932 Laer. sorrow Ham. [Advancing.] What is he, whose grief All. Gentlemen,- Hamlet, Hamlet! Good my lord, be quiet. [The Attendants part them, and they come out of the grave. Ham. Why, I will fight with him upon this Until my eyelids will no longer wag. Ham. I lov'd Ophelia: forty thousand Could not, with all their quantity of love, Queen. For love of God, forbear him. Woo't drink up Esil? eat a crocodile? I'll do't. Dost thou come here to whine? Hear you, sir; We'll put the matter to the present push. SCENE II.-A Hall in the Castle. Ham. So much for this, sir: now shall you You do remember all the circumstance? Ham. Sir, in my heart there was a kind of That would not let me sleep: methought I lay There's a divinity that shapes our ends, That is most certain. Ham. Up from my cabin, My sea-gown scarf'd about me, in the dark O royal knavery!-an exact command, too, With, ho! such bugs and goblins in my life, But wilt thou hear me how I did proceed? Ham. Being thus benetted round with Ay, good my lord. Hor. Ham. Why, even in [Exeunt. ordinant. I had my father's signet in my purse, Which was the model of that Danish seal ; Folded the writ up in form of the other; Subscrib'd it; gave't th' impression; plac'd it safely, [day] he has laid a great wager on your head: Sir, this is the matter, Ham. I beseech you, remember— [Hamlet moves him to put on his hat. The changeling never known. Now, the next Osr. Nay, in good faith; for mine ease, in Was our sea-fight; and what to this was good faith. Sir, here is newly come to court, Thou know'st already. [sequent Laertes; believe me, an absolute gentleman, Hor. So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go full of most excellent differences, of very soft to't. [this employment; society, and great showing: indeed, to speak Ham. Why, man, they did make love to feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of They are not near my conscience; their defeat gentry; for you shall find in him the continent Does by their own insinuation grow: of what part a gentleman would see. 'Tis dangerous, when the baser nature comes Between the pass and fell incensed points Of mighty opposites. Hor. Why, what a king is this! Ham. Does it not, think'st thee, stand me now upon[mother; He that hath kill'd my king, and whor'd my Popp'd in between the election and my hopes; Thrown out his angle for my proper life, And with such cozenage-is't not perfect conscience, [damn'd, To quit him with this arm? and is't not to be To let this canker of our nature come In further evil? [England, Hor. It must be shortly known to him from What is the issue of the business there. Ham. It will be short: the interim is mine; And a man's life's no more than to say, one. But I am very sorry, good Horatio, That to Laertes I forgot myself; For, by the image of my cause, I see The portraiture of his : I'll count his favours: But, sure, the bravery of his grief did put me Into a towering passion. Hor. Peace! who comes here? Enter Osrick. Or. Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark. Ham. I humbly thank you, sir.-Dost know this water-fly? Hor. No, my good lord. Ham. Thy state is the more gracious; for 'tis a vice to know him. He hath much land, and fertile let a beast be lord of beasts, and his crib shall stand at the king's mess: 'tis a chough; but, as I say, spacious in the possession of dirt. Osr. Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I should impart a thing to you from his majesty. Ham. I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of spirit. Your bonnet to its right use; 'tis for the head. Osr. I thank your lordship, 'tis very hot. Ham. No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly. Osr. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed. Ham. But yet, methinks, it is very sultry, and hot; or my complexion- Ham. Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you :-though, I know, to divide him inventorially, would dizzy the arithmetic of memory; and yet but raw neither, in respect of his quick sail. But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of great article ; and his infusion of such dearth and rareness, as, to make true diction of him, his semblable is his mirror; and who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more. Osr. Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him. Ham. The concernancy, sir? why do we wrap the gentleman in our more rawer breath? Osr. Sir? Ham. Is't not possible to understand in another tongue? You will do't, sir, really. Ham. What imports the nomination of this gentleman? Osr. Of Laertes? Hor. His purse is empty already; all his golden words are spent. Ham. Of him, sir. Osr. I know you are not ignorantHam. I would you did, sir; in faith, if you did, it would not much approve me. Well, sir. Osr. You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is Ham. I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in excellence; but, to know a man well, were to know himself. Osr. I mean, sir, for his weapon; but in the imputation laid on him by them, in his meed he's unfellowed. Ham. What's his weapon? Osr. Rapier and dagger. Ham. That's two of his weapons: but, well. Osr. The king, sir, hath wagered with him six Barbary horses: against the which he has imponed, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit. Ham. What call you the carriages? Hor. I knew you must be edified by the margent, ere you had done. Osr. The carriages, sir, are the hangers. Ham. The phrase would be more german to the matter, if we could carry cannon by our sides: I would it might be hangers till then. Osr. Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry, But, on six Barbary horses against six French --as 'twere,-I cannot tell how.-But, my swords, their assigns, and three liberal-conlord, his majesty bade me signify to you, that ceited carriages; that's the French bet against the Danish. Why is this imponed, as you If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to call it ? Osr. The king, sir, hath laid, that in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits: he hath laid, on twelve for nine; and it would come to immediate trial, if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer. Ham. How, if I answer, no? Osr. I mean, my lord, the opposition of your person in trial. come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all : since no man, of aught he leaves, knows what is't to leave betimes? Let be. Enter King, Queen, Laertes, Lords, Osrick, and Attendants, with foils, &c. King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from nie. [The King puts the hand of Laertes into that of Hamlet. Ham. Give me your pardon, sir: I've done you wrong; pardon't, as you are a gentleman. Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall if it please his majesty, it is the breathing time of day with me; let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the king hold his pur- But pose, I will win for him, if I can; if not, IThis presence knows, and you must needs will gain nothing but my shame, and the odd Osr. Shall I deliver you so? [hits. Ham. To this effect, sir: after what flourish your nature will. Osr. I commend my duty to your lordship. Ham. Yours, yours. [Exit Osrick.] He does well to commend it himself; there are no tongues else for's turn. Hor. This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head. Ham. He did comply with his dug, before he sucked it. Thus has he (and many more of the same breed, that, I know, the drossy age dotes on) only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of encounter; a kind of yesty collection, which carries them through and through the most fond and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trial, the bubbles are out. Enter a Lord. Lord. My lord, his majesty commended him to you by young Osrick, who brings back to him, that you attend him in the hall: he sends to know, if your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you will take longer time. Ham. I am constant to my purposes; they follow the king's pleasure: if his fitness speaks, mine is ready; now, or whensoever, provided I be so able as now. Lord. The king, and queen, and all are coming down. Ham. In happy time. Lord. The queen desires you to use some gentle entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play. Ham. She well instructs me. [Exit Lord. Hor. You will lose this wager, my lord. Ham. I do not think so; since he went into France, I have been in continual practice; I shall win at the odds. But thou wouldst not think, how ill all's here about my heart: but it is no matter. Hor. Nay, good my lord.Ham. It is but foolery; but it is such a kind of gain-giving, as would perhaps trouble a woman. Hor. If your mind dislike anything, obey it: I will forestall their repair hither, and say you are not fit. Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury: there is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. have heard, How I am punish'd with a sore distraction. [tion, That might your nature, honour, and excepRoughly awake, I here proclaim was madness. Was't Hamlet wrong'd Laertes? Never Hamlet: If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away, Then Hamlet does it not; Hamlet denies it. Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil Laer. most To my revenge: but in my terms of honour, Come, one for me. Ham. I'll be your foil, Laertes: in mine ignorance Your skill shall, like a star i' the darkest night, Stick fiery off indeed. Laer. You mock me, sir. Ham. No, by this hand. King. Give them the foils, young Osrick.You know the wager? [Cousin Hamlet, Ham. Very well, my lord; Your grace hath laid the odds o' the weaker side. King. I do not fear it; I have seen you both: But since he 's better'd, we have therefore odds. Laer. This is too heavy, let me see another. Ham. This likes me well. These foils have all a length? Osr. Ay, my good lord. [They prepare to play. And in the cup an union shall he throw, Laer. Why, as a woodcock to mine own I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery. King She swoons to see them bleed. Queen. No, no, the drink, the drink,-O my dear Hamlet !— The drink, the drink ;-I am poison'd. [Dies. Treachery! seek it out. Laer. It is here, Hamlet: Hamlet, thou art slain ; And let the kettle to the trumpet speak, Laer. Ham. Laer. Ham. Osr. A hit, a very palpable hit. Here's to thy health. Give him the cup. while. Ham. I'll play this bout first; set it by a me. Queen. Come, let me wipe thy face. Laer. My lord, I'll hit him now. King. I do not think it. Laer. [Aside.] And yet it is almost against my conscience. [dally; Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes: you but I pray you, pass with your best violence; I am afear'd you make a wanton of me. Laer. Say you so? come on. Osr. Nothing, neither way. Laer. Have at you now. [Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, in scuffling, they change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes. [They play. King. King. O, yet defend me, friends; I am but Drink off this potion :-is thy union here? [Dies. The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit: [Dies. Hor. Now cracks a noble heart :-good night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest! Fort. Where is this sight? I Amb. To tell him his commandment is fulfill'd, England, Are here arriv'd, give order that these bodies Bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage; The soldiers' music, and the rites of war, Take up the bodies such a sight as this [A dead march. Exeunt, bearing away the dead bodies: after which, a peal of ordnance is shot off. Escalus, Prince of Verona. ROMEO AND JULIET. DRAMATIS PERSONE. [Prince. Sampson, Servants to Capulet. Paris, a young Nobleman, Kinsman to the Gregory, S' Montague,Heads of two Houses at variance Peter, another Servant to Capulet. Capulet, S with each other. An Old Man, Kinsman to Capulet. Romeo, Son to Montague. Mercutio, Kinsman to the Prince, and Friend to Romeo. Abram, Servant to Montague. An Apothecary. Three Musicians. Chorus. Page to Mercutio; Page to Paris ; an Officer. Lady Montague, Wife to Montague. Benvolio, Nephew to Montague, and Friend Lady Capulet, Wife to Capulet. to Romeo. Tybalt, Nephew to Lady Capulet. Friar Laurence, a Franciscan. Friar John, of the same order. Balthasar, Servant to Romeo. Juliet, Daughter to Capulet. Citizens of Verona; male and female Rela- SCENE.-Verona: Once, (in the Fifth Act) at Mantua. |