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King Lear

Act 3, Scene 7

Enter CORNWALL, and REGAN, and GONERIL, and EDMUND the bastard, and servants	CORNWALL enters with REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND, and servants.
CORNWALL (to GONERIL) Post speedily to my lord your husband. Show him this letter. The army of France is landed. —Seek out the traitor Gloucester.	CORNWALL (to GONERIL) Hurry to your husband. Show him this letter. The French army has landed.—Find the traitor Gloucester.
Exeunt some servants	Some servants exit.
REGAN Hang him instantly.	REGAN Hang him immediately.
GONERIL Pluck out his eyes.	GONERIL Gouge out his eyes!
CORNWALL Leave him to my displeasure.—Edmund, keep you our sister company. The revenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous father are not fit for your beholding. Advise the duke where you are going, to a most festinate preparation. We are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift and intelligent betwixt us.—Farewell, dear sister. (to EDMUND) Farewell, my lord of Gloucester.	CORNWALL Leave him to my wrath.—Edmund, go with my sister-in-law. You shouldn’t have to see the punishment we inflict on your father. Tell the Duke of Albany to prepare for war immediately. We will do the same. We’ll keep the lines of communication open between us. (to GONERIL) Goodbye, my dear sister-in-law. (to EDMUND) Goodbye, lord Gloucester.
Enter OSWALD the steward	OSWALD enters.
How now? Where’s the king?	Hello. Where’s the king?
OSWALD My lord of Gloucester hath conveyed him hence. Some five or six and thirty of his knights, Hot questrists after him, met him at gate, Who with some other of the lord’s dependants Are gone with him towards Dover, where they boast To have well-armèd friends.	OSWALD Lord Gloucester has helped him leave. Thirty-five or thirty-six of his knights met him at the gate, and together with some others they’ve set off for Dover, where they claim to have powerful friends.
CORNWALL Get horses for your mistress.	CORNWALL Prepare the horses for your lady.
Exit OSWALD	OSWALD exits.
GONERIL Farewell, sweet lord, and sister.	GONERIL Goodbye, my sweet lord.—Goodbye, my sister.
CORNWALL Edmund, farewell.	CORNWALL Goodbye, Edmund.
Exeunt GONERIL and EDMUND the bastard	GONERIL and EDMUND exit.
Go seek the traitor Gloucester. Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.	Go find the traitor Gloucester. Tie him up like a thief and bring him here to me.
Exeunt some servants	Some servants exit.
Though well we may not pass upon his life Without the form of justice, yet our power Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men May blame, but not control.—Who’s there? The traitor?	I can’t condemn him to death without a formal trial, but I’m powerful enough that I can still do something to express my anger. Some men may blame me for doing this, but they won’t be able to do anything about it.—Who’s there? Is that the traitor?
Enter GLOUCESTER, brought in by two or three servants	Two or three servants bring in GLOUCESTER.
REGAN Ingrateful fox, ’tis he.	REGAN Ungrateful traitor! That’s him.
CORNWALL Bind fast his corky arms.	CORNWALL Tie up his withered old arms.
GLOUCESTER What mean your graces? Good my friends, consider You are my guests. Do me no foul play, friends.	GLOUCESTER What are you doing? My friends, remember that you’re my guests here. Don’t play any nasty tricks on me.
CORNWALL Bind him, I say.	CORNWALL Tie him up, I tell you.
Servants bind GLOUCESTER	Servants tie up GLOUCESTER.
REGAN Hard, hard.—O filthy traitor!	REGAN Tie him up harder.—You filthy traitor!
GLOUCESTER Unmerciful lady as you are, I’m none.	GLOUCESTER I’m not a traitor, unfair lady.
CORNWALL To this chair bind him.—Villain, thou shalt find—	CORNWALL Tie him to this chair.—You’ll see, criminal—
REGAN plucks GLOUCESTER’s beard	REGAN pulls GLOUCESTER’s beard.
GLOUCESTER By the kind gods, ’tis most ignobly done To pluck me by the beard.	GLOUCESTER By the gods, it’s disgraceful for you to pull my beard.
