Heaven secure him!

HAM.

So be it!

HOR. [Within]

MAR. [Within] Illo, ho, ho, my lord!

HAM. Hillo, ho, ho, boy! (105) come, bird,

come.(106)

HAM. How say you then; would heart of man

once think it?

But you'll be secret,

HOR. MAR.

Ay,* by heaven, my lord. I. O. C

HAM. There's ne'er a villain, dwelling in all

Denmark,

But he's an arrant knave.

HOR. There needs no ghost, my lord, come from

the grave,

To tell us this.

HAM.

Why, right; you are in the right; And so, without more circumstance at all,

I hold it fit, that we shake hands, and part:

You, as your business, and desire, shall point you;
For every man hath business, and desire,

Such as it is,—and, for my own poor part,
Look you, I will go pray.

D

HOR. These are but wild and whirling words,* my lord.

HAM. I am sorry they offend you, heartily; yes, 'Faith, heartily.

HOR.

There's no offence, my lord.

HAM. Yes, by Saint Patrick,(107) but there is,
Horatio,

And much offence too. Touching this vision here,
It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you:
For your desire to know what is between us,
O'er-master it as you may. And now, good friends,
As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,

Give me one poor request.

Seller

HAM. Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.

GHOST. [Beneath.] Swear.

HAM. Ha, ha, boy! say'st thou so? art thou there, true-penny? (108)

Come on,-you hear this fellow in the cellarage,*— edge, 1623. Consent to swear.

idge, 1632. ige. 4tos.

HOR.

Propose the oath, my lord.

a wild and whirling words] Random, thrown out with no specific aim.

b O'er-master it] Get the better of it.

HAM. Never to speak of this that you have seen, Swear by my sword.(109)

GHOST. [Beneath.] Swear.

HAM. Hic & ubique? then we'll shift our ground:

-

Come hither, gentlemen,

And lay your hands again upon my sword:
Swear by my sword,

Never to speak of this that you have heard.
GHOST. [Beneath.] Swear by his sword.

HAM. Well said, old mole! can'st work i'the earth so fast?

A worthy pioneer!-Once more remove, good

friends.

HOR. O day and night," but this is wondrous

strange!

HAM. And therefore as a stranger give it wel

come.b

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

But come ;

Here, as before,(110) never, so help you mercy!
How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,
As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet
To put an antick disposition on,—

C

That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, With arms encumber'd thus, or this head-shake, Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, As, Well, we know ;-or, We could, an if we would;-or, If we list to speak ;-or, There be, an if there might;

Or such ambiguous giving out, to note

* O day and night] This may mean, O! the course of sublunary things! but is more probably only a petty oath.

b give it welcome] Receive it courteously and compliantly.

arms encumber'd thus] Close pressed upon each other, folded.

That you know aught of me:-This do you swear, So grace and mercy at your most need help you! GHOST. [Beneath.] Swear.

HAM. Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! (1) So, gentle

men,

With all my love I do commend me to you:
And what so poor a man as Hamlet is

May do, to express his love and friending to you,
God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together;
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.

The time is out of joint ;-O cursed spite!
That ever I was born to set it right!
Nay, come, let's go together.

a

[Exeunt.

friending to you-shall not lack] Disposition to serve you shall not be wanting.

ACT II. SCENE I.

A Room in Polonius's House.

Enter POLONIUS and REYNOLD

POL. Give him this money, and these notes,

Reynoldo.

REY. I will, my lord.

POL. You shall do marvelous* wisely, good⚫ 4tos.

Reynoldo,

Before you visit him, to make inquiry

Of his behaviour.

REY.

My lord, I did intend it.

POL. Marry, well said: very well said. Look

you, sir,

Inquire me first what Danskers (2) are in Paris; And how, and who, what means, and where they keep,

*

What company, and what expence; and finding,
By this encompassment and drift of question, a
That they do know my son, come you more nearer
Than your particular demands will touch it :"
Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him;
As thus, I know his father, and his friends,
And, in part, him ;-Do you mark this, Reynoldo?
REY. Ay, very well, my lord.

2

POL. And, in part, him ;—but, you may say, not

well:

encompassment and drift] Winding and circuitous course.

Than your particular demands will touch it] Than such inquiry into particulars is likely to reach.

marvels, 1623, 32.

neere, 1632. *Then, O.C.