Imatges de pàgina
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Put

your

dread pleasures more into command

Than to entreaty.

Guil. But we both obey,

And here give up ourselves in the full bent
To lay our service freely at your feet.

King. Thanks Rosencrantz, and gentle Guildenstern.

Queen. Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle RoAnd I beseech you instantly to visit [sencrantz, My too much changed son. Go, some of ye, And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is. Guil. Heavens make our presence and our pracPleasant and helpful to him!

[tices

[Exeunt Ros. and Guil.

Queen. Amen.

Enter POLONIUS.

Pol. Th' embassadors from Norway, my good. Are joyfully returned

[Lord,

King. Thou still hast been the father of good news. Pol. Have I, my Lord? assure you, my good I hold my duty, as I hold my soul,

[liege, Both to my God, and to my gracious King; And I do think, (or else this brain of mine Hunts not the trail of policy so sure As I have used to do) that I have found The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

King. Oh, speak of that, that do I long to hear.

Pol. Give first admittance to th' embassadors: My news shall be the fruit of that great feast. King. Thyself do grace to them, and bring them

in.

[Exit Pol. He tells me, my sweet Queen, that he hath found The head and source of all your son's distemper.

Queen. I doubt it is no other but the main, His father's death, and our o'er-hasty marriage.

Re-enter POLONIUS, with VOLTIMAND, and
CORNELIUS.

King. Well, we shall sift him.-Welcome, my good friends!

Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway?
Vol. Most fair return of greetings and desires.
Upon our first, he sent out to suppress

His nephew's levies, which to him appeared
To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack :
But, better looked into, he truly found

It was against your Highness: whereat grieved,
That so his sickness, age, and impotence
Was falsely born in hand, sends out arrests
On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys,
Receives rebuke from Norway, and, in fine,
Makes vow before his uncle, never more
To give th' assay of arms against your majesty.
Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy, [fee;
Gives him threescore thousand crowns in annual

And his commission to employ those soldiers,
So levied as before, against the Polack :
With an entreaty herein further shewn,
That it might please you to give quiet pass
Through your dominions for this enterprize,
On such regards of safety and allowance
As therein are set down.

King. It likes us well;

And at our more considered time we'll read,
Answer, and think upon this business.

[bour. Mean time, we thank you for your well-took laGo to your rest; at night we'll feast together. [Exeunt Embas.

Most welcome home!

Pol. This business is well ended.

My liege, and madam, to expostulate

What majesty should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night night, and time is time,
Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time.
Therefore, since brevity's the soul of wit,

And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief; your noble son is mad;
Mad, call I it; for, to define true madness,
What is't, but to be nothing else but mad?
But let that go

Queen. More matter, with less art.

Pol. Madam, I swear, I use no art at all. That he is mad, 'tis true; 'tis true, 'tis pity; And pity 'tis 'tis true; a foolish figure,—

But farewel it; for I will use no art.
Mad let us grant him then; and now remains
That we find out the cause of this effect;
Or rather say, the cause of this defect;
For this effect, defective, comes by cause;
Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.-Per-
pend.-

I have a daughter; have, while she is mine;
Who, in her duty and obedience, mark,
Hath given me this; now gather, and surmise.

[He opens a Letter, and reads.]

"To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the most "beatified Ophelia."That's an ill phrase: beatified is a vile phrase; but you shall hear"These to her excellent white bosom, these”—

Queen. Came this from Hamlet to her? [ful.
Pol. Good Madam, stay a while, I will be faith-

"Doubt thou the stars are fire, [Reading.
"Doubt that the sun doth move;

"Doubt truth to be a liar,

"But never doubt I love.

"Oh, dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers; I have not art to reckon my groans; but that I "love thee best, oh most best, believe it. Adieu. "Thine evermore, most dear Lady, whilst

"this machine is to him, Hamlet.”

This in obedience hath my daughter shewn me;
And, more above, hath his solicitings,

As they fell out by time, by means, and place,
All given to mine ear.

King. But how has she received his love?
Pol. What do you think of me?

King. As of a man faithful and honourable. Pol. I would fain prove so. But what might you think?

When I had seen this hot love on the wing,
(As I perceived it, I must tell you that,
Before my daughter told me:) what might you,
Or my dear Majesty your Queen here, think?
If I had played the desk or table-book,

Or given my heart a working, mute and dumb,
Or looked upon this love with idle sight;
What might you think? no, I went round to work,
And my young mistress thus I did bespeak;
Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy sphere,
This must not be: and then I precepts 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;
And he repulsed, a short tale to make,
Fell to a sadness, then into a fast,

Thence to a watching, thence into a weakness,

Thence to a lightness, and, by this declension,

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