Hamlet Page #11

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sweet maid,

and not have strew'd thy grave.

O, treble woe fall ten times double

on that cursed head

whose wicked deed thy most

ingenious sense depriv'd thee of!

Hold off the earth awhile, till I have

caught her once more in mine arms.

Now pile your dust

upon the quick and dead.

What is he whose grief

bears such an emphasis?

This is l, Hamlet the Dane.

- The devil take thy soul!

- Thou prayest not well.

- I prithee take thy fingers from my throat.

- Pluck them asunder!

- Hold off your hand.

- Good my lord, be quiet.

I will fight with him upon this theme

until my eyelids will no longer wag.

O my son, what theme?

I lov'd Ophelia;

forty thousand brothers could not,

with all their quantity of love,

make up my sum.

- What wilt thou do for her?

- O, he is mad, Laertes.

Woo't fast, woo't fight,

woo't drink up eisel? I'll do't.

Dost come here to whine? To outface me

with leaping in her grave?

Be buried quick with her, and so will l.

Nay, an thou'lt mouth,

I'll rant as well as thou.

Hear you, sir:
what is the reason

that you use me thus?

I lov'd you ever. But it is no matter.

Let Hercules himself do what he may,

the cat will mew

and dog will have his day.

Good Gertrude,

set some watch over your son.

Strengthen your patience

in our last night's speech;

this grave shall have

a living monument.

Up from my cabin, my sea-gown

scarf'd about me, in the dark

grop'd I to find out them;

had my desire;

finger'd their packet, where I found,

Horatio, a royal knavery!

An exact command, that,

on the supervise, no leisure bated,

no, not to stay the grinding of the axe,

my head should be struck off.

- ls't possible?

- Here's the commission; read it

at more leisure.

But wilt thou hear now

how I did proceed?

I sat me down; devis'd a new

commission; wrote it fair.

An earnest conjuration from the King,

as England was his faithful tributary,

he should these bearers put to

sudden death, not shriving time allow'd.

So Guildenstern and

Rosencrantz go to't.

Why, man, they did make love

to this employment;

they are not near my conscience.

But I am very sorry, good Horatio,

that to Laertes I forgot myself;

for by the image of my cause

I see the portraiture of his.

Peace; who comes here?

Your lordship is right welcome

back to Denmark.

- Dost know this water-fly?

- No, my good lord.

Thy state is the more gracious.

Sweet lord, if your lordship

were at leisure,

I should impart a thing to you

from his Majesty.

I will receive it, sir,

with 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, 'tis very cold;

the wind is northerly.

It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.

But yet methinks it is very sultry

and hot for my complexion.

Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry,

as 'twere - I cannot tell how.

But, my lord,

his Majesty bade me signify to you

that he has laid a great wager

on your head. Sir, this is the matter.

I beseech you, remember.

Nay, my good lord; for mine ease,

in good faith.

Sir, here is newly come to court Laertes;

believe me, an absolute gentleman,

full of most excellent differences.

What imports the nomination

of this gentleman?

- Of Laertes?

- His purse is empty already;

all's golden words are spent.

- I know you are not ignorant...

- I would you did, sir;

yet, indeed, if you did

it would not much approve me. Well, sir.

...are not ignorant

of what excellence Laertes is.

- I mean, sir, for his weapon.

- What's his weapon?

- Rapier and dagger.

- That's two of his weapons, but well.

The King, sir, hath wager'd with him

six Barbary horses;

against the which he has impon'd,

as I take it,

six French swords and poniards;

three of the carriages, in faith,

are very dear to fancy,

very responsive to the hilts,

most delicate carriages,

and of very liberal conceit.

Six Barbary horses

against six French swords

and three liberal conceited carriages;

that's the French bet against the Danish.

Why is this impon'd, as you call it?

The King, sir, hath laid, sir, that in a

dozen passes between yourself and him

he shall not exceed you three hits;

he has laid on twelve for nine,

and it should come to immediate trial

if your lordship

would vouchsafe an answer.

How if I answer no?

I mean, my lord,

the opposition of your person in trial.

Sir, if it please his Majesty,

it is the breathing time of day with me;

I will win for him and I can;

if not, I shall receive nothing

but my shame and the odd hits.

Shall I redeliver you e'en so?

To this effect, sir,

after what flourish your nature will.

I commend my duty to your lordship.

Yours, yours.

- You will lose, my lord.

- I do not think so.

Since he went into France

I have been in continual practice.

I shall win at the odds.

But thou would'st not think how ill all's

here about my heart; but it is no matter.

Nay, good my lord.

If your mind dislike anything, obey it.

I will forestall their repair hither

and say you are not fit.

Not a whit;

we defy augury:

there is a special providence

in the fall of a sparrow.

If it be now, 'tis 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.

Since no man has aught

of what he leaves,

what is't to leave betimes? Let be.

Come, Hamlet, come,

and take this hand from me.

Give me your pardon, sir.

I have done you wrong;

but pardon't as you are a gentleman.

This presence knows,

and you must needs have heard

how I am punished

with a sore affliction.

What I have done that might your nature,

honour and exception roughly awake,

I here proclaim was madness.

I am satisfied in nature,

whose motive in this case

should stir me most to my revenge;

but in my terms of honour, I stand aloof,

and will no reconcilement till

by some elder masters of known honour

I have a voice and precedent of peace

to keep my name ungor'd.

I embrace it freely;

and will this brother's wager frankly play.

Cousin Hamlet, you know the wager?

Very well, my lord; your Grace

has laid the odds a' th' weaker side.

I do not fear it: I have seen you both;

since he is better,

we have therefore odds.

This is too heavy; let me see another.

This likes me well.

- These foils have all a length?

- Ay, my good lord.

Stay.

If Hamlet give the first or second hit,

the King shall drink

to Hamlet's better breath,

and in the cup an union shall he throw,

richer than that which four successive

Kings in Denmark's crown have worn.

Come, begin.

And you, the judges, bear a wary eye.

- Come on, sir.

- Come, my lord.

- One. Judgment?

- A hit, a very palpable hit.

Well, again.

Hamlet, this pearl is thine.

Here's to thy health.

I'll play this bout first; set it by awhile.

Another hit; what say you?

A touch, a touch, I do confess't.

- Our son shall win.

- He's fat and scant of breath.

Here, Hamlet, take my napkin,

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