You are keen, my lord, you are keen.

HAM. It would cost you a groaning to take off mine edge.

OPH. Still better, and worse.

HAM. So you mistake your husbands. Begin, murtherer, leave thy damnable faces and begin. Come, the croaking raven doth bellow for revenge.

LUC.

Thoughts black, hands apt, drugs fit, and time agreeing,

[Confederate] season, else no creature seeing,

Thou mixture rank, of midnight weeds collected,

With Hecat's ban thrice blasted, thrice [infected],

Thy natural magic and dire property

On wholesome life usurps immediately.

 

[Pours the poison in his ears.]

 

HAM. 'A poisons him i' th' garden for his estate. His name's Gonzago, the story is extant, and written in very choice Italian. You shall see anon how the murtherer gets the love of Gonzago's wife.

OPH. The King rises.

[HAM. What, frighted with false fire?]

QUEEN. How fares my lord?

POL. Give o'er the play.

KING. Give me some light. Away!

POL. Lights, lights, lights!

Exeunt all but Hamlet and Horatio.

 

HAM.

»Why, let the strooken deer go weep,

The hart ungalled play,

For some must watch while some must sleep,

Thus runs the world away.«

Would not this, sir, and a forest of feathers – if the rest of my fortunes turn Turk with me – with [two] Provincial roses on my raz'd shoes, get me a fellowship in a cry of players?

HOR. Half a share.

HAM. A whole one, I.

»For thou dost know, O Damon dear,

This realm dismantled was

Of Jove himself, and now reigns here

A very, very« – pajock.

HOR. You might have rhym'd.

HAM. O good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand pound. Didst perceive?

HOR. Very well, my lord.

HAM. Upon the talk of the pois'ning?

HOR. I did very well note him.

HAM. Ah, ha! Come, some music! Come, the recorders!

For if the King like not the comedy,

Why then belike he likes it not, perdy.

Come, some music!

Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

 

GUIL. Good my lord, voutsafe me a word with you.

HAM. Sir, a whole history.

GUIL. The King, sir –

HAM. Ay, sir, what of him?

GUIL. Is in his retirement marvellous distemp'red.

HAM.