REGAN So white, and such a traitor?	REGAN As old and white-haired as you are, and you’re such a traitor?
GLOUCESTER Naughty lady, These hairs which thou dost ravish from my chin Will quicken and accuse thee. I am your host. With robbers’ hands my hospitable favors You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?	GLOUCESTER Wicked woman, these white hairs you’re pulling off my chin will come to life and accuse you of wrong-doing. You are my guests. This is no way to treat a host who has welcomed you into his house. What do you think you’re doing?
CORNWALL Come, sir, what letters had you late from France?	CORNWALL Tell us about the letters that you got from France.
REGAN Be simple-answered, for we know the truth.	REGAN Get to the point, since we already know the truth.
CORNWALL And what confederacy have you with the traitors Late footed in the kingdom?	CORNWALL And what’s your connection with the traitors who landed in our kingdom recently?
REGAN To whose hands You have sent the lunatic king. Speak.	REGAN The ones you’ve sent our lunatic king to. Tell us.
GLOUCESTER I have a letter guessingly set down, Which came from one that’s of a neutral heart, And not from one opposed.	GLOUCESTER I got a letter that made some guesses about what was going on, without any proof. It came from a neutral party, not from someone opposed to you.
CORNWALL Cunning.	CORNWALL How clever of you.
REGAN And false.	REGAN Clever lies.
CORNWALL Where hast thou sent the king?	CORNWALL Where have you sent the king?
GLOUCESTER To Dover.	GLOUCESTER To Dover.
REGAN Wherefore to Dover? Wast thou not charged at peril—	REGAN Why Dover? Weren’t you ordered, on penalty of—
CORNWALL Wherefore to Dover?—Let him first answer that.	CORNWALL Why Dover?—Let him answer that question first.
GLOUCESTER I am tied to th’ stake, and I must stand the course.	GLOUCESTER I’m backed into a corner with nowhere to run.
REGAN Wherefore to Dover, sir?	REGAN Why Dover?
GLOUCESTER Because I would not see thy cruèl nails Pluck out his poor old eyes, nor thy fierce sister In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs. The sea, with such a storm as his bare head In hell-black night endured, would have buoyed up, And quenched the stellèd fires. Yet poor old heart, he holp the heavens to rain. If wolves had at thy gate howled that stern time, Thou shouldst have said, “Good porter, turn the key,” All cruèls else subscribed. But I shall see The wingèd vengeance overtake such children.	GLOUCESTER Because I didn’t want to watch while you gouged out his poor old eyes with your cruel fingernails, or while your vicious sister sank her fangs into his sacred flesh. You left him out in the storm in the black night, bareheaded, a storm so terrible that if it had happened at sea, the waters would have risen up and extinguished the fire burning in the stars. And the poor old man just wept, mixing his tears with the rain. If wolves had been howling outside your gate at the heart of that storm, you would’ve told your doorman to let them in, despite all the cruelties you inflict on the world. But soon I’ll see the gods punish you for your lack of respect to your father.
CORNWALL “See” ’t shalt thou never.—Fellows, hold the chair.— Upon these eyes of thine I’ll set my foot.	CORNWALL You won’t be seeing anything.—Hold his chair still, men.—I’m going to put my foot on his eyes.
GLOUCESTER He that will think to live till he be old, Give me some help!	GLOUCESTER Oh, help me, anyone who wants to live long!
CORNWALL plucks out one of GLOUCESTER’s eyes and stamps on it	CORNWALL gouges out one of GLOUCESTER’s eyes and steps on it.
O cruel! O you gods!	Oh, so cruel! Oh dear gods!
REGAN One side will mock another—th’ other too.	REGAN Now he’s a little crooked. Gouge out the other eye too.
CORNWALL If you see vengeance—	CORNWALL If you see vengeance—
FIRST SERVANT Hold your hand, my lord! I have served you ever since I was a child. But better service have I never done you Than now to bid you hold.	FIRST SERVANT Stop, my lord! I’ve served you since childhood, but I’ve never done you a better service than telling you to stop.
