You go not, till I set you up a glass Where you may see the inmost part of you. Queen. What wilt thou do? Thou wilt not murder me? Help, help, ho! Pol. [Behind.] What, ho! help! Ham. How now! a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead. [HAMLET draws, and makes a pass through the Arras. Pol. [Behind.] 0, 0, 0!— [POLONIUS falls, and dies. Queen. O me, what hast thou done? Ham. Nay, I know not : Is it the king? Queen. O, what a rash and bloody deed is this! Ham. A bloody deed?-almost as bad, good mother, As kill a king, and marry with his brother. Queen. As kill a king! Ham. Ay, lady, 'twas my word. [Lifts up the Arras, and sees POLONIUS. Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell! I took thee for thy better.— Leave wringing of your hands: Peace; sit you down, And let me wring your heart: for so I shall, If damned custom have not braz'd it so, Queen. What have I done, that thou dar'st wag thy In noise so rude against me? Ham. Such an act, That blurs the grace and blush of modesty; As from the body of contraction plucks Ah me, what act! Queen. Ah me! what act? Ham. Look here, upon this picture, and on this ; The counterfeit presentment of two brothers. See, what a grace was seated on this brow: Hyperion's curls; the front of Jove himself; An eye like Mars, to threaten and command; A station like the herald Mercury, New lighted on a Heaven-kissing hill; A combination, and a form, indeed, Where every god did seem to set his seal, To give the world assurance of a man: This was your husband.—Look you now, what follows: Here is your husband; like a mildew'd ear, Blasting his wholesome brother. Have you eyes? you eyes? You cannot call it, love: for, at your age, The hey-day in the blood is tame, it's humble, And waits upon the judgment. And what judg ment Would step from this to this? O shame! where is thy blush? Rebellious hell, To flaming youth let virtue be as wax, And melt in her own fire!-proclaim no shame, And reason panders will. Queen. O Hamlet, speak no more: Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul; Ham. Nay, but to live In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed ;— Ham. A murderer, and a villain : Enter GHOST. A king of shreds and patches;— Save me, and hover o'er me with your wings, You heavenly guards!What would your gracious figure? Queen. Alas, he's mad! Ham. Do you not come your tardy son to chide, Ghost. Do not forget: This visitation Ham. How is it with you, lady? Queen. Alas, how is't with you, That you do bend your eye on vacancy, His form and cause conjoin'd, preaching to stones, Would make them capable.-Do not look upon me; Lest, with this piteous action, you convert My stern effects: then what I have to do Will want true colour; tears, perchance, for blood. Queen. To whom do you speak this? Ham. Do you see nothing there? Queen. Nothing at all; yet all, that is, I see. Queen. No, nothing but ourselves. Ham. Why, look you there! look, how it steals away! My father, in his habit as he liv'd! Look, where he goes, even now, out at the portal ! [Exit GHOST, Queen. This is the very coinage of your brain; This bodiless creation ecstacy Is very cunning in. Ham. Ecstacy! My pulse, as yours, doth temperately keep time, Queen. O, Hamlet! thou hast cleft my heart in twain. Ham. O, throw away the worser part of it, Good night but go not to my uncle's bed; Once more, good night! And when you are desirous to be bless'd, I'll blessing beg of you.-For this same lord, I will bestow him, and will answer well The death I gave him. So, again, good night!— I must be cruel, only to be kind: [Exit QUEEN. King. There's matter in these sighs, these profound heaves; You must translate; 'tis fit we understand them: Queen. Mad as the sea, and wind, when both contend Which is the mightier: In his lawless fit, King. O heavy deed! It had been so with us, had we been there. Queen. To draw apart the body he hath kill'd. G |