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| <title>SCENE II. Before ALBANY's palace. | |
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| <tr><td class="play" align="center">King Lear | |
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| | <A href="/Shakespeare/lear/">King Lear</A> | |
| | Act 4, Scene 2 | |
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| <H3>SCENE II. Before ALBANY's palace.</h3> | |
| <p><blockquote> | |
| <i>Enter GONERIL and EDMUND</i> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech1><b>GONERIL</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=1>Welcome, my lord: I marvel our mild husband</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=2>Not met us on the way.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Enter OSWALD</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=3>Now, where's your master'?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech2><b>OSWALD</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=4>Madam, within; but never man so changed.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=5>I told him of the army that was landed;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=6>He smiled at it: I told him you were coming:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=7>His answer was 'The worse:' of Gloucester's treachery,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=8>And of the loyal service of his son,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=9>When I inform'd him, then he call'd me sot,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=10>And told me I had turn'd the wrong side out:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=11>What most he should dislike seems pleasant to him;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=12>What like, offensive.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech3><b>GONERIL</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=13>[To EDMUND] Then shall you go no further.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=14>It is the cowish terror of his spirit,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=15>That dares not undertake: he'll not feel wrongs</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=16>Which tie him to an answer. Our wishes on the way</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=17>May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my brother;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=18>Hasten his musters and conduct his powers:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=19>I must change arms at home, and give the distaff</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=20>Into my husband's hands. This trusty servant</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=21>Shall pass between us: ere long you are like to hear,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=22>If you dare venture in your own behalf,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=23>A mistress's command. Wear this; spare speech;</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Giving a favour</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=24>Decline your head: this kiss, if it durst speak,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=25>Would stretch thy spirits up into the air:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=26>Conceive, and fare thee well.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech4><b>EDMUND</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=27>Yours in the ranks of death.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech5><b>GONERIL</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=28>My most dear Gloucester!</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exit EDMUND</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=29>O, the difference of man and man!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=30>To thee a woman's services are due:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=31>My fool usurps my body.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech6><b>OSWALD</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=32>Madam, here comes my lord.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exit</i></p> | |
| <p><i>Enter ALBANY</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech7><b>GONERIL</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=33>I have been worth the whistle.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech8><b>ALBANY</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=34>O Goneril!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=35>You are not worth the dust which the rude wind</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=36>Blows in your face. I fear your disposition:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=37>That nature, which contemns its origin,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=38>Cannot be border'd certain in itself;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=39>She that herself will sliver and disbranch</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=40>From her material sap, perforce must wither</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=41>And come to deadly use.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech9><b>GONERIL</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=42>No more; the text is foolish.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech10><b>ALBANY</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=43>Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=44>Filths savour but themselves. What have you done?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=45>Tigers, not daughters, what have you perform'd?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=46>A father, and a gracious aged man,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=47>Whose reverence even the head-lugg'd bear would lick,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=48>Most barbarous, most degenerate! have you madded.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=49>Could my good brother suffer you to do it?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=50>A man, a prince, by him so benefited!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=51>If that the heavens do not their visible spirits</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=52>Send quickly down to tame these vile offences,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=53>It will come,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=54>Humanity must perforce prey on itself,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=55>Like monsters of the deep.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech11><b>GONERIL</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=56>Milk-liver'd man!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=57>That bear'st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=58>Who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=59>Thine honour from thy suffering; that not know'st</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=60>Fools do those villains pity who are punish'd</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=61>Ere they have done their mischief. Where's thy drum?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=62>France spreads his banners in our noiseless land;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=63>With plumed helm thy slayer begins threats;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=64>Whiles thou, a moral fool, sit'st still, and criest</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=65>'Alack, why does he so?'</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech12><b>ALBANY</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=66>See thyself, devil!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=67>Proper deformity seems not in the fiend</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=68>So horrid as in woman.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech13><b>GONERIL</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=69>O vain fool!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech14><b>ALBANY</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=70>Thou changed and self-cover'd thing, for shame,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=71>Be-monster not thy feature. Were't my fitness</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=72>To let these hands obey my blood,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=73>They are apt enough to dislocate and tear</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=74>Thy flesh and bones: howe'er thou art a fiend,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=75>A woman's shape doth shield thee.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech15><b>GONERIL</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=76>Marry, your manhood now--</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Enter a Messenger</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech16><b>ALBANY</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=77>What news?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech17><b>Messenger</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=78>O, my good lord, the Duke of Cornwall's dead:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=79>Slain by his servant, going to put out</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=80>The other eye of Gloucester.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech18><b>ALBANY</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=81>Gloucester's eye!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech19><b>Messenger</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=82>A servant that he bred, thrill'd with remorse,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=83>Opposed against the act, bending his sword</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=84>To his great master; who, thereat enraged,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=85>Flew on him, and amongst them fell'd him dead;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=86>But not without that harmful stroke, which since</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=87>Hath pluck'd him after.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech20><b>ALBANY</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=88>This shows you are above,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=89>You justicers, that these our nether crimes</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=90>So speedily can venge! But, O poor Gloucester!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=91>Lost he his other eye?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech21><b>Messenger</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=92>Both, both, my lord.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=93>This letter, madam, craves a speedy answer;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=94>'Tis from your sister.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech22><b>GONERIL</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=95>[Aside] One way I like this well;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=96>But being widow, and my Gloucester with her,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=97>May all the building in my fancy pluck</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=98>Upon my hateful life: another way,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=99>The news is not so tart.--I'll read, and answer.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exit</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech23><b>ALBANY</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=100>Where was his son when they did take his eyes?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech24><b>Messenger</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=101>Come with my lady hither.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech25><b>ALBANY</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=102>He is not here.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech26><b>Messenger</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=103>No, my good lord; I met him back again.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech27><b>ALBANY</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=104>Knows he the wickedness?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech28><b>Messenger</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=105>Ay, my good lord; 'twas he inform'd against him;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=106>And quit the house on purpose, that their punishment</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=107>Might have the freer course.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech29><b>ALBANY</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=108>Gloucester, I live</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=109>To thank thee for the love thou show'dst the king,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=110>And to revenge thine eyes. Come hither, friend:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=111>Tell me what more thou know'st.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exeunt</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
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