The conspiracy in the letter lay in its offer of a bribe of half the estate of Gloucester if he would bring about his father's death. The death of Gloucester would not in itself enrich Edmund who under the law could not inherit. The inheritance could be secured only through some special arrangement by Gloucester or, as here prosed, by a surrender on Edgar's part.

Gloucester. Has he never before sounded you in

this business?

Edmund. Never, my lord; but I have heard him oft maintain it to be fit that, sons at perfect age,

and fathers declined, the father should be as ward 75 to the son, and the son manage his revenue.

Gloucester. O villain, villain! His very opinion in Unnatural, detested,

the letter!

Abhorred villain!

brutish villain! worse than brutish! Go, sirrah, seek him; I'll apprehend him. Abominable villain! 80 Where is he?

Edmund. I do not well know, my lord. If it shall please you to suspend your to suspend your indignation against derive from him better

my brother till you can derive from testimony of his intent, you should run a certain course; 85 where, if you violently proceed against him, mistaking his purpose, it would make a great gap in your own honour and shake in pieces the heart of his obedience.

I dare pawn down my life for him that he hath writ this to feel my affection to your honour, and to no go other pretence of danger.

Here an unpremeditated passion and a coldly calculating mind are brought into sharp contrast. Gloucester springs hastily to condemnation, and in violent language reveals essential weakness; while Edmund, by seeming to doubt his brother's guilt and by counselling patience, deepens his father's suspicion and incites his passion.

71. sounded: endeavoured to discover your opinion or attitude. The word is a term for measuring the depth of water.

74. maintain: argue in defence of a statement.

80. apprehend: cause his arrest.

86. where: whereas.

89. pawn down: give as pledge.

90. feel: test.

91. pretence of danger: evil purpose.

Gloucester. Think you so?

Edmund. If your honour judge it meet, I will place you where you shall hear us confer of this, and by an auricular assurance have your satisfaction, 95 and that without any further delay than this very evening.

Gloucester. He cannot be such a monster-* Edmund, seek him out, wind me into him, I pray you; frame the business after your own wisdom. I 100 would unstate myself to be in a due resolution.

Edmund. I will seek him, sir, presently, convey the business as I shall find means, and acquaint you withal.

See Appendix II,

99. wind me into him: secretly find out his purpose for me.

100. frame: construct, arrange.

101. unstate myself: give all I have (rank itself) for the sake of

assurance.

The rashness with which Gloucester yields to the temptation to believe evil of Edgar, and his anxiety to be assured of the actual facts, strengthen our conclusion that he has never taken a father's interest in Edgar more than in Edmund. He is really acquainted with neither of his sons. There is as little of true paternity here as there is of true filial spirit in Goneril and Regan. The bond is equally absent from both families.