REGAN How now, you dog?	REGAN What’s this, you dog?
FIRST SERVANT If you did wear a beard upon your chin, I’d shake it on this quarrel. What do you mean?	FIRST SERVANT I am willing to fight you if I must. What do you mean by all this?
CORNWALL My villein!	CORNWALL My peasant, acting like this?
FIRST SERVANT Nay then, come on, and take the chance of anger.	FIRST SERVANT Come on then. Over my dead body.
FIRST SERVANT and CORNWALL draw and fight CORNWALL is wounded	The FIRST SERVANT and CORNWALL draw swords and fight. CORNWALL is wounded.
REGAN (to another servant) Give me thy sword.—A peasant stand up thus? (takes a sword, runs at FIRST SERVANT behind, and kills him)	REGAN (to another servant) Give me your sword.—A lowly peasant defying his lord like this? (She takes a sword and stabs the FIRST SERVANT from behind, killing him.)
FIRST SERVANT Oh, I am slain!—My lord, you have one eye left To see some mischief on him. Oh! (dies)	FIRST SERVANT I am dying!—My lord, you still have one eye left to see Cornwall punished. Oh! (he dies)
CORNWALL Lest it see more, prevent it.—Out, vile jelly! (plucks out GLOUCESTER’s other eye) Where is thy luster now?	CORNWALL We’ll just have to stop him from seeing ever again. Out, vile jelly, pop out of your eye sockets! (he gouges out GLOUCESTER’s other eye) Where’s your sparkle now?
GLOUCESTER All dark and comfortless. Where’s my son Edmund? Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature To quit this horrid act.	GLOUCESTER Nothing but darkness and horror. Where’s my son Edmund? Edmund, let your love for me ignite your bloodlust to avenge this horrible crime!
REGAN Out, treacherous villain! Thou call’st on him that hates thee. It was he That made the overture of thy treasons to us, Who is too good to pity thee.	REGAN Wrong, evil traitor. You’re appealing to a son who hates you. He was the one who revealed your treason to us. He’s too good to have any compassion for you.
GLOUCESTER O my follies! Then Edgar was abused. Kind gods, forgive me that, and prosper him!	GLOUCESTER What a fool I’ve been! This means I’ve mistreated Edgar. Dear God, forgive me. Let him be well!
REGAN Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell His way to Dover.	REGAN Kick him out of the gate. He can sniff his way to Dover.
Exeunt some servants with GLOUCESTER	Some servants exit with GLOUCESTER.
(to CORNWALL) How is ’t, my lord? How look you?	(to CORNWALL) What is it, my lord? Why do you look like that?
CORNWALL I have received a hurt. Follow me, lady.— Turn out that eyeless villain. Throw this slave Upon the dunghill.—Regan, I bleed apace. Untimely comes this hurt. Give me your arm.	CORNWALL I’m wounded. Follow me, madam.—Throw the blind traitor outside. And throw this dead peasant into the manure pit.—Regan, I’m bleeding. It’s a bad time for such an injury. Give me your arm.
Exit CORNWALL with REGAN	CORNWALL and REGAN exit.
SECOND SERVANT I’ll never care what wickedness I do, If this man come to good.	SECOND SERVANT If our criminal master gets off free, I won’t care what happens to me anymore.
THIRD SERVANT If she live long, And in the end meet the old course of death, Women will all turn monsters.	THIRD SERVANT If she lives a long and happy life, then all women may as well turn into monsters.
SECOND SERVANT Let’s follow the old earl, and get the Bedlam To lead him where he would. His roguish madness Allows itself to any thing.	SECOND SERVANT Let’s follow the old earl, and get that crazy Tom to take him wherever he wants to go. As a wandering lunatic, he can do whatever he wants.
THIRD SERVANT Go thou. I’ll fetch some flax and whites of eggs To apply to his bleeding face. Now heaven help him!	THIRD SERVANT Go ahead. I’ll get some cloth and egg whites to bandage his bleeding face. Heaven help him!
Exeunt severally	They exit in different directions.