уильям шекспир - King Lear

Draw me a clothier’s yard 101. Look, look, a mouse! Peace, peace,

this piece of toasted cheese will do’t. There’s my gauntlet 102: I’ll

prove it on a giant. Bring up the brown bills. O, well flown, 103

bird! I’th’clout, i’th’clout: hewgh! Give the word 104.

EDGAR Sweet marjoram 105.

LEAR Pass.

GLOUCESTER I know that voice.

LEAR Ha? Goneril with a white beard? They flattered me

like a dog and told me I had the white hairs in my beard ere 109

the black ones were there. To say ‘Ay’ and ‘No’ to everything

that I said ‘Ay’ and ‘No’ to was no good divinity 111. When the

rain came 112to wet me once and the wind to make me chatter,

when the thunder would not peace 113at my bidding, there I

found ’em, there I smelt ’em out. Go to, they are not men

o’their words: they told me I was everything: ’tis a lie, I am

not ague-proof 116.

GLOUCESTER The trick 117of that voice I do well remember:

Is’t not the king?

LEAR Ay, every inch a king.

When I do stare, see how the subject quakes.

I pardon that man’s life. What was thy cause 121?

Adultery?

Thou shalt not die: die for adultery? No.

The wren goes to’t 124and the small gilded fly

Does lecher 125in my sight. Let copulation thrive,

For Gloucester’s bastard son was kinder to his father

Than were my daughters got 127’tween the lawful sheets.

To’t, luxury, pell-mell, for I lack soldiers 128.

Behold yond simp’ring dame,

Whose face between her forks presages snow 130,

That minces virtue and does shake the head 131

To hear of pleasure’s name:

The fitchew nor the soilèd 133horse goes to’t

With a more riotous 134appetite. Down from the waist

They are centaurs 135, though women all above:

But to the girdle do the gods inherit 136,

Beneath is all the fiends’:

There’s hell, there’s darkness, there is the sulphurous 138pit:

burning, scalding, stench, consumption 139. Fie, fie, fie! Pah,

pah! Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary 140, sweeten

my imagination: there’s money for thee.

GLOUCESTER O, let me kiss that hand!

LEAR Let me wipe it first: it smells of mortality 143.

GLOUCESTER O, ruined piece of nature! This great world

Shall so 145wear out to nought. Dost thou know me?

LEAR I remember thine eyes well enough. Dost thou

squinny at me? No, do thy worst, blind Cupid 147: I’ll not love.

Read thou this challenge, mark but the penning 148of it.

GLOUCESTER Were all thy letters suns, I could not see.

Aside

EDGAR I would not take this from report 150: it is,

And my heart breaks at it.

LEAR Read.

GLOUCESTER What, with the case 153of eyes?

LEAR O, ho, are you there with me? No eyes in your head,

nor no money in your purse? Your eyes are in a heavy case 155,

your purse in a light, yet you see how this world goes.

GLOUCESTER I see it feelingly 157.

LEAR What, art mad? A man may see how this world goes

with no eyes. Look with thine ears: see how yond justice 159rails

upon yond simple 160thief. Hark, in thine ear: change places,

and handy-dandy 161, which is the justice, which is the thief?

Thou hast seen a farmer’s dog bark at a beggar?

GLOUCESTER Ay, sir.

LEAR And the creature run from the cur? There thou

mightst behold the great image of authority: a dog’s obeyed 165

in office.

Thou rascal beadle 167, hold thy bloody hand!

Why dost thou lash that whore? Strip thy own back:

Thou hotly lusts to use her in that kind 169

For which thou whip’st her. The usurer hangs the cozener 170.

Through tattered clothes great vices do appear:

Robes and furred gowns hide all. Place sins with gold 172,

And the strong lance of justice hurtless 173breaks:

Arm it 174in rags, a pigmy’s straw does pierce it.

None does offend, none, I say, none: I’ll able ’em 175.

Take that of me, my friend, who have the power

To seal th’accuser’s lips. Get thee glass eyes,

And like a scurvy politician 178seem

To see the things thou dost not. Now, now, now, now 179.

Pull off my boots: harder, harder: so.

Aside

EDGAR O, matter and impertinency 181mixed! Reason in madness!

LEAR If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes.

I know thee well enough: thy name is Gloucester.

Thou must be patient; we came crying hither 184.

Thou know’st the first time that we smell the air

We wail and cry. I will preach to thee: mark.

GLOUCESTER Alack, alack the day!

LEAR When we are born, we cry that we are come

To this great stage of fools. This a good block 189:

It were a delicate 190stratagem to shoe

A troop of horse with felt: I’ll put’t in proof 191,

And when I have stol’n upon these son-in-laws,

Then kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!

Enter a Gentleman [with Attendants]

GENTLEMAN O, here he is: lay hand upon him.— Sir,

Your most dear daughter—

LEAR No rescue? What, a prisoner? I am even

The natural fool 197of fortune. Use me well,

You shall have ransom. Let me have surgeons:

I am cut to th’brains.

GENTLEMAN You shall have anything.

LEAR No seconds 201? All myself?

Why, this would make a man a man of salt 202

To use his eyes for garden water-pots,

I will die bravely 204, like a smug bridegroom. What?

I will be jovial 205. Come, come, I am a king,

Masters 206, know you that?

GENTLEMAN You are a royal one, and we obey you.

LEAR Then there’s life in’t. Come, an you get it, you shall

get it by running. Sa, sa, sa, sa 209.

Exit

Running, Attendants follow

GENTLEMAN A sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch,

Past speaking of in a king! Thou hast a daughter

Who redeems nature from the general curse 212

Which twain 213have brought her to.

EDGAR Hail, gentle 214sir.

GENTLEMAN Sir, speed you 215: what’s your will?

EDGAR Do you hear aught, sir, of a battle toward 216?

GENTLEMAN Most sure and vulgar 217: everyone hears that

Which can distinguish sound.

EDGAR But, by your favour 219,

How near’s the other army?

GENTLEMAN Near and on speedy foot: the main descry 221

Stands on the hourly thought.

EDGAR I thank you, sir: that’s all.

GENTLEMAN Though that the queen on special cause 224is here,

Her army is moved on.

Exit

EDGAR I thank you, sir.

GLOUCESTER You ever-gentle gods, take my breath from

me:

Let not my worser spirit 229tempt me again

To die before you please!

EDGAR Well pray you, father.

GLOUCESTER Now, good sir, what are you?

EDGAR A most poor man, made tame to fortune’s blows,

Who, by the art of known and feeling sorrows 234,

Am pregnant to good pity 235. Give me your hand:

Takes his arm

I’ll lead you to some biding 236.

GLOUCESTER Hearty thanks:

The bounty and the benison 238of heaven

To boot, and boot 239.

Enter Steward [Oswald]

OSWALD A proclaimed prize! Most happy 240!

That eyeless head of thine was first framed flesh 241

To raise my fortunes. Thou old unhappy traitor,

Draws

Briefly thyself remember 243: the sword is out

That must destroy thee.

GLOUCESTER Now let thy friendly hand

Edgar interposes

Put strength enough to’t.

OSWALD Wherefore, bold peasant,

Darest thou support a published 248traitor? Hence,

Lest that th’infection of his fortune take

Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.