keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; (7) first mouthed, to be last swallowed: When he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again.(8)

Ros. I understand you not, my lord.

HAM. I am glad of it: A knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear.

Ros. My lord, you must tell us where the body is, and go with us to the king.

HAM. The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. The king is a thing-GUIL. A thing, my lord?

HAM. Of nothing: bring me to him, Hide fox, and all after.(10)

SCENE III.

Another Room in the same.

Enter King, attended.

KING. I have sent to seek him, and to find the

body.

How dangerous is it, that this man goes loose?
Yet must not we put the strong law on him:

* The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body] This may mean," the king is not yet cut off from life and sovereignty his carkass remains to the king; but the king is not with the body or carkass, that you seek: the king is not with Polonius."

:

But Hamlet, whose meaning is, not merely to baffle these persons (not intitled to approach and question him with so little respect), but also to make allusions to matters, of which he could not, with prudence or safety to himself, speak openly, returns answers necessarily enigmatical.

He's lov'd of the distracted multitude,
Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes;
And, where 'tis so, the offender's scourge is weigh'd,
But never the offence." To bear all smooth and

even,

This sudden sending him away must seem
Deliberate pause: Diseases, desperate grown,
By desperate appliance are reliev'd,

Enter ROSENcrantz.

Or not at all.-How now? what hath befallen?
Ros. Where the dead body is bestowed, my lord,
We cannot get from him.

KING.

But where is he?

Ros. Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure.

KING. Bring him before us.

Ros. Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord.

Enter HAMLEt and Guildenstern.

KING. Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius ?
HAM. At supper..

KING. At supper? Where?

HAM. Not where he eats, but where he is eaten : a certain convocation of politick worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else, to fat us; and we fat ourselves for maggots: Your fat king, and your lean beggar, is but variable service; two dishes, but to one table; that's the end.

• Where-the offender's scourge is weigh'd,

But never the offence] When an offender is popular, the people never consider what his crime was, but they scrutinize his punishment.

[KING. Alas, alas!

HAM. A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king; and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.

KING. What dost thou mean by this?

HAM. Nothing, but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar. () KING. Where's Polonius?

HAM. In heaven; send thither to see: if your messenger find him not there, seek him i'the other place yourself. But, indeed, if you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby.

KING. Go seek him there. [To some Attendants. HAM. He will stay till you come.

[Exeunt Attendants. KING. Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial

safety,

Which we do tender, as we dearly grieve

For that which thou hast done, must send thee hence

With fiery quickness: Therefore, prepare thyself;
The bark is ready, and the wind at help,"
The associates tend, and every thing is bent
For England.

KING. So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes.

HAM. Isee a cherub, that sees them. But, come; for England!-Farewell, dear mother.

a

dearly grieve] Deeply. See " dearest foe," I. 2. Haml.

b fiery quickness] Rapid as the progress of flames. "fiery expedition," R. III. K. Rich., IV. 3.

See

KING. Thy loving father, Hamlet.

HAM. My mother: Father and mother is man and wife; man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for England.

[Exit.

KING. Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed

aboard;

Delay it not, I'll have him hence to-night:
Away; for every thing is seal'd and done
That else leans on the affair: Pray you, make haste.
[Exeunt Ros. and GUIL.

(13)

And, England, if my love thou hold'st at aught,
(As my great power thereof may give thee sense;"
Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red
After the Danish sword, and thy free awe
Pays homage to us,) thou may'st not coldly set
Our sovereign process; which imports at full,
By letters conjuring to that effect,14
The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England;
For like the hectick in my blood he rages,(5)
And thou must cure me: 'Till I know 'tis done,
Howe'er my haps, my joys were* ne'er begun.

d

will begin,

[Exit. 4tos.

SCENE IV.

A Plain in Denmark.

Enter FORTINBRAS, and Forces, marching.

FOR. Go, captain, from me greet the Danish king;

Follow him at foot] Close at heels.

thereof may give thee sense] May make thee a very intelligible suggestion to that effect.

C

coldly set our sovereign process] With indifference regard, or

set by, set at defiance.

• Howe'er my haps] Turns of fortune or chances.

Tell him, that, by his licence, Fortinbras
Craves the conveyance of a promis'd march"
Over his kingdom. You know the rendezvous.
If that his majesty would aught with us,
We shall express our duty in his eye,
And let him know so.

(16)

I will do't, my lord.

[Exeunt FORTINBRAS, and Forces.

[Enter HAMLET, ROSENCRANTZ, GuildenSTERN, &c.

HAM. Good sir, whose powers are these?

CAP. They are of Norway, sir.

How purpos'd,* sir,

Against some part of Poland.

propos'd, 4tus.

НАМ.

I pray you?

CAP.

HAM.

Commands them, sir?

Who

CAP. The nephew to old Norway, Fortinbras.
HAM. Goes it against the main of Poland, sir,
Or for some frontier?

CAP. Truly to speak, and with no addition,"
We go to gain a little patch of ground,
That hath in it no profit but the name.

To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it;
Nor will it yield to Norway, or the Pole,

A ranker rate," should it be sold in fee.

a

conveyance of a promis'd march] The way or means of, leave of passage for.

b safely] With assurance of safe conduct,

a

the main of Poland] See II. 2. Queen to King.

addition] Exaggeration.

A ranker rate] More exuberant, larger. Sec K. John. V.

4. Salisb.