Page 1788 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land:
Our father’s love is to the bastard Edmund
As to th’legitimate. Fine word, ‘legitimate’!
Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed,

And my invention thrive, Edmund the base [20]
Shall top th’legitimate −: I grow: I prosper;
Now, gods, stand up for bastards!

Enter Gloucester.

GLOUCESTER
Kent banish’d thus! And France in choler parted!

And the King gone to-night! prescrib’d his power!
Confin’d to exhibition! All this done [25]
Upon the gad! − Edmund, how now! What news?

EDMUND
So please your Lordship, none.

(Putting up the letter.)

GLOUCESTER

Why so earnestly seek you to put up that letter?

EDMUND
I know no news, my Lord. [30]

GLOUCESTER
What paper were you reading?

EDMUND
Nothing, my Lord.

GLOUCESTER
No? What needed then that terrible dispatch of it into your pocket? The
quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. Let’s see: come; if it be

nothing, [35] I shall not need spectacles.