The Duke will be here tonight? That's better! That's the best!
This plays nicely into my hands.
My father has set guards to capture my brother;
and I have some delicate business
to attend to: speed and luck, work for me!
Brother, let me have a word with you; come down: brother, I'm calling!
My father is looking for you: sir, run away;
his spies know where you are hiding;
you now have darkness in your favour:
didn't you speak out against the Duke of Cornwall?
He's coming here: now, tonight, and hurrying,
bringing Regan with him: have you ever said anything
in his favour, against the Duke of Albany?
Think carefully.
EDGAR
I am sure on't, not a word.
I am positive that I've said nothing.
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
I can hear my father coming: forgive me,
to look genuine I must draw my sword against you;
you draw yours, pretend to defend yourself, now fight strongly.
Surrender: come to my father. Give me a light, here!
Run, brother. Bring the torches! So, farewell.
If I spill some blood people will think
I really fought well: I've seen drunkards
do themselves more damage for fun. Father, father!
Stop, stop! Will nobody help me?
GLOUCESTER
Now, Edmund, where's the villain?
Now, Edmund, where is the villain?
EDMUND
Here stood he in the dark, his sharp sword out,
Mumbling of wicked charms, conjuring the moon
To stand auspicious mistress,--
He stood here in the dark, waving his sharp sword,
muttering about wicked spells, ordering the moon
to come to his aid–
GLOUCESTER
But where is he?
But where has he gone?
EDMUND
Look, sir, I bleed.
Looks sir, I am bleeding.
GLOUCESTER
Where is the villain, Edmund?
Edmund, where has the villain gone?
EDMUND
Fled this way, sir. When by no means he could--
He ran this way, sir. When there was no way for him–
GLOUCESTER
Pursue him, ho! Go after.
Exeunt some Servants
By no means what?
Chase him! Follow him.
No way for him to 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.
Persuade me to help murder your lordship;
instead I told him that the avenging gods
throw down all their anger against those who kill the fathers;
I told him how many strong bonds
there are between a child and his father; to sum up,
seeing how much I detested
his unnatural plans he charged me
with his already drawn sword
against my un-armoured body, and pierced my arm:
but when he saw that my blood was up,
ready to fight, knowing I was in the right,
or maybe he was frightened by the noise I made,
he suddenly ran off.
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.
He can run as far as he likes;
if he stays in this land he will be caught,
and when he's caught he'll be killed. The noble Duke my master,
my good patron and protector, is coming tonight:
I shall use his authority to announce
that whoever catches him will be rewarded
for bringing the murderous coward to execution;
and it will be death for anyone who hides him.
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.'
When I tried to dissuade him,
and found he was determined to do it, I cursed him
and threatened to unmask him: he answered,
‘You landless bastard! Do you think,
with me on the other side, that anybody would give
any trust, virtue or value to any words
you might swear? No: if I denied it–
as I would, even if you could produce
irrefutable evidence–I would blame it all
on your idea, plot and evil execution:
and the whole world would be very stupid
if they didn't see that you were the one
who was motivated by the profits
which my death would bring you.’
GLOUCESTER
Strange 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
Unnatural and hardened scoundrel,
would he deny he wrote that letter? He's no child of mine.
Listen, it's the Duke's trumpets! I don't know why he's here.
I shall block all the ports; the villain will not escape;
the Duke must promise me that: also, I will send
his picture far and wide, so that the whole kingdom
>
will know what he looks like; and as for my land
my loyal and natural son, I'll make sure
that you can inherit it.
CORNWALL
How now, my noble friend! since I came hither,
Which I can call but now, I have heard strange news.
Hello, my noble friend! Since I arrived,
just a moment ago, I have heard strange news.
REGAN
If it be true, all vengeance comes too short
Which can pursue the offender. How dost, my lord?
If it's true, you can't get hold of the offender
quickly enough. How are you, my lord?
GLOUCESTER
O, madam, my old heart is crack'd, it's crack'd!
O madam, my old heart is broken, it's broken!
REGAN
What, did my father's godson seek your life?
He whom my father named? your Edgar?
What, did my father's godson try to kill you?
The one my father named? Your Edgar?
GLOUCESTER
O, lady, lady, shame would have it hid!
O lady, lady, I wish for shame that it was hidden.
REGAN
Was he not companion with the riotous knights
That tend upon my father?
Didn't he hang around with the rowdy knights
who served my father?
GLOUCESTER
I know not, madam: 'tis too bad, too bad.
I don't know, madam: it's awful, awful.
