His silence will sit drooping.
Ham. Hear you, sir;

What is the reason that you use me thus ?
I lov'd you ever: But it is no matter;
Let Hercules himself do what he may,
The cat will mew, and dog will have his day.

[Exit HAMLET. King. I pray thee, good Horatio, wait upon him.[Exit HORATIO. Strengthen your patience in our last night's speech; [TO LA ERTES. We'll put the matter to the present push.Good Gertrude, set some watch over your son.[Exeunt QUEEN and LADIES. This grave shall have a living monument; An hour of quiet thereby shall we see ; Till then, in patience our proceeding be.

[Bell tolls.[Exeunt KING, Laertes, FRIAR, &c.

SCENE II.

A Hall in the Palace.

Enter HAMLET and HORATIO.

Ham. But I am very sorry, good Horatio,
That to Laertes I forgot myself;
For, by the image of my cause, I see
The portraiture of his.

Hor. Peace; who comes here?

Enter OSRICK.

Osr. Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark.

Ham. I humbly thank you, sir.-Dost know this water-fly?

Hor. No, my good lord.

Ham. Thy state is the more gracious; for, 'tis a vice, to know him.

Osr. Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I should impart a thing to you from his majesty.

Ham. I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of spirit:-Your bonnet to his right use; 'tis for the head.

Osr. I thank your lordship, 'tis very hot.

Ham. No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly.

Osr. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed. Ham. But yet, methinks, it is very sultry and hot; or my complexion

Osr. Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry,—as 'twere,-I cannot tell how.My lord, his majesty bade me signify to you, that he has laid a great wager on your head: Sir, this is the matter;—

Ham. I beseech you, remember

[HAMLET signs to him to put on his Hat. Osr. Nay, good my lord; for my ease, in good faith. -Sir, here is newly come to court, Laertes: believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft society, and great showing: Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of gentry: for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see.

Ham. Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you :-What imports the nomination of this gentleman?

Osr. Of Laertes?

Ham. Of him, sir.

Osr. You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is

Ham. I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in excellence; but, to know a man well, were to know himself.

Osr. I mean, sir, for his weapon.
Ham. What is his weapon ?
Osr. Rapier and dagger.
Ham. That's two of his weapons :-But, well,

Osr. The king, sir, hath wager'd with him six Barbary horses: against the which he has impawn'd, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so: Three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit.

Ham. What call you the carriages ?
Osr. The carriages, sir, are the hangers..

Ham. The phrase would be more german to the matter, if we could carry a cannon by our sides.

Osr. The king, sir, hath lay'd, that in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits ; and it would come to immediate trial, if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer.

Ham. How, if I answer, no?

Osr. I mean, my lord, the opposition of your person in trial,

Ham. Sir, it is the breathing time of day with me: let the foils be brought; the gentleman willing, and the king hold his purpose, I will win for him, if I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame, and the odd hits.

Osr. Shall I deliver you so?

Ham. To this effect, sir; after what flourish your nature will.

Osr. I commend my duty to your lordship.

[Exit OSRICK.

Hor. You will lose this wager, my lord. Ham. I do not think so; since he went into France, I have been in continual practice; I shall win at the odds. But thou would'st not think how ill all's here about my heart but it is no matter.

Hor. Nay, good my lord

Ham. It is but foolery; but it is such a kind of gaingiving, as would, perhaps, trouble a woman.

Hor. If your mind dislike any thing, obey it: I will forestall their repair hither, and say, you are not fit.

SCENE III.

Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there is a special Providence in the fall of a sparrow.

[Exeunt.

The Court of Denmark.

Flourish of Trumpets and Drums.

KING and QUEEN, seated,-LAERTES, OSRICK, MARCELLUS, BERNARDO, FRANCISCO, GENTLEMEN, and LADIES, discovered.

Enter HAMLET and HORatio.

King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me.

Ham. Give me your pardon, sir: I have done you

wrong:

But, pardon it, as you are a gentleman.

Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil,

Free me so far in your most generous thoughts,
That I have shot my arrow o'er the house,
And hurt

my

brother.
Laer. I am satisfied in nature,
Whose motive, in this case, should stir me most
To my revenge:
I do receive your offer'd love like love,
And will not wrong it.

Ham. I embrace it freely ;
And will this brother's wager frankly play.
Give us the foils.

Laer. Come, one for me.
Ham. I'll be your foil, Laertes; in mine igno-

rance

Your skill shall, like a star i'the darkest night,
Stick fiery off indeed.

Laer. You mock me, sir.
Ham. No, by this hand.
King. Give them the foils, young Osrick.-

[Osrick gives the Foils to HAMLET and

LAERTES.
Cousin Hamlet,
You know the wager?

Ham. Very well, my lord:
Your
grace

hath laid the odds o’ the weaker side. King. I do not fear it; I have seen you both :But since he's better'd; we have therefore odds.

Lacr. This is too heavy, let me see another.
Ham. This likes me well :—These foils have all

a length Osr. Ay, my good lord. King. Set me the stoups of wine upon that ta

ble:

If Hamlet give the first or second hit,
Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
Let all the battlements their ordnance fire ;
The king shall drink to Hamlet's better breath :