уильям шекспир - King Lear

EDGAR Some villain hath done me wrong.

EDMUND That’s my fear. I pray you have a continent 144

forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower: and, as I

say, retire with me to my lodging, from whence I will fitly 146

bring you to hear my lord speak. Pray ye go.

Gives a key

There’s my key: if you do stir abroad 148, go armed.

EDGAR Armed, brother?

EDMUND Brother, I advise you to the best: I am no honest

man if there be any good meaning 151toward you: I have told

you what I have seen and heard, but faintly, nothing like the

image and horror 153of it. Pray you away.

EDGAR Shall I hear from you anon 154?

Exit

EDMUND I do serve 155you in this business.—

A credulous father and a brother noble,

Whose nature is so far from doing harms

That he suspects none: on whose foolish honesty

My practices 159ride easy. I see the business.

Let me, if not by birth, have lands by wit 160:

All with me’s meet that I can fashion fit 161.

Exit

Act 1 Scene 3

running scene 3

Enter Goneril and Steward [Oswald]

GONERIL Did my father strike my gentleman for chiding 1of his

fool?

OSWALD Ay, madam.

GONERIL By day and night he wrongs me: every hour

He flashes 5into one gross crime or other

That sets us all at odds. I’ll not endure it.

His knights grow riotous, and himself upbraids us

On every trifle. When he returns from hunting

I will not speak with him: say I am sick.

If you come slack 10of former services

You shall do well: the fault of it I’ll answer 11.

Horns within

OSWALD He’s coming, madam: I hear him.

GONERIL Put on what weary negligence you please,

You and your fellows: I’d have it come to question 14:

If he distaste 15it, let him to my sister,

Whose mind and mine, I know, in that are one.

Remember what I have said.

OSWALD Well, madam.

GONERIL And let his knights have colder looks among you:

what grows of it, no matter: advise your fellows so. I’ll write

straight to 21my sister, to hold my course. Prepare for dinner.

Exeunt

Act 1 Scene 4

running scene 3 continues

Enter Kent

Disguised

KENT If but as will I 1other accents borrow,

That can my speech defuse 2, my good intent

May carry through itself to that full issue 3

For which I razed my likeness 4. Now, banished Kent,

If thou canst serve where thou dost stand condemned,

So may it come thy master whom thou lov’st,

Shall find thee full of labours.

Horns within. Enter Lear and Attendants [his Knights]

LEAR Let me not stay 8a jot for dinner: go get it ready.—

[Exit a Knight]

To Kent

How now, what art thou?

KENT A man, sir.

LEAR What dost thou profess? What wouldst thou 11with

us 12?

KENT I do profess to be no less than I seem; to serve him

truly that will put me in trust, to love him that is honest, to

converse with him that is wise and says little, to fear

judgement, to fight when I cannot choose and to eat no fish 16.

LEAR What art thou?

KENT A very honest-hearted fellow, and as poor as the

king.

LEAR If thou be’st as poor for a subject as he’s for a king,

thou art poor enough. What wouldst thou?

KENT Service.

LEAR Who wouldst thou serve?

KENT You.

LEAR Dost thou know me, fellow?

KENT No, sir, but you have that in your countenance

which I would fain call master.

LEAR What’s that?

KENT Authority.

LEAR What services canst thou do?

KENT I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, mar a curious 31

tale in telling it, and deliver a plain message bluntly: that

which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in, and the best

of me is diligence.

LEAR How old art thou?

KENT Not so young, sir, to love a woman for singing, nor

so old to dote on her for anything 37: I have years on my back

forty-eight.

LEAR Follow me, thou shalt serve me: if I like thee no

worse after dinner, I will not part from thee yet.— Dinner,

ho, dinner! Where’s my knave 41? My fool? Go you and call my

fool hither.

[Exit another Knight]

Enter Steward [Oswald]

You, you, sirrah, where’s my daughter?

OSWALD So 44please you—

Exit

LEAR What says the fellow there? Call the clotpoll 45back.—

[Exit another Knight]

Where’s my fool? Ho, I think the world’s asleep.—

[Enter a Knight]

How now? Where’s that mongrel?

KNIGHT He says, my lord, your daughter is not well.

LEAR Why came not the slave 49back to me when I called

him?

KNIGHT Sir, he answered me in the roundest 51manner, he

would not.

LEAR He would not?

KNIGHT My lord, I know not what the matter is, but to my

judgement your highness is not entertained 55with that

ceremonious affection as you were wont 56: there’s a great

abatement of kindness appears as well in the general 57

dependants as in the duke himself also and your daughter.

LEAR Ha? Say’st thou so?

KNIGHT I beseech you pardon me, my lord, if I be mistaken,

for my duty cannot be silent when I think your highness

wronged.

LEAR Thou but rememb’rest me of mine own conception 63:

I have perceived a most faint 64neglect of late, which I have

rather blamed as mine own jealous curiosity than as a very 65

pretence and purpose of unkindness. I will look further

into’t. But where’s my fool? I have not seen him this two

days.

KNIGHT Since my young lady’s going into France, sir, the

fool hath much pined away.

LEAR No more of that, I have noted it well.— Go you and

tell my daughter I would speak with her.—

[Exit a Knight]

Go you, call hither my fool.—

[Exit another Knight]

Enter Steward [Oswald]

O, you sir, you, come you hither, sir. Who am I, sir?

OSWALD My lady’s father.

LEAR ‘My lady’s father’? My lord’s knave: you whoreson

dog, you slave, you cur 77!

OSWALD I am none of these, my lord, I beseech your pardon.

LEAR Do you bandy 79looks with me, you rascal?

Strikes him

OSWALD I’ll not be strucken 80, my lord.

KENT Nor tripped neither, you base football 81player.

Trips him

LEAR I thank thee, fellow: thou serv’st me and I’ll love

thee.

KENT Come, sir, arise, away! I’ll teach you differences 84:

away, away! If you will measure your lubber’s 85length again,

tarry: but away, go to 86. Have you wisdom? So.

Pushes Oswald out

LEAR Now, my friendly knave, I thank thee.

Gives money

There’s earnest 88of thy service.

Enter Fool

FOOL Let me hire him too: here’s my

coxcomb 90.

Offers Kent his cap

LEAR How now, my pretty 91knave, how dost thou?

To Kent

FOOL Sirrah, you were best take my coxcomb.

LEAR Why, my boy?

FOOL Why? For taking one’s part that’s out of favour: nay,

an thou canst not smile as the wind sits 95, thou’lt catch cold

shortly. There, take my coxcomb. Why, this fellow has

banished two on’s 97daughters and did the third a blessing

against his will: if thou follow him, thou must needs 98wear

my coxcomb.— How now, nuncle? Would 99I had two

coxcombs and two daughters.

LEAR Why, my boy?

FOOL If I gave them all my living 102, I’d keep my coxcombs