Can serve my turn? murder? Forgive me my foul That cannot be; since I am still possess'd Buys out the law: but 't is not so above; 60 steel, 70 Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe! All may be well. [Retires and kneels Enter HAMLET. Ham. Now might I do it, pat, now he is pray ing; And now I'll do 't :-and so he goes to heaven: I, his sole son, do this same villain send Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge He took my father grossly, full of bread; 80 With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May; And how his audit stands who knows save Heaven? But, in our circumstance and course of thought, 'Tis heavy with him. And am I, then, revenged, To take him in the purging of his soul, When he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No. Up, sword; and know thou a more horrid hent: When he is drunk, asleep, or in his rage; 90 At gaming, swearing; or about some act Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, And that his soul may be as damned and black As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays: This physic but prolongs thy sickly days. (Exit. The KING rises and advances King. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go. [Exit SCENE IV.- A Room in the Same. Enter QUEEN and POLONIUS. Pol. He will come straight. Look you lay home to him: Tell him, his pranks have been too broad to bear with, And that your grace hath screened and stood be tween Much heat and him. I 'll silence me e'en here. Pray you, be round with him. Ham. [Within.] Mother, mother, mother! Queen. I'll warrant you; Fear me not: withdraw, I hear him coming. [POLONIUS hides himself behind the arras. Enter HAMLET. Ham. Now, mother, what's the matter? fended. 10 Hum. Mother, you have my father much of fended. Queen. Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue. Ham. Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue. Queen. Why, how now, Hamlet? Ham. What's the matter now? Queen. Have you forgot me ? No, by the rood, not so: You are the queen, your husband's brother's wife; And-would it were not so you are my mother. Queen. Nay, then, I'll set those to you that can speak. Ham. Come, come, and sit you down; you shall not budge; You go not till I set you up a glass Where you may see the inmost part of you. 20 Queen. What wilt thou do? thou wilt not murder me? Help, help, ho! Pol. [Behind.] What, ho! help, help, help! Ham. How now ! a rat? [Draws.] Dead for a ducat, dead! [Makes a pass through the arras. Pol. [Behind.] O! I am slain. [Falls, and dies. Queen. O me, what hast thou donei Ham. Is it the king? Nay, I know not s Queen. O, what a rash and bloody deed is this! Ham. A bloody deed: almost as bad, good mother, As kill a king, and marry with his brother. Queen. As kill a king ! 30 Ay, lady, 't was my word [Lifts up the arras, and sees POLONIUS Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell ! Leave wringing of your hands: peace; sit you down, And let me wring your heart: for so I shall, If damnéd custom have not braz'd it so, That it is proof and bulwark against sense. 40 Queen. What have I done, that thou dar'st was thy tongu In noise so rude against me? Ham. Such an act That blurs the grace and blush of modesty ; |