Laer. Farewell, Ophelia; and remember well What I have said to you. Oph. "Tis in my memory lock'd, And you yourself shall keep the key of it. Laer. Farewell. Pol. What is't, Ophelia, he hath said to you? [Exit LAERTES. Oph. So please you, something touching the lord Hamlet. Pol. Marry, well bethought: 'Tis told me, he hath very oft of late Given private time to you: and you yourself Have of your audience been most free and bounteous, If it be so (as so 'tis put on me, And that in way of caution), I must tell you, Oph. He hath, my lord, of late, made many tenders Pol. Affection? puh! you speak like a green girl, Unsifted in such perilous circumstance. Do you believe his tenders, as you call them? Oph. I do not know, my lord, what I should think. Which are not sterling. Tendert yourself more dearly; Oph. My lord he hath impórtuned me with love, In honourable fashion. Pol. Ay, fashion you may call it; go to, go to. Oph. And hath given countenance to his speech, my lord, With almost all the holy vows of heaven. Pol. Ay, springes to catch woodcocks. I do know, When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul I would not in plain terms, from this time forth, * Untempted. § Line. + Esteem. || Pimps. Favours entreated. ¶ Implorers. X with weaving shrubs, Have you so slander any moment's leisure, Oph. I shall obey, my lord. SCENE IV-The Platform. Enter HAMLET, HORATIO, and MARCELLUS. Ham. The air bites shrewdly; it is very cold. Hor. It is a nipping and an eager* air. Ham. What hour now? Hor. I think, it lacks of twelve. Mar. No, it is struck. [Exeunt. Hor. Indeed? I heard it not; it then draws near the season, Wherein the spirit held is wont to walk. [A flourish of trumpets and ordnance shot off, within. What does this mean, my lord? Ham. The king doth wake+ to-night, and takes his rouse,+ Keeps wassel, and the swaggering upspring reels; § And, as he drains his draughts of Rhenish down, The kettle-drum and trumpet thus bray out The triumph of his pledge. Hor. Is it a custom ? Ham. Ay, marry, is't: But to my mind, though I am native here, And to the manner born,-it is a custom More honour'd in the breach, than the observance. This heavy-headed revel, east and west, Makes us traduced, and tax'd of other nations: From our achievements, though perform'd at height, So, oft it chances in particular men, That, for some vicious mode of nature in them, X By the o'ergrowth of some complexion, ** Shall in the general censure take corruption To his own scandal. * Sharp. Upstart revels. + Revel. Jovial draught. The most valuable part of what should be attributed to us. Enter GHOST. Hor. Look, my lord, it comes! Ham. Angels and ministers of grace defend us !- Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell, Thou com'st in such a questionable* shape, That I will speak to thee; I'll call thee, Hamlet, With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls? As if it some impartment did desire To you alone. Mar. Look, with what courteous action It waves you to a more removed‡ ground: But do not go with it. Hor. No, by no means. Ham. It will not speak; then I will follow it. Hor. Do not, my lord. Ham. Why, what should be the fear? I do not set my life at a pin's fee; § And, for my soul, what can it do to that, Being a thing immortal as itself? It waves me forth again;-I'll follow it. Hor. What, if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff, That beetles o'er his base into the sea? And there assume some other horrible form, Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason, And draw you into madness? think of it: The very place puts toys of desperation, Ham. It waves me still: Go on, I'll follow thee. Mar. You shall not go, my lord. [GHOST beckons. [Breaking from them. And makes each petty artery in this body [Exeunt GHOST and HAMLET. Hor. He waxes desperate with imagination. Mar. Nay, let's follow him. [Exeunt. SCENE V-A more remote part of the Platform. Ham. Whither wilt thou lead me? Speak; I'll go no further. Ham. I will. Ghost. My hour is almost come, When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames Must render up myself. Ham. Alas, poor ghost! Ghost. Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing To what I shall unfold. Ham. Speak, I am bound to hear. Ghost. So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear. Ghost. I am thy father's spirit; Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night; And, for the day, confined to fast in fires, Till the foul crimes, done in my days of nature, Are burn'd and purged away. But that I am forbid I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul; freeze thy young blood; And each particular hair to stand on end, But this eternal blazon‡ must not be To ears of flesh and blood:-List, list, O list! If thou didst ever thy dear father love, Ham. O heaven! Ghost. Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. Ham. Murder? Ghost. Murder most foul, as in the best it is; But this most foul, strange, and unnatural. Ham. Haste me to know it; that I, with wings as swift As meditation, or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge. Ghost. I find thee apt; * Hinders. † Porcupine. + Display. he had suspect is it And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark Rankly abused: but know, thou noble youth, Ham. O, my prophetic soul! my uncle! Ghost. Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast, But virtue, as it never will be moved, Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven; And prey on garbage. But, soft! methinks, I scent the morning air; Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole, Most lazar T-like, with vile and loathsome crust, Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand, Of life, of crown, of queen, at once despatch'd :** ¶ Leper. + Henbane. ** Bereft. of that †† Without the sacrament, preparation, or extreme unction. Acri |