EDMUND
Yes, madam, he was of that consort.
Yes madam, he was one of that band.
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.
It's no wonder then that he has turned bad:
they will have encouraged him to kill the old man,
so that they can get their hands on his money.
My sister has, this very evening,
told me all about them; because of her warning
if they come to stay at my house
I won't be there.
CORNWALL
Nor I, assure thee, Regan.
Edmund, I hear that you have shown your father
A child-like office.
Me neither, I promise, Regan.
Edmund, I hear that you have done your best
for your father.
EDMUND
'Twas my duty, sir.
It was my duty sir.
GLOUCESTER
He did bewray his practise; and received
This hurt you see, striving to apprehend him.
He discovered what he was up to, and got
this wound that you can see, trying to catch him.
CORNWALL
Is he pursued?
Is he being pursued?
GLOUCESTER
Ay, my good lord.
Yes, 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.
If he is caught, no one will ever
have to be afraid of him again: make your plans,
use my resources as you like. As for you, Edmund,
whose virtue and obedience at this time
is so commendable, you shall serve us:
we have great need of such trustworthy people;
we choose you first.
EDMUND
I shall serve you, sir,
Truly, however else.
I shall serve you, sir,
loyally, whatever happens.
GLOUCESTER
For him I thank your grace.
I thank your Grace on his behalf.
CORNWALL
You know not why we came to visit you,--
You don't know 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.
At the wrong time of year, sneaking through the night:
there are things happening, noble Gloucester, of some importance,
which you must advise us about:
our father has written, so has our sister,
that they have fallen out, and I thought it best
not to deal with them at home; I have several messengers
waiting to be sent out. Our good old friend,
be of good heart, and give your needed advice to these matters,
which must be addressed at once.
GLOUCESTER
I serve you, madam:
Your graces are right welcome.
Exeunt
I am at your service, madam:
both of you are very welcome.
Enter KENT and OSWALD, severally
OSWALD
Good dawning to thee, friend: art of this house?
Good morning to you, friend: are you part of this household?
KENT
Ay.
Yes.
OSWALD
Where may we set our horses?
Where should we put our horses?
KENT
I' the mire.
In the swamp.
OSWALD
Prithee, if thou lovest me, tell me.
Please, if you like me, tell me.
KENT
I love thee not.
I don't like you.
OSWALD
Why, then, I care not for thee.
Well then, I don't like you.
KENT
If I had thee in Lipsbury pinfold, I would make thee
care for me.
If I had you under my power, I would make you
like me.
OSWALD
Why dost thou use me thus? I know thee not.
Why are you treating me like this? I don't know you.
KENT
Fellow, I know thee.
My man, I know you.
OSWALD
What dost thou know me for?
What do you know of me?
KENT
A knave; a rascal; an eater of broken meats; a
base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited,
hundred-pound, filthy, worsted-stocking knave; a
lily-livered, action-taking knave, a whoreson,
glass-gazing, super-serviceable finical rogue;
one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that wouldst be a
bawd, in way of good service, and art nothing but
the composition of a knave, beggar, coward, pandar,
and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch: one whom I
will beat into clamorous whining, if thou deniest
the least syllable of thy addition.
I know that you're a knave, a rascal, a scrounger,
low, arrogant, shallow, begging, serving,
bribing, filthy, lowborn knave; a
lily-livered, lawsuit starting knave, son of a whore,
vain, officious,
affected rogue;
a poor slave; one who would be a
pimp, to do himself good, and you are nothing
but a combination of knave, beggar, coward, pimp,
and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch: one whom I
will beat until he begs me to stop, if you deny
anything on this list.
OSWALD
Why, what a monstrous fellow art thou, thus to rail
on one that is neither known of thee nor knows thee!
Why, what a terrible man you are, to launch such an attack
on someone you don't know and who doesn't know you!
KENT
What a brazen-faced varlet art thou, to deny thou
knowest me! Is it two days ago since I tripped up
thy heels, and beat thee before the king? Draw, you
rogue: for, though it be night, yet the moon
shines; I'll make a sop o' the moonshine of you:
draw, you whoreson cullionly barber-monger, draw.
Drawing his sword
What a cheeky scoundrel you are, to deny that you
know me! Wasn't it just two days ago that I tripped you up
and beat you in front of the King? Draw, you
rogue; although it's night, the moon is out;
I'll let the moonshine into you:
draw, you vile vain son of a whore, draw.
OSWALD
Away! I have nothing to do with thee.
Get lost! I've got no quarrel with you.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 557