Franco Zeffirelli: The Art of Entertainment Page #8

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and call it accident.

Lord Hamlet!

Your lordship is right welcome

back to Denmark.

I humbly thank you, sir.

Sweet lord,

if your lordship were at leisure...

I should impart a thing to you

from His Majesty.

I will receive it, sir,

will all diligence of spirit.

Put your bonnet to his right use.

'Tis for the head.

I thank your lordship, it is very hot.

No, believe me, it is very cold.

The wind is northerly.

My lord, His Majesty bade me tell you...

that he has laid a great wager

on your head.

Laertes, believe me,

is an absolute gentleman.

I well know

you are not ignorant of his skills.

To know a man well were to know himself.

The king hath wagered

six Barbary horses...

that in a dozen passes between you...

he shall not exceed you three hits.

It would come

to immediate trial tomorrow...

if your lordship would vouchsafe

a timely answer.

I will win for him, if I can.

If not, I gain nothing but my shame

and the odd hits.

Shall I deliver you even so?

If his fitness speaks, mine is ready...

now or whensoever,

provided I be so able as now.

- You will lose this wager, my lord.

- I do not think so.

I have been in continual practice.

I shall win at the odds.

Thou wouldst not think

how ill all's here about my heart.

But it is no matter.

If your mind dislike anything, obey it.

Not a whit. We defy augury.

I have it.

When in your motion you are hot and dry...

I'll have a chalice, which if he but sip...

our purpose may hold there.

For that purpose, I'll anoint my sword.

I bought an unction of a mountebank...

so mortal that, if I but scratch him,

it will mean death.

It warms the very sickness in my heart

that I shall tell him to his teeth:

"Thus diest thou."

There is special providence

in the fall of a sparrow.

If it be now, it is not to come.

If it be not to come, it will be now.

If it be not now, yet it will come.

The readiness is all.

All salute!

Come, Hamlet, come,

and take this hand from me.

Give me your pardon, sir.

I have done you wrong...

but pardon it, as you are a gentleman.

Sir, in this audience...

free me so far

in your most generous thoughts...

that I have shot my arrow over the house

and hurt my brother.

I am satisfied in nature...

but in terms of honor, I stand aloof...

and will no reconcilement.

Yet I receive your offered love like love...

and will not wrong it.

I embrace it freely...

and will this brother's wager frankly play.

Give us the sword!

Come, one for me.

- Cousin Hamlet, you know the wager?

- Very well, my lord.

Your Grace has laid the odds

on the weaker side.

I do not fear it. I have seen you both.

Set me the stoup of wine upon that table.

If Hamlet give the first or second hit...

the King shall drink

to Hamlet's better breath.

And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,

the trumpet to the cannoneer without...

the cannons to the heavens,

the heaven to earth:

"Now the King drinks to Hamlet!"

What's wrong, Laertes?

Higher, Laertes!

Go to it, Laertes!

- One!

- No!

- A hit, a very palpable hit.

- Well, again!

Stay.

Give me drink.

Hamlet...

this pearl is thine.

Here's to thy health!

I'll play this bout first. Set it by a while.

Stay!

- Another hit! What say you?

- A touch, I do confess.

- Our son shall win.

- He's scant of breath.

The queen carouses

to thy fortune, Hamlet.

Gertrude, do not drink.

I will, my lord, I pray you pardon me.

I dare not drink yet, madam. By and by.

Come, let me wipe thy face.

This is too heavy.

Come for the third, Laertes.

You do but dally.

Say you so? Come on!

Laertes, you have practiced much.

Parry again, lord.

Come, my lord!

My lord Hamlet!

Break it!

Nothing, neither way. Part, sirs!

'Tis unfair!

Nay, come again!

Fight, Laertes!

Look to the Queen there! Ho!

They bleed on both sides.

- How does my lord?

- How does the Queen?

She swoons to see them bleed!

No!

The drink.

O my dear Hamlet...

O villainy!

Ho! Let the doors be locked!

Treachery! Seek it out.

It is here, Hamlet.

Hamlet, thou art slain.

No medicine in the world

can do thee good.

The treacherous instrument

is in thy hand...

unbated and envenomed.

The foul practice hath turned itself on me.

I am justly killed with mine own treachery.

Exchange forgiveness with me,

noble Hamlet.

Mine and my father's death

come not upon thee.

Nor mine on thee.

I can no more!

The King...

The King's to blame.

The point envenomed.

Then, venom, to thy work!

Yet defend me, friends.

Here, thou incestuous, murderous,

damned Dane...

drink of this potion.

Is thy union here? Follow my mother!

I am dead, Horatio.

Wretched queen...

adieu.

You that look pale

and tremble at this chance:

Had I but time...

as this fell sergeant, death,

is strict in his arrest...

I could tell you...

But let it be.

Horatio, I am dead.

Thou livest.

Report me and my cause aright.

God, Horatio, what a wounded name...

things standing thus unknown,

shall live behind me.

If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart...

absent thee from felicity awhile...

and then in this harsh world

draw thy breath in pain...

to tell my story.

I die, Horatio.

The potent poison

quite o'er-crows my spirit.

The rest is silence.

Good night, sweet prince...

and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

English

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