Hamlet | Page 8

it.
Ham.
No; you'll reveal it.
Hor.
Not I, my lord, by heaven.
Mar.
Nor I, my lord.
Ham.
How say you then; would heart of man once think it?--
But
you'll be secret?
Hor. and Mar.
Ay, by heaven, my lord.
Ham.
There's ne'er a villain dwelling in all Denmark
But he's an
arrant knave.
Hor.
There needs no ghost, my lord, come from the grave
To tell us
this.
Ham.
Why, right; you are i' the right;
And so, without more
circumstance at all,
I hold it fit that we shake hands and part:
You,
as your business and desires shall point you,--
For every man hath
business and desire,
Such as it is;--and for my own poor part,
Look
you, I'll go pray.
Hor.
These are but wild and whirling words, my lord.
Ham.
I'm sorry they offend you, heartily;
Yes, faith, heartily.

Hor.
There's no offence, my lord.
Ham.
Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio,
And much
offence too. Touching this vision here,--
It is an honest ghost, that let
me tell you:
For your desire to know what is between us,

O'ermaster't as you may. And now, good friends,
As you are friends,
scholars, and soldiers,
Give me one poor request.
Hor.
What is't, my lord? we will.
Ham.
Never make known what you have seen to-night.
Hor. and Mar.
My lord, we will not.
Ham.
Nay, but swear't.
Hor.
In faith,
My lord, not I.
Mar.
Nor I, my lord, in faith.
Ham.
Upon my sword.
Mar.
We have sworn, my lord, already.
Ham.
Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.
Ghost.
[Beneath.] Swear.
Ham.
Ha, ha boy! say'st thou so? art thou there, truepenny?--
Come
on!--you hear this fellow in the cellarage,--
Consent to swear.
Hor.
Propose the oath, my lord.
Ham.
Never to speak of this that you have seen,
Swear by my
sword.

Ghost.
[Beneath.] Swear.
Ham.
Hic et ubique? then we'll shift our ground.--
Come hither,
gentlemen,
And lay your hands again upon my sword:
Never to
speak of this that you have heard,
Swear by my sword.
Ghost.
[Beneath.] Swear.
Ham.
Well said, old mole! canst work i' the earth so fast?
A worthy
pioner!--Once more remove, good friends.
Hor.
O day and night, but this is wondrous strange!
Ham.
And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
There are more
things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your
philosophy.
But come;--
Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,

How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,--
As I, perchance,
hereafter shall think meet
To put an antic disposition on,--
That you,
at such times seeing me, never shall,
With arms encumber'd thus, or
this head-shake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
As
'Well, well, we know'; or 'We could, an if we would';--
Or 'If we list
to speak'; or 'There be, an if they might';-- Or such ambiguous giving
out, to note
That you know aught of me:--this is not to do,
So grace
and mercy at your most need help you,
Swear.
Ghost.
[Beneath.] Swear.
Ham.
Rest, rest, perturbed spirit!--So, gentlemen,
With all my love
I do commend me to you:
And what so poor a man as Hamlet is

May do, to express his love and friending to you,
God willing, shall
not lack. Let us go in together;
And still your fingers on your lips, I
pray.
The time is out of joint:--O cursed spite,
That ever I was born
to set it right!--
Nay, come, let's go together.
[Exeunt.]

Act II.
Scene I. A room in Polonius's house.
[Enter Polonius and Reynaldo.]
Pol.
Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.
Rey.
I will, my lord.
Pol.
You shall do marvellous wisely, good Reynaldo,
Before You
visit him, to make inquiry
Of his behaviour.
Rey.
My lord, I did intend it.
Pol.
Marry, well said; very well said. Look you, sir,
Enquire me
first what Danskers are in Paris;
And how, and who, what means, and
where they keep,
What company, at what expense; and finding,
By
this encompassment and drift of question,
That they do know my son,
come you more nearer
Than your particular demands will touch it:

Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him;
As thus, 'I know
his father and his friends,
And in part hi;m;--do you mark this,
Reynaldo?
Rey.
Ay, very well, my lord.
Pol.
'And in part him;--but,' you may say, 'not well:
But if't be he I
mean, he's very wild;
Addicted so and so;' and there put on him

What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank
As may dishonour
him; take heed of that;
But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips

As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.
Rey.
As gaming, my lord.
Pol.
Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling,
Drabbing:--you
may go so far.

Rey.
My lord, that would dishonour him.
Pol.
Faith, no; as you may season it in the charge.
You must not put
another scandal on him,
That he is open to incontinency;
That's not
my meaning: but breathe his faults so quaintly
That they may seem
the taints of liberty;
The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind;
A
savageness in unreclaimed blood,
Of general assault.
Rey.
But, my good lord,--
Pol.
Wherefore should you do this?
Rey.
Ay, my lord,
I would know that.
Pol.
Marry, sir, here's my drift;
And I believe it is a fetch of warrant:

You laying these slight sullies on my son
As 'twere a thing a little
soil'd