Thou hast outsinned all reckoning! And spare yon little trembler. Give me, then, My all that's left, my gentle mother there, Crist. Yes, on terms Of compact and submission. Gus. Ha! with thee? Compact with thee? and mean'st thou for my country, BROOKE. HAMLET AND HORATIO.-HAMLet. Hor. Hail to your lordship! Ham. I am glad to see you well. Horatio!-or I do forget myself. Hor. The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever. Ham. Sir, my good friend: I'll change that name with you: And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio? Hor. A truant disposition, good my lord. Nor shall you do mine ear that violence, We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart. Hor. My lord, I came to see your father's funeral. I think it was to see my mother's wedding. Hor. Indeed, my lord, it followed hard upon. Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio; the funeral baked meats Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables. Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven, Ere I had ever seen that day, Horatio! My father methinks I see my father. 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, Hor. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight. Hor. My lord, the king, your father. Hor. Season your admiration for a while Ham. For heaven's love, let me hear! Hor. Two nights together had these gentlemen, Been thus encountered: A figure, like your father, Appears before them, and with solemn march 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? Hor. My lord, upon the platform where we watched. Ham. Did you not speak to it? Hor. My lord, I did; But answer made it none. Yet once methought 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 honoured 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? Hor. I do, my lord. Ham. Armed, say you? Hor. Armed, my lord. Hor. 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, looked he frowningly? Hor. A countenance more in sorrow than in anger. Ham. Pale, or red? Hor. Nay, very pale. Ham. And fixed his eyes upon you? Hor. Most constantly. Ham. I would I had been there. Hor. It would have much amazed you. Ham. Very like, very like. Staid it long? Hor. While one with mod'rate haste might tell a hun dred. Ham. His beard was grizzly ?-no? Hor. It was, as I have seen it in his life, A sable silvered. Ham. I will watch to-night; Perchance 'twill walk again. Hor. I warrant you it will. Ham. If it assume my noble father's person, SHAKESPERE. KING JOHN AND HUBERT.-KING JOHN. Hub. My lord, they say, five moons were seen to-night : Four fixed; and the fifth did whirl about The other four, in wondrous motion. K. John. Five moons? Hub. Old men, and beldams, in the streets Do prophesy upon it dangerously: Young Arthur's death is common in their mouths: K. John. Why seek'st thou to possess me with these fears? Why urgest thou so oft young Arthur's death? Thy hand hath murther'd him. I had a mighty cause Hub. None had, my lord! Why, did you not provoke me? K. John. It is the curse of kings, to be attended And, on the winking of authority, To understand a law; to know the meaning Hub. Here is your hand and seal for what I did. K. John. O when the last account 'twixt heaven and earth Is to be made, then shall this hand and seal Witness against us to damnation ! How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds Makes ill deeds done! Hadst not thou been by, A fellow by the hand of nature marked, Quoted, and signed, to do a deed of shame, Made it no conscience to destroy a prince. Hub. My lord, K. John. Hadst thou but shook thy head, or made a pause, When I spake darkly what I purposed, Or turned an eye of doubt upon my face, As bid me tell my tale in express words, Deep shame had struck me dumb, made me break off, Yea, without stop, didst let thy heart consent, The deed, which both our tongues held vile to name. My nobles leave me; and my state is braved, This kingdom, this confine of blood and breath, Between my conscience, and my cousin's death. Hub. Arm you against your other enemies, The dreadful motion of a murtherous thought; Is yet the cover of a fairer mind Than to be butcher of an innocent child. K. John. Doth Arthur live? O haste thee to the peers, Throw this report on their incenséd rage, And make them tame to their obedience! Forgive the comment that my passion made |