OPHELIA. My lord, as I was sewing in my closet, Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other, As if he had been loosed out of hell To speak of horrors, he comes before me. Mad for thy love? POLONIUS. OPHELIA. My lord, I do not know, But truly I do fear it. POLONIUS. What said he? OPHELIA. He took me by the wrist and held me hard; As he would draw it. Long stay'd he so; And thrice his head thus waving up and down, POLONIUS. Come, go with me: I will go seek the king. Whose violent property fordoes itself And leads the will to desperate undertakings. What, have you given him any hard words of late? OPHELIA. No, my good lord, but, as you did command, His access to me. POLONIUS. That hath made him mad. I am sorry that with better heed and judgment Come, go we to the king: This must be known; which, being kept close, might move More grief to hide than hate to utter love. Come. (Exeunt.) Flourish. Enter KING, QUEEN, ROSENCRANTZ, GUIL DENSTERN, and ATTENDANTS. KING. Claude Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern! What it should be, More than his father's death, that thus hath put him So much from the understanding of himself, I cannot dream of: I entreat you both, QUEEN. Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd of you, Go, some of you, And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is. (Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN, and some ATTENDANTS.) Enter POLONIUS. POLONIUS. I do think, or else this brain of mine KING. O, speak of that; that do I long to hear. POLONIUS. My liege and madam, I have a daughter,-have while she is mine,- Hath given me this: now gather and surmise. "To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the most beautified Ophelia,”— That's an ill phrase, a vile phrase; "beautified" is a vile phrase: but you shall hear. Thus: (Reads.) "In her excellent white bosom, these,” etc. QUEEN. Came this from Hamlet to her? POLONIUS. Good madam, stay a while; I will be faithful. (Reads.) "Doubt thou the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move; Doubt truth to be a liar; But never doubt I love. "O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers; I have not art to reckon my groans: but that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. Adieu. "Thine evermore, most dear lady, whilst this machine is to him, HAMLET." This in obedience hath my daughter shown me. And my young mistress thus I did bespeak: "Lord Hamlet is a prince, out of thy star; This must not be:" and then I prescripts gave her, That she should lock herself from his resort, Admit no messengers, receive no tokens. Which done, she took the fruits of my advice; POLONIUS. Hath there been such a time, I'd fain know that, That I have positively said "'tis so,” When it proved otherwise? KING. Not that I know. POLONIUS. (Pointing to his head and shoulder.) Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed KING. How may we try it further? POLONIUS. You know, sometimes he walks four hours together Here in the lobby. QUEEN. So he does, indeed. POLONIUS. At such a time I'll loose my daughter to him: Mark the encounter: if he love her not, But keep a farm and carters. Away, I do beseech POLONIUS. you, both away: I'll board him presently. (Exeunt KING, QUEEN, and ATTENDANTS.) |