SCENE I. GLOUCESTER's castle. King Lear  Shakespeare homepage  |  King Lear  | Act 2, Scene 1 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE I. GLOUCESTER's castle. 

 Enter EDMUND, and CURAN meets him  EDMUND  Save thee, Curan. 

 CURAN  And you, sir. I have been with your father, and 

 given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall and Regan 

 his duchess will be here with him this night. 

 EDMUND  How comes that? 

 CURAN  Nay, I know not. You have heard of the news abroad; 

 I mean the whispered ones, for they are yet but 

 ear-kissing arguments? 

 EDMUND  Not I	pray you, what are they? 

 CURAN  Have you heard of no likely wars toward, 'twixt the 

 Dukes of Cornwall and Albany? 

 EDMUND  Not a word. 

 CURAN  You may do, then, in time. Fare you well, sir. 



 Exit  EDMUND  The duke be here to-night? The better! best! 

 This weaves itself perforce into my business. 

 My father hath set guard to take my brother; 

 And I have one thing, of a queasy question, 

 Which I must act: briefness and fortune, work! 

 Brother, a word; descend: brother, I say! 



 Enter EDGAR  My father watches: O sir, fly this place; 

 Intelligence is given where you are hid; 

 You have now the good advantage of the night: 

 Have you not spoken 'gainst the Duke of Cornwall? 

 He's coming hither: now, i' the night, i' the haste, 

 And Regan with him: have you nothing said 

 Upon his party 'gainst the Duke of Albany? 

 Advise yourself. 

 EDGAR  I am sure on't, not a word. 

 EDMUND  I hear my father coming: pardon me: 

 In cunning I must draw my sword upon you 

 Draw; seem to defend yourself; now quit you well. 

 Yield: come before my father. Light, ho, here! 

 Fly, brother. Torches, torches! So, farewell. 



 Exit EDGAR  Some blood drawn on me would beget opinion. 



 Wounds his arm  Of my more fierce endeavour: I have seen drunkards 

 Do more than this in sport. Father, father! 

 Stop, stop! No help? 



 Enter GLOUCESTER, and Servants with torches  GLOUCESTER  Now, Edmund, where's the villain? 

 EDMUND  Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out, 

 Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon 

 To stand auspicious mistress,-- 

 GLOUCESTER  But where is he? 

 EDMUND  Look, sir, I bleed. 

 GLOUCESTER  Where is the villain, Edmund? 

 EDMUND  Fled this way, sir. When by no means he could-- 

 GLOUCESTER  Pursue him, ho! Go after. 



 Exeunt some Servants  By no means what? 

 EDMUND  Persuade me to the murder of your lordship; 

 But that I told him, the revenging gods 

 'Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend; 

 Spoke, with how manifold and strong a bond 

 The child was bound to the father; sir, in fine, 

 Seeing how loathly opposite I stood 

 To his unnatural purpose, in fell motion, 

 With his prepared sword, he charges home 

 My unprovided body, lanced mine arm: 

 But when he saw my best alarum'd spirits, 

 Bold in the quarrel's right, roused to the encounter, 

 Or whether gasted by the noise I made, 

 Full suddenly he fled. 

 GLOUCESTER  Let him fly far: 

 Not in this land shall he remain uncaught; 

 And found--dispatch. The noble duke my master, 

 My worthy arch and patron, comes to-night: 

 By his authority I will proclaim it, 

 That he which finds him shall deserve our thanks, 

 Bringing the murderous coward to the stake; 

 He that conceals him, death. 

 EDMUND  When I dissuaded him from his intent, 

 And found him pight to do it, with curst speech 

 I threaten'd to discover him: he replied, 

 'Thou unpossessing bastard! dost thou think, 

 If I would stand against thee, would the reposal 

 Of any trust, virtue, or worth in thee 

 Make thy words faith'd? No: what I should deny,-- 

 As this I would: ay, though thou didst produce 

 My very character,--I'ld turn it all 

 To thy suggestion, plot, and damned practise: 

 And thou must make a dullard of the world, 

 If they not thought the profits of my death 

 Were very pregnant and potential spurs 

 To make thee seek it.' 

 GLOUCESTER  Strong and fasten'd villain 

 Would he deny his letter? I never got him. 



 Tucket within  Hark, the duke's trumpets! I know not why he comes. 

 All ports I'll bar; the villain shall not 'scape; 

 The duke must grant me that: besides, his picture 

 I will send far and near, that all the kingdom 

 May have the due note of him; and of my land, 

 Loyal and natural boy, I'll work the means 

 To make thee capable. 



 Enter CORNWALL, REGAN, and Attendants  CORNWALL  How now, my noble friend! since I came hither, 

 Which I can call but now, I have heard strange news. 

 REGAN  If it be true, all vengeance comes too short 

 Which can pursue the offender. How dost, my lord? 

 GLOUCESTER  O, madam, my old heart is crack'd, it's crack'd! 

 REGAN  What, did my father's godson seek your life? 

 He whom my father named? your Edgar? 

 GLOUCESTER  O, lady, lady, shame would have it hid! 

 REGAN  Was he not companion with the riotous knights 

 That tend upon my father? 

 GLOUCESTER  I know not, madam: 'tis too bad, too bad. 

 EDMUND  Yes, madam, he was of that consort. 

 REGAN  No marvel, then, though he were ill affected: 

 'Tis they have put him on the old man's death, 

 To have the expense and waste of his revenues. 

 I have this present evening from my sister 

 Been well inform'd of them; and with such cautions, 

 That if they come to sojourn at my house, 

 I'll not be there. 

 CORNWALL  Nor I, assure thee, Regan. 

 Edmund, I hear that you have shown your father 

 A child-like office. 

 EDMUND  'Twas my duty, sir. 

 GLOUCESTER  He did bewray his practise; and received 

 This hurt you see, striving to apprehend him. 

 CORNWALL  Is he pursued? 

 GLOUCESTER  Ay, my good lord. 

 CORNWALL  If he be taken, he shall never more 

 Be fear'd of doing harm: make your own purpose, 

 How in my strength you please. For you, Edmund, 

 Whose virtue and obedience doth this instant 

 So much commend itself, you shall be ours: 

 Natures of such deep trust we shall much need; 

 You we first seize on. 

 EDMUND  I shall serve you, sir, 

 Truly, however else. 

 GLOUCESTER  For him I thank your grace. 

 CORNWALL  You know not why we came to visit you,-- 

 REGAN  Thus out of season, threading dark-eyed night: 

 Occasions, noble Gloucester, of some poise, 

 Wherein we must have use of your advice: 

 Our father he hath writ, so hath our sister, 

 Of differences, which I least thought it fit 

 To answer from our home; the several messengers 

 From hence attend dispatch. Our good old friend, 

 Lay comforts to your bosom; and bestow 

 Your needful counsel to our business, 

 Which craves the instant use. 

 GLOUCESTER  I serve you, madam: 

 Your graces are right welcome. 



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