KING LEAR [[THE FOLIO TEXT]]

Act 3 Scene 5

(Enter the Duke of Cornwall and Edmond)
l1l	Cornwall	 I will have my revenge ere I depart his house.
l2l	Edmond	How, my lord, I may be censured, that nature
l3l		thus gives way to loyalty, something fears me to think
l4l		of.
l5l	Cornwall	I now perceive it was not altogether your
l6l		brother’s evil disposition made him seek his death, but
l7l		a provoking merit set a-work by a reprovable badness
l8l		in himself.
l9l	Edmond	How malicious is my fortune, that I must repent
l10l		to be just! This is the letter which he spoke of, which
l11l		approves him an intelligent party to the advantages of
l12l		France. O heavens, that this treason were not, or not
l13l		I the detector!
l14l	Cornwall	Go with me to the Duchess.
l15l	Edmond	If the matter of this paper be certain, you have
l16l		mighty business in hand.
l17l	Cornwall	True or false, it hath made thee Earl of
l18l		Gloucester. Seek out where thy father is, that he may
l19l		be ready for our apprehension.
l20l	Edmond	(aside)
		 If I find him comforting the King, it will
l21l		stuff his suspicion more fully.
		(To Cornwall)
		 I will
l22l		persever in my course of loyalty, though the conflict
l23l		be sore between that and my blood.
l24l	Cornwall	I will lay trust upon thee, and thou shalt find
l25l		a dearer father in my love.
		(Exeunt)