Osw. Slave, thou hast slain me. Villain, take my purse:
If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body;
And give the letters which thou find'st about me[4427]
To Edmund earl of Gloucester; seek him out[4428]
Upon the British party. O, untimely death![4428][4429][4430] 250
Death! [Dies.[4430][4431]
Edg. I know thee well: a serviceable villain,
As duteous to the vices of thy mistress[4432]
As badness would desire.
Glou. What, is he dead?
Edg. Sit you down, father; rest you.[4433][4434][4435] 255
Let's see these pockets: the letters that he speaks of[4433][4434][4436]
May be my friends. He's dead; I am only sorry[4433][4437][4438]
He had no other deathsman. Let us see:[4433][4437]
Leave, gentle wax; and, manners, blame us not:[4433][4439][4440]
To know our enemies' minds, we'ld rip their hearts;[4440][4441] 260
Their papers, is more lawful.[4442]
[Reads] 'Let our reciprocal vows be remembered. You[4443][4444][4445]
have many opportunities to cut him off: if your will want[4444]
not, time and place will be fruitfully offered. There is[4444]
nothing done, if he return the conqueror: then am I[4444][4446] 265
the prisoner, and his bed my gaol; from the loathed[4444][4447]
warmth whereof deliver me, and supply the place for your[4444][4448]
labour.
'Your—wife, so I would say—affectionate servant,[4449]
'Goneril.' 270
O undistinguish'd space of woman's will![4450]
A plot upon her virtuous husband's life;
And the exchange my brother! Here, in the sands,[4451]
Thee I'll rake up, the post unsanctified[4452]
Of murderous lechers; and in the mature time[4453] 275
With this ungracious paper strike the sight
Of the death-practised duke: for him 'tis well[4454]
That of thy death and business I can tell.[4455]
Glou. The king is mad: how stiff is my vile sense,[4456]
That I stand up, and have ingenious feeling 280
Of my huge sorrows! Better I were distract:
So should my thoughts be sever'd from my griefs,[4457]
And woes by wrong imaginations lose[4458]
The knowledge of themselves. [Drum afar off.[4459]
Edg. Give me your hand:[284, 285]
Far off, methinks, I hear the beaten drum:[4460] 285
Come, father, I'll bestow you with a friend. [Exeunt.[4461]