SCENE V. Gloucester's castle. Enter REGAN and OSWALD. Reg. But are my brother's powers set forth? Reg. Himself in person there? Edg. You do climb up it now: look, how Reg. Lord Edmund spake not with your Hark, do you hear the sea? Horrible steep. Glou. By your eyes' anguish. Glou. So may it be, indeed : Methinks thy voice is alter'd; and thou speak'st In better phrase and matter than thou didst. Edg. You're much deceived: in nothing am I changed But in my garments. Glou. Methinks you're better spoken. 10 Edg. Come on,sir; here's the place: stand still. How fearful And dizzy 'tis, to cast one's eyes so low! The crows and choughs that wing the midway air Show scarce so gross as beetles: half way down Hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade! Glou. Of the extreme verge moon Would I not leap upright. Glou. for all beneath the Let go my hand. Here, friend, 's another purse; in it a jewel Well worth a poor man's taking fairies and gods Prosper it with thee! Go thou farther off; 30 Glou. [Kneeling] O you mighty gods! To quarrel with your great opposeless wills, By this, had thought been past. Alive or Edg. Hadst thou been aught but gossamer, feathers, air, 50 So many fathom down precipitating, Thou'dst shiver'd like an egg: but thou dost breathe; Hast heavy substance; bleed'st not; speak'st; art sound. Ten masts at each make not the altitude Edg. From the dread summit of this chalky bourn. Look up a-height; the shrill-gorged lark so far Cannot be seen or heard: do but look up. 60 Is wretchedness deprived that benefit, To end itself by death? 'Twas yet some comfort, When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage, And frustrate his proud will. Edg. Give me your arm: Up: so. How is 't? Feel vou your legs? You stand. Glou. Too well, too well. Edg. This is above all strangeness. Upon the crown o' the cliff, what thing was that Which parted from you? Glou "A poor unfortunate beggar. Enter LEAR, fantastically dressed with wild flowers. The safer sense will ne'er accommodate Lear. No, they cannot touch me for coining; I am the king himself. Edg. O thou side-piercing sight! Lear. Nature's above art in that respect. There's your press-money. That fellow handles his bow like a crow-keeper: draw me a clothier's yard. Look, look, a mouse! Peace, peace; this piece of toasted cheese will do 't. There's my gauntlet; I'll prove it on a giant. Bring up the brown bills. O, well flown, bird! i' the clout, i' the clout: hewgh! Give the word. Edg. Sweet marjoram. Pass. Glou. I know that voice. Lear. Ha! Goneril, with a white beard! They flattered me like a dog; and told me I had white hairs in my beard ere the black ones were there. To say ay' and 'no' to every thing that I said 'Ay' and 'no' too was no good divinity. When the rain came to wet me once, and the wind to make me chatter; when the thunder would not peace at my bidding; there I found 'em, there I smelt 'em out. Go to, they are not men o' their words: they told me I was every thing; 'tis a lie, I am not ague-proof. Glou. The trick of that voice I do well remember: Was kinder to his father than my daughters Got 'tween the lawful sheets. To 't, luxury, pell-mell! for I lack soldiers. Behold yond simpering dame, 120 Whose face between her forks presages snow; The fitchew, nor the soiled horse, goes to 't Down from the waist they are Centaurs, But to the girdle do the gods inherit, There's hell, there's darkness, there's the sulphurous pit, 130 Burning, scalding, stench, consumption; fie, fie, fie! pah, pah! Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination: there's money for thee. Glou. O, let me kiss that hand! Lear. Let me wipe it first; it smells of mortality. Glou. O ruin'd piece of nature! This great world Shall so wear out to nought. Dost thou know me? Lear. I remember thine eyes well enough. Dost thou squiny at me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid; I'll not love. Read thou this challenge; mark but the penning of it. Glou. Were all the letters suns, I could not I will be jovial: come, come; I am a king, Gent. You are a royal one, and we obey you. Lear. Then there's life in't. Nay, if you get it, you shall get it with running. Sa, sa, sa, sa. [Exit running; Attendants follow. Gent. A sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch, Past speaking of in a king! Thou hast one daughter, Who redeems nature from the general curse Which twain have brought her to. 211 |