Is it not monstrous, that this player here, A broken voice, and his whole function suiting What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, That he should weep for her? What would he do, That I have? He would drown the stage with tears, Yet I, A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak, Why, I should take it: for it cannot be, 5 Destruction. With this slave's offal: Bloody, bawdy villain! Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless, vil lain! 6 Why, what an ass am I? This is most brave; A scullion! Fye upon't! foh! About my brains! Humph! I have heard, That guilty creatures, sitting at a play, For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak seen, Abuses me to damn me: I'll have grounds 6 Unnatural. 7 Search his wounds. $ Shrink or start. [Exit. ACT III. SCENE I. A Room in the Castle. Enter King, Queen, POLONIUS, OPHELIA, RoSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN. King. And can you, by no drift of conference Get from him, why he puts on this confusion; Grating so harshly all his days of quiet With turbulent and dangerous lunacy? Ros. He does confess, he feels himself distracted; But from what cause he will by no means speak. Guil. Nor do we find him forward to be sounded; But, with a crafty madness, keeps aloof, When we would bring him on to some confession Of his true state, Queen. Did he receive you well? Ros. Most like a gentleman. Guil. But with much forcing of his disposition. Ros. Niggard of question; but, of our demands, Most free in his reply. Queen. To any pastime ? Did you assay him Ros. Madam, it so fell out, that certain players We o'er-raught on the way: of these we told him; And there did seem in him a kind of joy To hear of it: They are about the court; Pol. 'Tis most true: 9 Overtook. And he beseech'd me to entreat your majesties, King. With all my heart; and it doth much con tent me To hear him so inclin'd. Good gentlemen, give him à further edge, And drive his purpose on to these delights. King. [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN. Sweet Gertrude, leave us too: For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither; Affront' Ophelia : Her father, and myself (lawful espials,2) If't be the affliction of his love, or no, Queen. I shall obey you : And, for your part, Ophelia, I do wish, That your good beauties be the happy cause Of Hamlet's wildness: so shall I hope, your virtues Will bring him to his wonted way again, To both Oph. your honours. Madam, I wish it may. [Exit Queen. Pol. Ophelia, walk you here:-Gracious, so please you, We will bestow 4 ourselves :-Read on this book; [TO OPHELIA. 1 Meet. 2 Spies. 3 Freely. 4 Place That show of such an exercise may colour Your loneliness.-We are oft to blame in this,— 'Tis too much prov'd,-that, with devotion's visage, And pious action, we do sugar o'er The devil himself. King. O, 'tis too true! how smart A lash that speech doth give my conscience! [Aside. Pol. I hear him coming; let's withdraw, my lord. [Exeunt King and POLONIUS. Enter HAMLET. Ham. To be, or not to be, that is the question:- For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, 5 Too frequent. Stir, bustle. 7 Consideration. |