Hamlet | Page 4

of reason,
Would
have mourn'd longer,--married with mine uncle,
My father's brother;
but no more like my father
Than I to Hercules: within a month;
Ere
yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
Had left the flushing in her
galled eyes,
She married:-- O, most wicked speed, to post
With
such dexterity to incestuous sheets!

It is not, nor it cannot come to
good;
But break my heart,--for I must hold my tongue!
[Enter Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo.]
Hor.
Hail to your lordship!

Ham.
I am glad to see you well:
Horatio,--or I do forget myself.
Hor.
The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever.
Ham.
Sir, my good friend; I'll change that name with you:
And
what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?--
Marcellus?
Mar.
My good lord,--
Ham.
I am very glad to see you.--Good even, sir.--
But what, in
faith, make you from Wittenberg?
Hor.
A truant disposition, good my lord.
Ham.
I would not hear your enemy say so;
Nor shall you do my ear
that violence,
To make it truster of your own report
Against
yourself: I know you are no truant.
But what is your affair in Elsinore?

We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.
Hor.
My lord, I came to see your father's funeral.
Ham.
I prithee do not mock me, fellow-student.
I think it was to see
my mother's wedding.
Hor.
Indeed, my lord, it follow'd hard upon.
Ham.
Thrift, thrift, Horatio! The funeral bak'd 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.
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 for awhile
With an attent ear, till I
may deliver,
Upon the witness of these gentlemen,
This marvel to
you.
Ham.
For God's love let me hear.
Hor.
Two nights together had these gentlemen,
Marcellus and
Bernardo, on their watch
In the dead vast and middle of the night,

Been thus encounter'd. A figure like your father,
Armed at point
exactly, cap-a-pe,
Appears before them and with solemn march

Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd
By their oppress'd
and fear-surprised eyes,
Within his truncheon's length; whilst they,
distill'd
Almost to jelly with the act of fear,
Stand dumb, and speak
not to him. This to me
In dreadful secrecy impart they did;
And I
with them the third night kept the watch:
Where, as they had deliver'd,
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.
Ham.
But where was this?
Mar.
My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd.
Ham.
Did you not speak to it?
Hor.
My lord, I did;
But answer made it none: yet once methought


It lifted up it 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 vanish'd from our sight.
Ham.
'Tis very strange.
Hor.
As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true;
And 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?
Mar. and Ber.
We do, my lord.
Ham.
Arm'd, say you?
Both.
Arm'd, my lord.
Ham.
From top to toe?
Both.
My lord, from head to foot.
Ham.
Then saw you not his face?
Hor.
O, yes, my lord: he wore his beaver up.
Ham.
What, look'd he frowningly?
Hor.
A countenance more in sorrow than in anger.
Ham.
Pale or red?
Hor.
Nay, very pale.
Ham.
And fix'd his eyes upon you?
Hor.
Most constantly.

Ham.
I would I had been there.
Hor.
It would have much amaz'd you.
Ham.
Very like, very like. Stay'd it long?
Hor.
While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred.
Mar. and Ber.
Longer, longer.
Hor.
Not when I saw't.
Ham.
His beard was grizzled,--no?
Hor.
It was, as I have seen it in his life,
A sable silver'd.
Ham.
I will watch to-night;
Perchance 'twill walk again.
Hor.
I warr'nt it will.
Ham.
If it assume my noble father's person,
I'll speak to it, though
hell itself should gape
And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all,
If
you have hitherto conceal'd this sight,
Let it be tenable in your silence
still;
And whatsoever else shall hap to-night,
Give it an
understanding, but no tongue:
I will requite your loves. So, fare ye
well:
Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve,
I'll visit you.
All.
Our duty to your honour.
Ham.
Your loves, as mine to you: farewell.
[Exeunt Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo.]
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,
Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes.

[Exit.]
Scene III. A room in Polonius's house.
[Enter Laertes and Ophelia.]
Laer.
My necessaries are embark'd: farewell:
And, sister, as the
winds give benefit
And convoy is assistant, do not sleep,
But let