That both the worlds I give to negligence, King. Who shall stay you? Laer. My will, not all the world's: And, for my means, I'll husband them so well, King Good Laertes, If you desire to know the certainty Of your dear father's death, is't writ in your revenge, That, sweepstake, you will draw both friend and foe, Winner and loser? Laer. None but his enemies. King. Will you know them then? Laer. To his good friends thus wide I'll ope my arms; And, like the kind life-rend'ring pelican, Repast them with my blood. Danes. [Within] Let her come in. Laer. How now! what noise is that? Enter OPHELIA, fantastically dressed with Straws and Flowers. O heat, dry up my brains! tears, seven times salt, Oph. They bore him barefac'd on the bier; Laer. Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge, It could not move thus. Oph. You must sing, Down a-down, an you call him a-down-a. O, how the wheel becomes it! It is the false steward, that stole his master's daughter. Laer. This nothing's more than matter. Oph. There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray you, love, remember: and there is pansies, that's for thoughts. Laer. A document in madness; thoughts and remembrance fitted. Oph. There's fennel for you, and columbines:--there's rue for you; and here's some for me:-we may call it, herb of grace o'Sundays:-you may wear your rue with a difference.-There's a daisy:-I would give you some violets; but they withered all, when my father died:-They say, he made a good end, For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy, [Sings. Laer. Thought and affliction, passion, hell itself, She turns to favour, and to prettiness. Oph. And will he not come again? And will he not come again? Go to thy death-bed, He never will come again. His beard was as white as snow, All flaxen was his poll: He is gone, he is gone, And of all Christian souls! I pray God. wi' you! Laer. Do you see this, O God? [Sings. God be [Exit Ophelia. King. Laertes, I must commune with your grief, Or you deny me right. Go but apart, Make choice of whom your wisest friends you will, They find us touch'd, we will our kingdom give, Be you content to lend your patience to us, Laer. Let this be so; No trophy, sword, nor hatchment, o'er his bones, Cry to be heard, as 'twere from heaven to earth, So you shall; King. [Exeunt. SCENE VI. Another Room in the same. Enter HORATIO and a Servant. Hor. What are they, that would speak with me? They say, they have letters for you. Hor. Sailors, sir; Let them come in. [Exit Servant. I do not know from what part of the world Enter Sailors. 1 Sail. God bless you, sir. Hor. Let him bless thee too. 1 Sail. He shall, sir, an't please him. There's a letter for you, sir: it comes from the ambassador that was bound for Englaud; if your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is. Hor. [Reads] Horatio, when thou shalt have overlooked this, give these fellows some means to the king; they have letters for him. Ere we were two days old at sea, a pirate of very warlike appointment gave us chase: Finding ourselves too slow of sail, we put on a compelled valour; and in the grapple 1 boarded them: on the instant they got clear of our ship; so I alone became their prisoner. They have dealt with me, like thieves of mercy; but they knew what they did; I am to do a good turn for them. Let the king have the letters 1 have sent; and repair thou to me with as much haste as thou wouldst fly death. I have words to speak in thine ear, will make thee dumb; yet are they much too light for the bore of the matter. These good fellows will bring "thee where I am. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern hold their course for England: of them I have much to tell thee. Farewell. He that thou knowest thine, HAMLET. Come, I will give you way for these your letters; And do't the speedier, that you may direct me To him from whom you brought them. SCENE VII. [Exeunt. Another Room in the same. Enter KING and LAERTES. King. Now must your conscience my acquittance seal, And you must put me in your heart for friend; Laer. As by your safety, greatness, wisdom, all things else, King. (My virtue, or my plague, be it either which), She is so conjunctive to my life and soul, That, as the star moves not but in his sphere, Is, the great love the general gender bear him : Laer. And so have I a noble father lost; For her perfections:-But my revenge will come. King. Break not your sleeps for that: you must not think, That we are made of stuff so flat and dull, That we can let our beard be shook with danger, And that, I hope, will teach you to imagine, Mess. Enter a Messenger. Letters, my lord, from Hamlet: This to your majesty; this to the queen. King. From Hamlet! who brought them? Mess. Sailors, my lord, they say: I saw them not; They were given me by Claudio; he received them Of him that brought them. King. Leave us. Laertes, you shall hear them:[Exit Messenger. [Reads] High and mighty, you shall know, I am set naked on your kingdom. To-morrow shall I beg leave to see your kingly eyes: when I shall, first asking your pardon thereunto, recount the occasion of my sudden and more strange return. HAMLET. What should this mean? Are all the rest come back? Or is it some abuse, aud no such thing? |