are these? Enter CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD, another OFFICER, and SOLDIERS with Cords. Capt. Now, sirs, despatch; already you are paid In part, the best of your reward's to come. Lear. Charge, charge upon their flank; their left wing halts; Push, push the battle, and the day's our own; And now a pris'ner here!-What mean the slaves? H Cord. Help, earth and heaven! For your soul's sake, dear sir, and for the gods',Offi. No tears, good lady; no pleading against gold and preferment. Come, sirs, make ready your cords. Cord. You, sir, I'll seize, You have a human form; and, if no prayers Capt. Comply with her request; despatch her first. Lear. Off, hell-hounds! by the gods I charge you, spare her; 'Tis my Cordelia, my true pious daughter;No pity?-Nay, then take an old man's vengeance. [KING LEAR Snatches a Sword from the OFFICER, and strikes down the Two SOLDIERS who had seized CORDELIA. Enter EDGAR, the DUKE OF ALBANY, and KING LEAR'S KNIGHTS. Edg. Death! hell! ye vultures, hold your impious Or take a speedier death than you would give. Edg. My dear Cordelia! Lucky was the minute Has slain two of them. Lear. Did I not, fellow? I've seen the day, with iny good biting falchion Alb. Bring in old Kent [Exit a KNIGHT.] and, Edgar, guide you hither Your father, who, you said, was near. [Exit EDGAR. Enter KENT and the KNIGHT. Lear. Who are you? My eyes are none o' th' best, I'll tell you straight: Alb. Thou injur'd majesty, The wheel of fortune now has made her circle, Lear. Com'st thou, inhuman lord, to sooth us back To a fool's paradise of hope, to make Our doom more wretched? Go to; we are too well Acquainted with misfortune, to be gull'd With lying hope; no, we will hope no more. Alb. I have a tale t' unfold, so full of wonder, But, by that royal injur'd head, 'tis true. Alb. Know, the noble Edgar Impeach'd Lord Edmund, since the fight, of treason, Alb. Ere they fought, Lord Edgar gave hands this paper, into my Than can be found in the records of hell: Of Goneril, the worst of daughters, but Cord. Could there be yet addition to their guilt? What will not they, that wrong a father, do ? Alb. Since then my injuries, Lear, fall in with thine, I have resolv'd the same redress for both. Kent. What says my lord? Cord. Speak; for methought I heard The charming voice of a descending god. Alb. The troops, by Edmund rais'd, I have disbanded: Your kingdom, save what part yourself conferr'd Kent. Hear you that, my liege? Cord. Then there are gods, and virtue is their care. Let the spheres stop their course, the sun make halt, Kent. Here, my liege. Lear. Why, I have news, that will recall thy youth; Ha! didst thou hear't?-or did th' inspiring gods Whisper to me alone-Old Lear shall be A king again? Kent. The prince, that like a god has pow'r, has said it. Lear. Cordelia then shall be a queen, mark that; Cordelia shall be queen; winds catch the sound, And bear it on your rosy wings to heav'n, Cordelia is a queen. Enter EDGAR, with GLOSTER. Alb. Look, sir, where pious Edgar comes, Leading his eyeless father. O, my liege, His wondrous story well deserves your leisure; Glost. Where's my liege? Conduct me to his knees, to hail His second birth of empire: My dear Edgar Glost. O, let me kiss once more that scepter'd hand! Lear. Hold, thou mistak'st the majesty; kneel here; Cordelia has our pow'r, Cordelia's queen. Glost. My pious son, more dear than my lost eyes. sage: Edmund, but that's a trifle, is expir❜d. What more will touch you, your imperious daughters, This, dying, they confess'd. Cord. O, fatal period of ill govern'd life! But, Edgar, I defer thy joys too long: Thou serv'dst distress'd Cordelia; take her crown'd, Edg. Divine Cordelia, all the gods can witness. |