I do not set my life at a pin's fee;1 It waves me forth again;-I'll follow it. Hor. What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff, That beetles2 o'er his base into the sea? Ham. Go on, I'll follow thee. It waves me still: Mar. You shall not go, my lord. Hold off your hands. My fate cries out, Hor. Be rul'd, you shall not go. [Ghost beckons. Still am I call'd ;-unhand me, gentlemen;-. [Breaking from them. By heaven, I'll make a ghost of him that lets me : I say, away :-Go on, I'll follow thee. [Exeunt Ghost and Hamlet. Hor. He waxes desperate with imagination. Mar. Let's follow; 'tis not fit thus to obey him. Hor. Have after:-To what issue will this come? Mar. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Hor. Heaven will direct it. Mar. Nay, let's follow him. [Exeunt. (1) Value. (2) Hangs. (3) Whims. (4) Hinders. SCENE V-A more remote part of the platform. Re-enter Ghost and Hamlet. Ham. Whither wilt thou lead me? speak; I'l go no further. Ghost. Mark me. My hour is almost come, Ham. Alas, poor ghost! When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames Must render up myself. Ghost. Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing To what I shall unfold. Ham. Speak, I am bound to hear. Ghost. So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt · hear. Ham. What? Ghost. I am thy father's spirit: Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night; Till the foul crimes, done in my days of nature, I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul; freeze thy young blood; Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres ; Thy knotted and combined locks to part, To ears of flesh and blood:-List, list, O list!- Ham. O heaven! Ghost. Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. Ham. Murder? Ghost. Murder most foul, as in the best it is; (1) Display But this most foul, strange, and unnatural. Ham. Haste me to know it; that I, with wings as swift As meditation, or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge. I find thee apt; Ghost. Would'st thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear: Rankly abus'd: but know, thou noble youth, Ham. O, my prophetic soul! my uncle! Ghost. Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast, With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts, (0,wicked wit, and gifts, that have the power So to seduce!) won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen: O, Hamlet, what a falling off was there! From me, whose love was of that dignity, That it went hand in hand even with the vow I made to her in marriage; and to decline Upon a wretch, whose natural gifts were poor To those of mine! But virtue, as it never will be mov'd, Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven; And prey on garbage. But, soft! methinks, I scent the morning air; Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole, (1) Garden. (2) Satiate. (3) Henbane: The leperous distilment: whose effect Most lazar-like,2 with vile and loathsome crust, Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand, [Exit. Ham. O all you host of heaven! O earth! what else? And shall 1 couple hell?-O fie!--Hold, hold, my heart; And you, my sinews, grow not instant old, (1) Scab, scurt. (2) Leprous. (3) Bereft. (4) Without having received the sacrament. (5) Unappointed, unprepared. Without extreme unction. In this distracted globe. Remember thee? I'll wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws2 of books, all forms, all pressures past, O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain ! That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain; [Writing. So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word; It is, Adieu, adieu! remember me. I have sworn't. Hor. [Within.] My lord, my lord, Ham. Heaven secure him! So be it. Mar. [Within.] Illo, ho, ho, my lord! Enter Horatio and Marcellus. Mar. How is't, my noble lord? Hor. What news, my lord? Ham. O, wonderful! Hor. Good my lord, tell it. Ham. No: You will reveal it. Hor. Not I, my lord, by heaven. Mar. Nor I, my lord. Ham. How say you then; would heart of man once think it ? But you'll be secret, Hor. Mar. Ay, by heaven, my lord. (1) Head. (2) Sayings, sentences. (3) Memorandum-book. |