Уильям Шекспир - The Tragedy of King Lear

  Kent. I thought the King had more affected the Duke of Albany
than
     Cornwall.
  Glou. It did always seem so to us; but now, in the division of
the
     kingdom, it appears not which of the Dukes he values most,
for
     equalities are so weigh'd that curiosity in neither can make
     choice of either's moiety.
  Kent. Is not this your son, my lord?
  Glou. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge. I have so
often
     blush'd to acknowledge him that now I am braz'd to't.
  Kent. I cannot conceive you.
  Glou. Sir, this young fellow's mother could; whereupon she grew
     round-womb'd, and had indeed, sir, a son for her cradle ere
she
     had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault?
  Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so
     proper.
  Glou. But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year elder
than
     this, who yet is no dearer in my account. Though this knave
came
     something saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet
was
     his mother fair, there was good sport at his making, and the
     whoreson must be acknowledged.  Do you know this noble
gentleman,
     Edmund?
  Edm. [comes forward] No, my lord.
  Glou. My Lord of Kent. Remember him hereafter as my honourable
     friend.
  Edm. My services to your lordship.
  Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you better.
  Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving.
  Glou. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again.
                                                 Sound a sennet.
     The King is coming.

  Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester.
  Glou. I shall, my liege.

  Lear. Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.
     Give me the map there. Know we have divided
     In three our kingdom; and 'tis our fast intent
     To shake all cares and business from our age,
     Conferring them on younger strengths while we
     Unburthen'd crawl toward death. Our son of Cornwall,
     And you, our no less loving son of Albany,
     We have this hour a constant will to publish
     Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife
     May be prevented now. The princes, France and Burgundy,
     Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love,
     Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,
     And here are to be answer'd. Tell me, my daughters
     (Since now we will divest us both of rule,
     Interest of territory, cares of state),
     Which of you shall we say doth love us most?
     That we our largest bounty may extend
     Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril,
     Our eldest-born, speak first.
  Gon. Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;
     Dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty;
     Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;
     No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;
     As much as child e'er lov'd, or father found;
     A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable.
     Beyond all manner of so much I love you.
  Cor. [aside] What shall Cordelia speak? Love, and be silent.
  Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,
     With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd,
     With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
     We make thee lady. To thine and Albany's issue
     Be this perpetual.  What says our second daughter,
     Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.
  Reg. Sir, I am made
     Of the selfsame metal that my sister is,
     And prize me at her worth. In my true heart
     I find she names my very deed of love;
     Only she comes too short, that I profess
     Myself an enemy to all other joys
     Which the most precious square of sense possesses,
     And find I am alone felicitate
     In your dear Highness' love.
  Cor. [aside] Then poor Cordelia!
     And yet not so; since I am sure my love's
     More richer than my tongue.
  Lear. To thee and thine hereditary ever
     Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom,
     No less in space, validity, and pleasure
     Than that conferr'd on Goneril.  Now, our joy,
     Although the last, not least; to whose young love
     The vines of France and milk of Burgundy
     Strive to be interest; what can you say to draw
     A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.
  Cor. Nothing, my lord.
  Lear. Nothing?
  Cor. Nothing.
  Lear. Nothing can come of nothing. Speak again.
  Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave
     My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty
     According to my bond; no more nor less.
  Lear. How, how, Cordelia? Mend your speech a little,
     Lest it may mar your fortunes.
  Cor. Good my lord,
     You have begot me, bred me, lov'd me; I
     Return those duties back as are right fit,
     Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
     Why have my sisters husbands, if they say
     They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,
     That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry
     Half my love with him, half my care and duty.
     Sure I shall never marry like my sisters,
     To love my father all.
  Lear. But goes thy heart with this?
  Cor. Ay, good my lord.
  Lear. So young, and so untender?
  Cor. So young, my lord, and true.
  Lear. Let it be so! thy truth then be thy dower!
     For, by the sacred radiance of the sun,
     The mysteries of Hecate and the night;
     By all the operation of the orbs
     From whom we do exist and cease to be;
     Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
     Propinquity and property of blood,
     And as a stranger to my heart and me
     Hold thee from this for ever. The barbarous Scythian,
     Or he that makes his generation messes
     To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom
     Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and reliev'd,
     As thou my sometime daughter.
  Kent. Good my liege-
  Lear. Peace, Kent!
     Come not between the dragon and his wrath.
     I lov'd her most, and thought to set my rest
     On her kind nursery.  Hence and avoid my sight! -
     So be my grave my peace as here I give
     Her father's heart from her! Call France! Who stirs?
     Call Burgundy! Cornwall and Albany,
     With my two daughters' dowers digest this third;
     Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.
     I do invest you jointly in my power,
     Preeminence, and all the large effects
     That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly course,
     With reservation of an hundred knights,
     By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode
     Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain
     The name, and all th' additions to a king. The sway,
     Revenue, execution of the rest,
     Beloved sons, be yours; which to confirm,
     This coronet part betwixt you.
  Kent. Royal Lear,
     Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,
     Lov'd as my father, as my master follow'd,
     As my great patron thought on in my prayers-
  Lear. The bow is bent and drawn; make from the shaft.
  Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade
     The region of my heart! Be Kent unmannerly
     When Lear is mad. What wouldst thou do, old man?
     Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak
     When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound
     When majesty falls to folly. Reverse thy doom;
     And in thy best consideration check
     This hideous rashness. Answer my life my judgment,
     Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least,
     Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound
     Reverbs no hollowness.
  Lear. Kent, on thy life, no more!
  Kent. My life I never held but as a pawn
     To wage against thine enemies; nor fear to lose it,
     Thy safety being the motive.
  Lear. Out of my sight!
  Kent. See better, Lear, and let me still remain
     The true blank of thine eye.
  Lear. Now by Apollo-
  Kent. Now by Apollo, King,
     Thou swear'st thy gods in vain.
  Lear. O vassal! miscreant!
                                   [Lays his hand on his sword.]
  Alb., Corn. Dear sir, forbear!
  Kent. Do!
     Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow
     Upon the foul disease. Revoke thy gift,
     Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,
     I'll tell thee thou dost evil.
  Lear. Hear me, recreant!
     On thine allegiance, hear me!
     Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow-
     Which we durst never yet- and with strain'd pride
     To come between our sentence and our power, -
     Which nor our nature nor our place can bear, -
     Our potency made good, take thy reward.
     Five days we do allot thee for provision
     To shield thee from diseases of the world,
     And on the sixth to turn thy hated back
     Upon our kingdom. If, on the tenth day following,
     Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,
     The moment is thy death. Away! By Jupiter,
     This shall not be revok'd.
  Kent. Fare thee well, King. Since thus thou wilt appear,
     Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.
     [To Cordelia] The gods to their dear shelter take thee,
maid,
     That justly think'st and hast most rightly said!
     [To Regan and Goneril] And your large speeches may your
deeds
        approve,
     That good effects may spring from words of love.
     Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu;
     He'll shape his old course in a country new.