CORNWALL
Post speedily to my lord your husband, show him this letter: the army of France is landed. Seek out the traitor Gloucester.
REGAN
Hang him instantly.
GONERIL
Pluck out his eyes.
CORNWALL
Leave him to my displeasure. Edmund, keep you our sister company: the revenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous father are not fit for your beholding. Advise the Duke where you are going, to a most festinate preparation: we are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift and intelligent betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister, farewell, my lord of Gloucester.
CORNWALL
How now! Where’s the King?
OSWALD
My lord of Gloucester convey’d him :
Some five or six and thirty of his knights,
Hot questrists after him, met him at gate;
Who, with some other of the lord’s dependants,
Are gone with him toward Dover: where they boast
To have well-armed friends.
CORNWALL
Get horses for your mistress.
GONERIL
Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.
CORNWALL
Edmund, farewell.
CORNWALL
Go seek the traitor Gloucester,
Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.
CORNWALL
Though well we may not pass upon his life
Without the form of justice, yet our power
Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men
May blame, but not control. Who’s there? The traitor?
REGAN
Ingrateful fox! he.
CORNWALL
Bind fast his corky arms.
GLOUCESTER
What mean your graces?
Good my friends, consider you are my guests.
Do me no foul play, friends.
CORNWALL
Bind him, I say.
REGAN
Hard, hard. O filthy traitor!
GLOUCESTER
Unmerciful lady as you are, I’m none.
CORNWALL
To this chair bind him. Villain, find—
GLOUCESTER
By the kind gods, most ignobly done
To pluck me by the beard.
REGAN
So white, and such a traitor!
GLOUCESTER
Naughty lady,
These hairs which ravish from my chin
Will quicken, and accuse . I am your host:
With robber’s hands my hospitable favours
You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?
CORNWALL
Come, sir, what letters had you late from France?
REGAN
Be simple answer’d, for we know the truth.
CORNWALL
And what confederacy have you with the traitors,
Late footed in the kingdom?
REGAN
To whose hands have you sent the lunatic King?
Speak.
GLOUCESTER
I have a letter guessingly set down,
Which came from one that’s of a neutral heart,
And not from one oppos’d.
CORNWALL
Cunning.
REGAN
And false.
CORNWALL
Where sent the King?
GLOUCESTER
To Dover.
REGAN
to Dover? Wast not charg’d at peril,—
CORNWALL
to Dover? Let him first answer that.
GLOUCESTER
I am tied to the stake, and I must stand the course.
REGAN
to Dover, sir?
GLOUCESTER
Because I would not see cruel nails
Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor fierce sister
In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs.
The sea, with such a storm as his bare head
In hell-black night endur’d, would have buoy’d up,
And quench’d the stelled fires;
Yet, poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain.
If wolves had at gate howl’d that stern time,
have said, ‘Good porter, turn the key.’
All cruels else subscrib’d: but I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children.
CORNWALL
See’t never. Fellows, hold the chair.
Upon these eyes of I’ll set my foot.
GLOUCESTER
He that will think to live till he be old,
Give me some help!—O cruel! O you gods!
REGAN
One side will mock another; the other too!
CORNWALL
If you see vengeance—
FIRST SERVANT
Hold your hand, my lord:
I have serv’d you ever since I was a child;
But better service have I never done you
Than now to bid you hold.
REGAN
How now, you dog!
FIRST SERVANT
If you did wear a beard upon your chin,
I’d shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean?
CORNWALL
My villain?
FIRST SERVANT
Nay, then, come on, and take the chance of anger.
REGAN
Give me sword. A peasant stand up thus?
FIRST SERVANT
O, I am slain! My lord, you have one eye left
To see some mischief on him. O!
CORNWALL
Lest it see more, prevent it. Out, vile jelly!
Where is lustre now?
GLOUCESTER
All dark and comfortless. Where’s my son Edmund?
Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature
To quit this horrid act.
REGAN
Out, treacherous villain!
call’st on him that hates : it was he
That made the overture of treasons to us;
Who is too good to pity .
GLOUCESTER
O my follies! Then Edgar was abus’d.
Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!
REGAN
Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell
His way to Dover. How is’t, my lord? How look you?
CORNWALL
I have receiv’d a hurt: follow me, lady.
Turn out that eyeless villain. Throw this slave
Upon the dunghill. Regan, I bleed apace:
Untimely comes this hurt: give me your arm.
SECOND SERVANT
I’ll never care what wickedness I do,
If this man come to good.
THIRD SERVANT
If she live long,
And in the end meet the old course of death,
Women will all turn monsters.
SECOND SERVANT
Let’s follow the old Earl, and get the bedlam
To lead him where he would: his roguish madness
Allows itself to anything.
THIRD SERVANT
Go : I’ll fetch some flax and whites of eggs
To apply to his bleeding face. Now heaven help him!