EDMUND. I pant for life: Despite of mine own nature. Be brief in it, to the castle; 245 some good I mean to do Quickly send, for my writ Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia. Nay, send in time. ALBANY. Run, run! O run! 248 EDGAR. To whom, my lord? Who has the office? send Thy token of reprieve. EDMUND. Well thought on: take my sword, Give it the captain. ALBANY. EDMUND. [Exit EDGAR. He hath commission from thy wife and me To hang Cordelia in the prison, and To lay the blame upon her own despair, 256 ALBANY. The gods defend her! Bear him hence awhile. [EDMUND is borne off. Enter LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his arms; EDGAR, Officer, and Others. LEAR. Howl, howl, howl, howl! O! you are men of stones: Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so That heaven's vaults should crack. She's gone for ever. I know when one is dead, and when one lives ; KENT. Is this the promis'd end? EDGAR. Or image of that horror? ALBANY. 260 264 Fall and cease ? LEAR. This feather stirs ; she lives! if it be so, KENT. [Kneeling.] O, my good master ! LEAR. EDGAR. 268 'Tis noble Kent, your friend. 272 LEAR. A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all! I might have sav'd her; now, she's gone for ever! Cordelia, Cordelia! stay a little. Ha! What is 't thou sayst? Her voice was ever soft, Gentle and low, an excellent thing in woman. I kill'd the slave that was a-hanging thee. OFFICER. 'Tis true, my lord, he did. LEAR. 275 Did I not, fellow ? I have seen the day, with my good biting falchion I would have made them skip: I am old now, And these same crosses spoil me. Who are you? Mine eyes are not o' the best: I'll tell you straight. KENT. If fortune brag of two she lov'd and hated, One of them we behold. 282 LEAR. This is a dull sight. Are you not Kent ? The same, KENT. LEAR. Your servant Kent. Where is your seryant Caius ? He's a good fellow, I can tell you that; He'll strike, and quickly too. He's dead and rotten. No, my good lord; I am the very man— KENT. 288 LEAR. I'll see that straight. KENT. That, from your first of difference and decay, Have follow'd your sad steps. LEAR. KENT. Nor no man else; deadly: You are welcome hither. all's cheerless, dark, and Your eldest daughters have fordone themselves, LEAR. Ay, so I think. 293 ALBANY. He knows not what he says, and vain it is That we present us to him. EDGAR. OFFICER. ALBANY. Very bootless. Enter an Officer. Edmund is dead, my lord. That 's but a trifle here. 297 You lords and noble friends, know our intent; 300 To him our absolute power :-[TO EDGAR and KENT.] You, to your rights; With boot and such addition as your honours Have more than merited. All friends shall taste 304 The wages of their virtue, and all foes The cup of their deservings. O! see, see! LEAR. And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life! Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt come no more, Pray you, undo this button: thank you, sir. EDGAR. KENT. 309 [Dies. He faints!-my lord, my lord! Break, heart; I prithee, break. Look up, my lord. KENT. Vex not his ghost: O! let him pass; he hates him That would upon the rack of this tough world EDGAR. He is gone, indeed. KENT. The wonder is he hath endur'd so long: He but usurp'd his life. ALBANY. Bear them from hence. 316 Our present Is general woe. [TO KENT and EDGAR.] Friends of my soul, you twain 320 business Rule in this realm, and the gor'd state sustain. My master calls me, I must not say no. 323 ALBANY. The weight of this sad time we must obey; Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. The oldest hath borne most: we that are young Shall never see so much, nor live so long. [Exeunt, with a dead march. |