Hazard so near us. Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy voyage; Which now goes too free-footed. Ros. Guil. We will haste us. [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. 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. "Tis meet, that some more audience than a mother, And tell you what I know. King. Thanks, dear my lord, [Exit POLONIUS. O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven; Yet what can it, when one cannot repent? All may be well! make assay! [Retires and kneels SCENE IV. - Another Room in the same. Enter QUEEN and POLONIUS. Pol. He will come straight. Look, you lay home to him; Tell him, his pranks have been too broad to bear with; Pray you, be round with him. Queen. Fear me not: withdraw, I hear him coming. I'll warrant you; [POLONIUS hides himself Enter HAMLET. Ham. Now, mother; what's the matter? Queen. Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended. Queen. Why, how now, Hamlet? Ham. Queen. Have you forgot me? What's the matter now? No, by the rood, not so; You are the queen, your husband's brother's wife; Queen. Nay, then I'll set those to you that can speak. Ham. Come, come, and sit you down; you shall not budge; You go not, till I set you up a glass Where you may see the inmost part of you. Queen. What wilt thou do? thou wilt not murder me? Help, help, ho! Pol. [Behind.] What, ho! help! How now! a rat? [Draws. [HAMLET makes a pass through the arras Dead, for a ducat, dead. Pol. [Behind.] O, I am slain. [Falls, and dies. Nay, I know not: Queen. O me, what hast thou done? [Lifts up the arras, and draws forth POLONIUS Is it the king? Queen. O, what a rash and bloody deed is this! Ham. A bloody deed; - almost as bad, good mother, As kill a king, and marry with his brother. Queen. As kill a king! Ham. Ah, lady, 'twas my word. [TO POLONIUS. Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell! I took thee for thy better; Leave wringing of your hands: Peace, sit you down, And let me wring your heart: for so I shall, If it be made of penetrable stuff'; If damned custom have not braz'd it so, That it be proof and bulwark against sense. Queen. What have I done, that thou dar'st wag thy tongue In noise so rude against me? Ham. Such an act, That blurs the grace and blush of modesty; Queen. The counterfeit presentment of two brothers. Queen. O Hamlet, speakno more, Thou turn'st my eyes into my very soul; Speak to me no more; These words, like daggers, enter in mine ears: No more, sweet Hamlet. Ham. A murderer, and a villain: A slave, that is not twentieth part the tithe A cutpurse of the empire and the rule; That from a shelf the precious diadem stole, And put it in his pocket! Queen. No more. Enter Ghost. Ham. Of shreds and patches : A king Save me, and hover o'er me with your wings, You heavenly guards !- What would your gracious figure! Queen. Alas! he's mad. Ham. Do you not come your tardy son to chide, That, laps'd in time and passion, lets go by Ghost. Do not forget: this visitation Speak to her, Hamlet. Ham. How is it with you, lady? Queen. Alas, how is 't with you? That you do bend your eye on vacancy, And with the incorporal air do hold discourse? O gentle son, Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper Ham. On him! on him!-Look you, how pale he glares! His form and cause conjoin'd, preaching to stones, Queen. To whom do you speak this? Ham. Do you see nothing there? Queen. Nothing at all; yet all, that is, I see. Ham. Nor did you nothing hear? Queen. No, nothing, but ourselves. Ham. Why, look you there! look how it steals away! My father, in his native habit as he lived! This bodiless creation ecstasy Is very cunning in. Ham. Ecstasy! My pulse, as yours, doth temperately keep time, [Exit Ghost. Queen. O Hamlet! thou hast cleft my heart in twain. And live the purer with the other half. Good night : And when you are desirous to be bless'd, I'll blessing beg of you. -For this same lord, I do repent : [Pointing to POLONTUS. I will bestow him, and will answer well Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind. ACT IV. The guilty King and Queen, alarmed at the consequences which may result from Hamlet's evident knowledge of their crimes, determine to send him to England under the charge of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, with private instructions to the king of England to effect "The present death of Hamlet." This is done, and the young prince sails for England. Ophelia, overcome with grief, at the death of her father, becomes distracted, and seeks an interview with the Queen. Young Laertes, returns from France, and charges the King with being privy to the murder of Polonius. SCENE V.- Elsinore. A Room in the Castle. Queen. I will not speak with her. [Exit HORATIO 'Twere good she were spoken with; for she may strew Dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds. |