But such officers do the King best service in the end: he keeps them, like [an ape] an apple, in the corner of his jaw, first mouth'd, to be last swallow'd. When he needs what you have glean'd, it is but squeezing you, and, spunge, you shall be dry again.

ROS. I understand you not, my lord.

HAM. I am glad of it, a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear.

ROS. My lord, you must tell us where the body is, and go with us to the King.

HAM. The body is with the King, but the King is not with the body. The King is a thing –

GUIL. A thing, my lord?

HAM. Of nothing, bring me to him. [Hide fox, and all after.]

 

Exeunt.

 

 

[Scene III]

Enter King and two or three.

 

KING.

I have sent to seek him, and to find the body.

How dangerous is it that this man goes loose!

Yet must not we put the strong law on him.

He's lov'd of the distracted multitude,

Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes,

And where 'tis so, th' offender's scourge is weigh'd,

But never the offense. To bear all smooth and even,

This sudden sending him away must seem

Deliberate pause. Diseases desperate grown

By desperate appliance are reliev'd,

Or not at all.

 

Enter Rosencrantz.

 

How now, what hath befall'n?

ROS.

Where the dead body is bestow'd, my lord,

We cannot get from him.

KING.

But where is he?

ROS.

Without, my lord, guarded, to know your pleasure.

KING.

Bring him before us.

ROS.

Ho, bring in the lord.

 

They [Hamlet and Guildenstern] enter.

 

KING. Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius?

HAM. At supper.

KING. At supper? where?

HAM. Not where he eats, but where 'a is eaten; a certain convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots; your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service, two dishes, but to one table – that's the end.

KING. Alas, alas!

HAM. A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.

KING. What dost thou mean by this?

HAM. Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar.

KING. Where is Polonius?

HAM. In heaven, send thither to see; if your messenger find him not there, seek him i' th' other place yourself. But if indeed you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby.

KING [To Attendants.] Go seek him there.

HAM. 'A will stay till you come.

 

[Exeunt Attendants.]

 

KING.

Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety –

Which we do tender, as we dearly grieve

For that which thou hast done – must send thee hence

[With fiery quickness]; therefore prepare thyself,

The bark is ready, and the wind at help,

Th' associates tend, and every thing is bent

For England.

HAM.

For England.

KING.

Ay, Hamlet.