King Lear
| ACT IV SCENE V | Gloucester’s castle. | |
| [Enter REGAN and OSWALD] | ||
| REGAN | But are my brother’s powers set forth? | |
| OSWALD | Ay, madam. | |
| REGAN | Himself in person there? | |
| OSWALD | Madam, with much ado: | |
| Your sister is the better soldier. | 5 | |
| REGAN | Lord Edmund spake not with your lord at home? | |
| OSWALD | No, madam. | |
| REGAN | What might import my sister’s letter to him? | |
| OSWALD | I know not, lady. | |
| REGAN | ‘Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter. | 10 |
| It was great ignorance, Gloucester’s eyes being out, | ||
| To let him live: where he arrives he moves | ||
| All hearts against us: Edmund, I think, is gone, | ||
| In pity of his misery, to dispatch | ||
| His nighted life: moreover, to descry | 15 | |
| The strength o’ the enemy. | ||
| OSWALD | I must needs after him, madam, with my letter. | |
| REGAN | Our troops set forth to-morrow: stay with us; | |
| The ways are dangerous. | ||
| OSWALD | I may not, madam: | 20 |
| My lady charged my duty in this business. | ||
| REGAN | Why should she write to Edmund? Might not you | |
| Transport her purposes by word? Belike, | ||
| Something–I know not what: I’ll love thee much, | ||
| Let me unseal the letter. | 25 | |
| OSWALD | Madam, I had rather– | |
| REGAN | I know your lady does not love her husband; | |
| I am sure of that: and at her late being here | ||
| She gave strange oeillades and most speaking looks | ||
| To noble Edmund. I know you are of her bosom. | 30 | |
| OSWALD | I, madam? | |
| REGAN | I speak in understanding; you are; I know’t: | |
| Therefore I do advise you, take this note: | ||
| My lord is dead; Edmund and I have talk’d; | ||
| And more convenient is he for my hand | 35 | |
| Than for your lady’s: you may gather more. | ||
| If you do find him, pray you, give him this; | ||
| And when your mistress hears thus much from you, | ||
| I pray, desire her call her wisdom to her. | ||
| So, fare you well. | 40 | |
| If you do chance to hear of that blind traitor, | ||
| Preferment falls on him that cuts him off. | ||
| OSWALD | Would I could meet him, madam! I should show | |
| What party I do follow. | ||
| REGAN | Fare thee well. | 45 |
| [Exeunt] | ||
King Lear, Act 4, Scene 6