Ros. She desires to speak with you in her closet, ere you go to bed. Ham. We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any further trade with us? Ros. My lord, you once did love me. Ham. So I do still, by these pickers and stealers. Ros. Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? you do freely bar the door of your own liberty, if you deny your griefs to your friend. Ham. Sir, I lack advancement. Ros. How can that be, when you have the voice of the king himself for your succession in Denmark? Ham. Ay, but "While the grass grows,"-the proverb is something musty. Enter one with a recorder. O, the recorder: let me see.-To withdraw with you: -Why do you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive me into a toil? Guil. O, my lord, if my duty be too bold, my love is too unmannerly. Ham. I do not well understand that. Will you play upon this pipe? Guil. My lord, I cannot. Ham. I pray you. Guil. Believe me, I cannot. Ham. I do beseech you. Guil. I know no touch of it, my lord. Ham. "T is as easy as lying: govern these ventages with your fingers and thumb, give it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most excellent music. Look you, these are the stops. Guil. But these cannot I command to any utterance of harmony; I have not the skill. Ham. Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me. You would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass: and there is much music, excellent voice, in this little organ; yet cannot you make it. Why, do you think that I am easier to be played on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me. God bless you, sir! Enter POLONIUS. Pol. My lord, the queen would speak with you, and presently. Ham. Do you see that cloud, that 's almost in shape like a camel? Pol. By the mass, and 't is like a camel, indeed. Pol. It is backed like a weasel. Ham. Or, like a whale? Pol. Very like a whale. Ham. Then will I come to my mother by and by.They fool me to the top of my bent.-I will come by and by. Pol. I will say so. [Exit POL. Ham. By and by is easily said.-Leave me, friends. [Exeunt Ros., GUIL., HOR., &c. "T is now the very witching time of night; When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out Would quake to look on. Soft; now to my mother.- I will speak daggers to her, but use none; To give them seals b never, my soul, consent! a Shent-rebuked; or probably here, hurt. [Exit. b To give them seals-to give my words seals; to make my sayings deeds. SCENE III.-A Room in the same. Enter KING, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTern. King. I like him not; nor stands it safe with us, To let his madness range. Therefore, prepare you; I your commission will forthwith despatch, And he to England shall along with you: The terms of our estate may not endure Hazard so dangerous, as doth hourly grow Out of his lunacies. Guil. We will ourselves provide: Ros. The single and peculiar life is bound, King. Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy voyage; For we will fetters put upon this fear, Which now goes too free-footed. Ros., Guil We will haste us. [Ex. Ros. & GUIL. Enter POLONIUS. Pol. My lord, he 's going to his mother's closet: Behind the arras I 'll convey myself, To hear the process; I'll warrant, she 'll tax him home. And, as you said, and wisely was it said, "T is meet, that some more audience than a mother, And tell you what I know. King. And what 's in prayer, but this two-fold force,- Or pardon'd, being down? Then I 'll look up; O wretched state! O bosom, black as death! Art more engag'd! Help, angels, make assay! All may be well! [Retires, and kneels. Enter HAMLET. Ham. Now might I do it, pat, now he is praying; And now I'll do 't :-and so he goes to heaven: And so am I reveng'd? That would be scann'd : A villain kills my father; and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. O, this is hire and salary, not revenge. He took my father grossly, full of bread; With all his crimes broad blown, as fresh as May; When he is fit and season'd for his passage? Up, sword; and know thou a more horrid hent: Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven; The KING rises and advances. [Exit. King. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words, without thoughts, never to heaven go. [Exit. VOL. VII. Y |