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But what is your affair in Elsinoor?

We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart. (25)

Hor. My Lord, I came to see your father's fu

neral. [dent; Ham. I pr'ythee, do not mock me, fellow-stuI think it was to see my mother's wedding.

Hor. Indeed, my Lord, it followed hard upon. Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio; the funeral baked

meats

Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.
'Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven,
Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio;
My father-methinks I see my father.
Hor. Oh where, my Lord?

Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio.

Hor. I saw him once, he was a goodly King. Ham. He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again.

Hor. My Lord, I think I saw him yesternight. Ham. Saw! who?

Hor. My Lord, the King your father.

Ham. The King my father!

Hor. Season your admiration but a while,

(25) This alludes to the circumstance that the same space in the moon mentioned in the last note as being often assimilated to an hour glass, is hereafter very fre quently likened to a drinking glass, also,

With an attentive ear; 'till I deliver,
Upon the witness of these gentlemen,

This marvel to you.

Ham. For heaven's love, let me hear.

Hor. Two nights together had these gentlemen, Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,

your father,

In the dead waste and middle of the night,
Been thus encountered: A figure like
Armed at all points exactly, cap-a-pe,
Appears before them, and with solemn march
Goes slow and stately by them; thrice he walked,
By their oppressed and fear-surprised eyes,
Within his truncheon's length; whilst they (dis-
Almost to jelly with the act of fear)

Stand dumb, and speak not to him.

[tilled

This to me In dreadful secrecy impart they did, And I with them the third night kept the watch; Where, as they had delivered both in time, Form of the thing, each word made true and good, The apparition comes. I knew your father: These hands are not more like. (26)

Ham. But where was this?

Mar. My Lord, upon the platform where we watch'd.

(26) Horatio's hands, laid flat on his breast, would, in fact, constitute the face of the late king, Hamlet's father, as may be seen by examining the prototypes of figures 49 and 60 in the moon.

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Ham. Did you not speak to it?

Hor. My Lord, I did;

But answer made it none; yet once methought, It lifted up its head, and did address

Itself to motion, like as it would speak :

But even then the morning cock crew loud;
And at the sound it shrunk in haste away,
And vanished from our sight.

Ham. 'Tis very strange.

Hor. As I do live my honoured Lord, 'tis true; As we did think it writ down in our duty

To let you know of it.

Ham. Indeed, indeed, Sirs, but this troubles me. Hold you the watch to-night?

Both. We do, my Lord.

Ham. Armed, say you?

Both. Armed my Lord.

Ham. From top to toe?

Both. My Lord, from head to foot.

Ham. Then saw you not his face?

Hor. Oh yes, my Lord, he wore his beaver up. Ham. What, looked he frowningly?

Hor. A countenance more in sorrow than in anger. Ham. Pale or red?

Hor. Nay, very pale.

Ham. And fixed his eyes upon you?

Hor. Most constantly.

Ham. I would I had been there!

Hor. It would have much amazed you.

Ham. Very like; staid it long?

Hor. While one with moderate haste might tell

Both. Longer, longer.

Hor. Not when I saw't.

[a hundred.

Ham. His beard was grisly?

Hor. It was, as I have seen it in his life,

A sable silvered.

[again. Ham. I'll watch to night; perchance 'twill walk Hor. I warrant you it will.

Ham. If it assume my noble father's person,
I'll speak to it, tho' hell itself should gape
And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all,
If you have hitherto concealed this sight,
Let it be treble in your silence still:
And whatsoever shall befal to-night,
Give it an understanding but no tongue.
I will requite your loves: so, fare ye
Upon the platform 'twixt eleven and twelve

I'll visit

you.

All. Our duty to your honour.

well.

[Exeunt. Ham. Your loves as mine to you farewel. My father's spirit in arms! all is not well :

I doubt some foul play; 'would the night were

come!

'Till then sit still, my soul: foul deeds will rise
(Tho' all the earth o'erwhelm them) to men's eyes.

[Exit.

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SCENE changes to an Apartment in Polonius' House.

Enter LAERTES and Ophelia.

Laer. My necessaries are embarked, farewel; And, sister, as the winds give benefit,

And convoy is assistant, do not sleep,
But let me hear from you.

Oph. Do you doubt that? (27)

(27) Ophelia is precisely the same as the widow's waiting damsel in Hudibras, drawn, ante, in figure 26: Ophelia herself is exhibited in Fig. 61,

with her nunnery veil on, and the sliver of the willow tree before her, both which are hereafter noticed.

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