Not sure, though hoping, of this good success,

I asked his blessing, and from first to last

Told him our pilgrimage; but his flawed heart—

Alack, too weak the conflict to support—

’Twixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief,

Burst smilingly.

EDMOND

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.

ALBANY

If there be more, more woeful, hold it in,

For I am almost ready to dissolve,

Hearing of this.

Enter a Gentleman with a bloody knife

GENTLEMAN

Help, help, O help!

EDGAR

What kind of help?

ALBANY

Speak, man.

EDGAR

What means this bloody knife?

GENTLEMAN

’Tis hot, it smokes.

It came even from the heart of—O, she’s dead!

ALBANY Who dead? Speak, man.

GENTLEMAN

Your lady, sir, your lady; and her sister

By her is poisoned. She confesses it.

EDMOND

I was contracted to them both; all three

Now marry in an instant.

EDGAR

Here comes Kent.

Enter the Earl of Kent as himself

ALBANY

Produce the bodies, be they alive or dead.

Goneril’s and Regan’s bodies brought out

This judgement of the heavens, that makes us tremble,

Touches us not with pity.—O, is this he?

(To Kent) The time will not allow the compliment

Which very manners urges.

KENT

I am come

To bid my king and master aye good night.

Is he not here?

ALBANY

Great thing of us forgot!—

Speak, Edmond; where’s the King, and where’s

Cordelia?-

Seest thou this object, Kent?

KENT Alack, why thus?

EDMOND Yet Edmond was beloved.

The one the other poisoned for my sake,

And after slew herself.

ALBANY

Even so.—Cover their faces.

EDMOND

I pant for life. Some good I mean to do,

Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send,

Be brief in it, to th’ castle; for my writ

Is on the life of Lear and on Cordelia.

Nay, send in time.

ALBANY

Run, run, O run!

EDGAR

To who, my lord?—Who has the office? Send Thy token of reprieve.

EDMOND

Well thought on! Take my sword. The captain, Give it the captain.

EDGAR

Haste thee for thy life.

Exit ⌈the Gentleman⌉

EDMOND (to Albany)

He hath commission from thy wife and me

To hang Cordelia in the prison, and

To lay the blame upon her own despair,

That she fordid herself.

ALBANY

The gods defend her!—Bear him hence a while.

Exeunt some with Edmond

Enter King Lear with Queen Cordelia in his arms,

⌈followed by the Gentleman⌉

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 vault should crack. She’s gone for ever.

I know when one is dead and when one lives.

She’s dead as earth.

⌈He lays her down⌉

Lend me a looking-glass.

If that her breath will mist or stain the stone,

Why, then she lives.

KENT

Is this the promised end?

EDGAR

Or image of that horror?

ALBANY

Fall and cease.

LEAR

This feather stirs. She lives. If it be so,

It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows

That ever I have felt.

KENT ⌈kneeling⌉

O, my good master!

LEAR

Prithee, away.

EDGAR

’Tis noble Kent, your friend.

LEAR

A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all.

I might have saved 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 killed the slave that was a-hanging thee.

GENTLEMAN

’Tis true, my lords, he did.

LEAR

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. (To Kent) Who are

you?

Mine eyes are not o’th’ best, I’ll tell you straight.

KENT

If fortune brag of two she loved and hated,

One of them we behold.

LEAR

This’ a dull sight.

Are you not Kent?

KENT The same, your servant Kent.

Where is your servant Caius?

LEAR

He’s a good fellow, I can tell you that.

He’ll strike, and quickly too. He’s dead and rotten.

KENT

No, my good lord, I am the very man—

LEAR I’ll see that straight.

KENT

That from your first of difference and decay

Have followed your sad steps.

LEAR

You’re welcome hither.

KENT

Nor no man else. All’s cheerless, dark, and deadly.

Your eldest daughters have fordone themselves,

And desperately are dead.

LEAR

Ay, so think I.

ALBANY

He knows not what he says; and vain is it

That we present us to him.

Enter a Messenger

EDGAR

Very bootless.

MESSENGER (to Albany)

Edmond is dead, my lord.

ALBANY

That’s but a trifle here.—

You lords and noble friends, know our intent.

What comfort to this great decay may come

Shall be applied; for us, we will resign

During the life of this old majesty

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

The wages of their virtue, and all foes

The cup of their deservings.—O see, see!

LEAR

And my poor fool is hanged. 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.

Never, never, never, never, never.