Mar. Thou art a scholar, speak to it, Horatio. Ber. Looks it not like the King? mark it, Horatio. Hor. Most like: it harrows me with fear and wonder. Ber. It would be spoke to. Mar. Speak to it, Horatio. Hor. What art thou, that ufurp'ft this time of night, Together with that fair and warlike form In which the Majesty of buried Denmark Did fometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, speak. Mar. It is offended. Ber. See! it ftalks away. Hor. Stay; fpeak; fpeak, I charge thee, speak. Mar. 'Tis gone, and will not answer. [Exit GHOST. Ber. How now, Horatio? you tremble, and look pale; Is not this fomething more than fantasy ? What think you of it? Hor. Before my God, I might not this believe, Without the fenfible and true avouch Of mine own eyes. Mar. Is it not like the King? Hor. As thou art to thyself: Such was the very armour he had on, 'Tis ftrange. Mar. Thus, twice before, and just at this dead hour, With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch. Hor. In what particular thought to work, I know not, But, in the grofs and scope of mine opinion, This bodes fome strange eruption to our state. Mar. Good now, fit down, and tell me, he that knows, Why this fame ftrict and moft obfervant watch So nightly toils the fubject of the land; Why fuch imprefs of fhipwrights, whofe fore tafk Doth make the night joint-labourer with the day; Hor. That can I; At least the whisper goes fo. Our laft king, Dar'd to the combat; in which, our valiant Hamlet Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands, Had he been vanquisher; as, by the fame co-mart, His fell to Hamlet: Now, Sir, young Fortinbras, Hath in the skirts of Norway, here and there, โร Is the main motive of our preparations; The fource of this our watch; and the chief head Of this post-hafte and romage in the land. Ber. I think it be no other, but even fo; Well may it fort, that this portentous figure Comes armed through our watch; fo like the king That was, and is, the queftion of thefe wars. Hor. A mote it is, to trouble the mind's eye. In the most high and palmy state of Rome, A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, The graves stood tenantlefs, and the sheeted dead Did fqueak and gibber in the Roman streets. As ftars with trains of fire, and dews of blood, Have heaven and earth together demonftrated Re-enter GHOST. But, foft; behold! lo, where it comes again! Speak to me: If there be any good thing to be done, If thou art privy to thy country's fate, Or, if thou haft uphoarded in thy life For which, they fay, you fpirits oft walk in death, [Cock crows. Speak of it :—stay, and speak.—Stop it Marcellus. Ber. 'Tis here! Hor. 'Tis here!" Mar. 'Tis gone! We do it wrong, being so majestical, For it is, as the air, invulnerable, And our vain blows malicious mockery. [Exit GHOST. Ber. It was about to speak when the cock crew. Mar. It faded on the crowing of the cock; Hor. So have I heard, and do in part believe it.. Walks Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastern hill: Mar. Let's do't, I pray and I this morning know SCENE II. A Room of State in Elfinore. [Exeunt. Enter the KING, QUEEN, HAMLET, POLONIUS, LAERTES, VOLTIMAND, CORNELIUS, LORDS, and Attendants. King. Though yet of Hamlet, our dear brother's death, The memory be green; and that it us befitted To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom To be contracted in one brow of woe; Yet fo far hath difcretion fought with nature, Now follows, that you know, young Fortinbras, Holding |