My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France, King. Have you your father's leave? What says Polonius? Pol. He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave By laboursome petition; and, at last, Upon his will I seal'd my hard consent: I do beseech you, give him leave to go. King. Take thy fair hour, Laertes; time be thine, And thy best graces spend it at thy will!— But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son, Ham. [aside] A little more than kin, and less than kind. King. How is it that the clouds still hang on you? Ham. Not so, my lord; I am too much i' the sun. Queen. Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not for ever with thy vailèd lids Seek for thy noble father in the dust: Thou know'st 'tis common,-all that live must die, Ham. Ay, madam, it is common. Why seems it so particular with thee? If it be, Ham. Seems, madam! nay, it is; I know not "seems." 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Together with all forms, modes, (10) shows(11) of grief, For they are actions that a man might play: But I have that within which passeth show; King. 'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet, To give these mourning duties to your father: But, you must know, your father lost a father; That father lost, lost his; and the survivor bound, In filial obligation, for some term To do obsequious sorrow: but to perséver In obstinate condolement, is a course Of impious stubbornness; 'tis unmanly grief: As of a father: for let the world take note, Than that which dearest father bears his son, Queen. Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet: Ham. O, that this too-too solid flesh would melt, [Exeunt all except Hamlet. Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! O God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Fie on't! O, fie! 'tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature Hyperion to a satyr: so loving to my mother, By what it fed on: and yet, within a month, Let me not think on't,-Frailty, thy name is woman !- But break, my heart,—for I must hold my tongue ! Enter HORATIO, MARCELLUS, and BERNARDO. Ham. Horatio, or I do forget myself. I'm glad to see you well: Hor. The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever. you: And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?— Marcellus? Mar. My good lord, Ham. I'm very glad to see you.-Good even, sir.But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg? Hor. A truant disposition, good my lord. Ham. I would not hear(14) your enemy say so; Nor shall To make it truster of your own report We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart. Hor. Indeed, my lord, it follow'd hard upon. Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio. Hor. I saw him once; he was a goodly king. Ham. He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again. Hor. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight. Ham. Saw who? Hor. My lord, the king your father. Ham. The king my father! Hor. Season your admiration for a while This marvel to you. Ham, For God's love, let me hear. Hor. Two nights together had these gentlemen, In the dead vast(15) and middle of the night, Appears before them, and with solemn march VOL. VII. I Stand dumb, and speak not to him. This to me And I with them the third night kept the watch: These hands are not more like. Ham. But where was this? Mar. My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd. Hor. It lifted up its head, and did address Itself to motion, like as it would speak : But even then the morning cock crew loud; Ham. 'Tis very strange. Hor. As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true; And we did think it writ down in our duty To let you know of it. Ham. Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles me. Hold you the watch to-night? Mar. Ber. Ham. Arm'd, say you? Mar. Ber. Arm'd, my lord. Ham. From top to toe? Mar. Ber. We do, my lord. My lord, from head to foot. Ham. Then saw you not his face? Hor. O, yes, my lord; he wore his beaver up. Ham. What, look'd he frowningly? Hor. A countenance more in sorrow than in anger. Ham. Pale or red? Hor. Nay, very pale. Ham. Hor. Most constantly. Ham. And fix'd his eyes upon you? I would I had been there. Hor. It would have much amaz'd you. Ham. Very like, very like. Stay'd it long? Hor. While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred. |