That names we raitor, vilain-like he lies. Call by thy trumpet, e that dares approach, On him, on you. (who not. I will maintain Vாகா honor. A herald, ho, a herald! lested in my name have in my name Look their discharge. This sickness grows upon me Enter a Herald. [Erit REGAN, led Come inther, herald.-Let the trumpet sound, And reant out this Off Sound, trumpet [4 trumpet sounds. Herait reads. If any man of quality, or degree, within the lists of the army, wrelt ernannt upon Edmund, supposed earl of Gloster, thout lue is trafold trantor, le. him appear at the third sound of the trumpet. He is bold in his defence Edin. Sound. [1 trumpet. Her. Again. 12 trumpet. Her. Again. 13 trumpet. [Trumpet answers within. Enter Edgar, armed, preceded by a trumpet. 15. Ask hinh's purposes why he appears pon this call the trumpet. Her. What are you? Your name, pour qulicy. And why you answer This present summons? Tie valor; a Roman sense of the word. Edg. Know, my name is lost ; Which is that adversary? Gloster? Draw thy sword; Edm. In wisdom, I should ask thy name;1 But, since thy outside looks so fair and warlike, And that thy tongue some 'say? of breeding breathes, What safe and nicely 3 I might well delay By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn. Back do I toss these treasons to thy head; With the hell-hated lie o'erwhelm thy heart; Which, (for they yet glance by, and scarcely bruise,) This sword of mine shall give them instant way, Where they shall rest forever. 4— Trumpets, speak. [Alarums. They fight; EDMUND falls. Alb. O, save him, save him ! 1 Gon. i Because, if his adversary was not of equal rank, Edmund might have declined the combat. 2 Say, or assay, is a sample, a taste. 3 This seems to mean “ What I might safty well delay, if I acted punctiliously.” This line is omitted in the quartos. 4 To that place where they shall rest forever, i. e. thy heart. This is mere practice, Gloster By the law of arms, thou wast not bound to answer An unknown opposite; thou art not vanquished, But cozened and beguiled. Alb. Shut your mouth, dame, Or with this paper shall I stop it.—Hold, sir ; Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil. No tearing, lady ; I perceive you know it. [Gives the letter to EDMUND Most monstrous ! Ask me not what I know. [Exit GONERIL. Alb. Go after her; she's desperate ; govern her. [To an Officer, who goes out. Edm. What you have charged me with, that have I done ; And more, much more. The time will bring it out; 'Tis past, and so am I. But what art thou, That hast this fortune on me? If thou art noble, I do forgive thee. Edg. Let's exchange charity. The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices Thou hast spoken right; 'tis true ; The wheel is come full circle : I am here. 1 Albany desires that Edmund's life may be spared at present, only tu obtain his confession, and to convict him openly by his own letter. 2 “Knowest thou these letters?” says Leir to Regan, in the old anonymous play, when he shows her both her own and her sister's letters, which were written to procure his death; upon which she snatches the letters and tears them. 3 The folio reads to plague us.” Alb. Methought thy very gait did prophesy Worthy prince, I know't tale ;- Edm. This speech of yours hath moved me, And shall, perchance, do good. But speak you on; You look as you had something more to say. Alb. If there be more, more woful, hold it in ; ? [Edg. This would have seemed a period 1 The quartos read: “ That with the pain of death would hourly die.” * 2 The lines within crotchets are not in the folio. And top extremity! But who was this? Enter a Gentleman, hastily, with a bloody knife. Gent. Help! help! O, help! Edg. What kind of help? Alb. Speak, man. Edg. What means that bloody knife ? Gent. 'Tis hot, it smokes; It came even from the heart ofAlb. Who, man ? speak. i Of this difficult passage, which is probably corrupt, Steevens gives the following explanation :-" This would have seemed a period to such as love not sorrow, but—another, i. e. but I must add another, i. e. another period, another kind of conclusion to my story, such as will increase the horrors of what has been already told.” It will be necessary, if we admit this interpretation, to point the passage thus : -- but another :- Whilst I was big," &c. Malone's explanation is :-" This would have seemed the utmost completion of woe, to such as do not delight in sorrow; but another, of a different disposition, to amplify misery would give more strength to that which hath too much ;' referring to the bastard's desiring to hear more, and to Albany's thinking that enough had been said. 2 The quartos read, “threw me on my father.” The reading in the text is certainly more likely to be correct. |