King Lear
Act III, Scene 5
Gloucester’s castle.
Costume design for Cornwall
John Seymour Lucas, 19th century
- Enter Cornwall and Edmund.
Cornwall
1- I will have my revenge ere I depart his house.
Edmund
2 - 3- How, my lord, I may be censur’d, that nature thus gives way
- to loyalty, something fears me to think of.
Cornwall
4 - 6- I now perceive, it was not altogether your brother’s evil
- disposition made him seek his death; but a provoking merit,
- set a-work by a reprovable badness in himself.
Edmund
7 - 10- How malicious is my fortune, that I must repent to be just!
- This is the letter which he spoke of, which approves him an
- intelligent party to the advantages of France. O heavens!
- That this treason were not; or not I the detector!
Cornwall
11- Go with me to the Duchess.
Edmund
12 - 13- If the matter of this paper be certain, you have mighty
- business in hand.
Cornwall
14 - 16- True or false, it hath made thee Earl of Gloucester. Seek
- out where thy father is, that he may be ready for our
- apprehension.
Edmund
17 - 20- Aside.
- If I find him comforting the King, it will stuff his
- suspicion more fully.—I will persever in my course of
- loyalty, though the conflict be sore between that and my
- blood.
Cornwall
21 - 22- I will lay trust upon thee; and thou shalt find a dearer
- father in my love.
- Exeunt.