Ham. A bloody deed;-almost as bad, good mother, As kill a king, and marry with his brother. Queen. As kill a king! Ham. Ah, lady, 'twas my word. [TO POLONTUS. Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell! I took thee for thy better; Leave wringing of your hands: Peace, sit you down, And let me wring your heart: for so I shall, If 't be made of penetrable stuff; If damned custom have not braz'd it so, That it be proof and bulwark against sense. Queen. What have I done, that thou dar'st wag thy tongue In noise so rude against me? Ham. With tristful visage, as against the doom, Queen. This was your husband.-Look you now, what follows: Here is your husband; like a mildew'd ear, Blasting his wholesome brother. Have you eyes? Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed, O shame! where is thy blush? Queen. O Hamlet, speak no more, Thou turn'st my eyes into my very soul; And there I see such black and grained spots, Speak to me no more; These words, like daggers, enter in mine ears: Ham. A murderer, and a villain: A slave, that is not twentieth part the tithe Queen. No more. Ham. Of shreds and patches: Enter Ghost. A king Save me, and hover o'er me with your wings, You heavenly guards!-What would your gracious figure! Ham. Do you not come your tardy son to chide, Ghost. Do not forget: this visitation Ham. How is it with you, lady? Queen. Alas, how is 't with you? That you do bend your eye on vacancy, And with the incorporal air do hold discourse? O gentle son, Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper Sprinkle cool patience. Whereon do you look? Ham. On him! on him!-Look you, how pale he glares! His form and cause conjoin'd, preaching to stones, Would make them capable.-Do not look upon me; Lest, with this piteous action, you convert My stern effects: then what I have to do Will want true color; tears, perchance, for blood. Ham. Do you see nothing there? Queen. Nothing at all; yet all, that is, I see. Ham. Nor did you nothing hear? Queen. No, nothing, but ourselves. Ham. Why, look you there! look how it steals away! My father, in his native habit as he lived! Ham. Ecstasy! My pulse, as yours, doth temperately keep time, And I the matter will re-word; which madness [Exit Ghost Queen. O Hamlet! thou hast cleft my heart in twain. And live the purer with the other half. Good night : And when you are desirous to be bless'd, [Pointing to POLONIUS The death I gave him. So, again, good night! Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind. ACT IV. The guilty King and Queen, alarmed at the consequences which may result from Hamlet's evident knowledge of their crimes, determine to send him to England under the charge of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, with private instructions to the king of England to effect" The present death of Hamlet." This is done, and the young prince sails for England. Ophelia, overcome with grief, at the death of her father, becomes distracted, and seeks an interview with the Queen. Young Laertes returns from France, and charges the King with being privy to the murder of Polonius. SCENE V.-Elsinore. A Room in the Castle. Enter QUEEN and HORATIO. Queen. I will not speak with her. Queen. Let her come in. [Exit HORATIO 'Twere good she were spoken with; for she may strew Dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds. Enter OPHELIA. Oph. Where is the beauteous majesty of Denmark? Queen. How now, Ophelia ? Oph. How should I your true love know From another one? By his cockle hat and staff, And his sandal shoon? Queen. Alas, sweet lady, what imports this song? Oph. Say you? nay, pray you, mark. [Singing [Sings. O, ho! Which bewept to the grave did go, With true-love showers. King. How do you, pretty lady? Oph. Well, Heaven 'ield you! They say, the owl was a baker's daughter. We know what we are, but, know not what we may be. King. How long hath she been thus ? Oph. I hope, all will be well. We must be patient: but I cannot choose but weep, to think, they should lay him i̇' the cold ground : My brother shall know of it, and so I thank you for your good counsel. Come, my coach! Good night, ladies; good night, sweet ladies; good night, good night. [Exit. King. Follow her close; give her good watch, I pray you. Exit HORATIO. O! This is the poison of deep grief; it springs What's the matter? Gent. Enter a Gentleman. Save yourself, my lord. The young Laertes, in a riotous head, O'erbears your officers: The rabble call him, lord; Queen. How cheerfully on the false trail they cry! King. The doors are broke. Enter LAERTES. [Noise within. Laer. Where is this king ?—Sirs, stand you all without. O thou vile king, give me my father. King. What is the cause, Laertes, That thy rebellion looks so giant-like ?— Let him go, Gertrude; do not fear our person; That treason can but peep to what it would. Why art thou thus incens'd;-Let him go, Gertrude ;— Laer. How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with : To this point I stand, That both the worlds I give to negligence, Let come what comes; only I'll be reveng'd Most throughly for my father. King. Who shall stay you? Laer. My will, not all the world's: And, for my means, I'll husband them so well, They shall go far with little. King. Good Laertes, That I am guiltless of your father's death, And am most sensibly in grief for it, It shall as level to your judgment 'pear, As day does to your eye. Enter OPHELIA fantastically dressed with straws and flowers Laer. O rose of May! Oph. They bore him barefac'd on the bier ; And in his grave rain'd many a tear ;— Fare you well, my dove! |