Whips out his rapier, criest, A rat! a rat! King. O heavy deed! It had been so with us, had we been there: His liberty is full of threats to all; To you yourself, to us, to every one. Alas! how shall this bloody deed be answer❜d? It will be laid to us, whose providence Should have kept short, restrain'd, and out of haunt," This mad young man: but, so much was our love, To keep it from divulging, let it feed Even on the pith of life. Where is he gone? Shows itself pure; he weeps for what is done. The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch, Both countenance and excuse. Ho! Guildenstern! - Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. Friends both, go join you with some further aid: [Exeunt Ros. and GUIL. Come, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends; And let them know, both what we mean to do, And what's untimely done: so, haply, slander,— As level as the cannon to his blank," And hit the woundless air. may miss our name, O come away! My soul is full of discord, and dismay. Ham. SCENE II. Another Room in the same. Enter HAMLET. [Exeunt. Safely stowed,—[ROSEN. &c. within. Hamlet! lord Hamlet !] But soft, what noise? who calls on Hamlet? O, here they come. Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. Ros. What have you done, my lord, with the dead body? Ham. Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin. Ros. Tell us where 'tis ; that we may take it thence, And bear it to the chapel. Ham. Do not believe it. Ros. Believe what? Ham. That I can keep your counsel, and not mine own. Besides, to be demanded of a sponge !-what replication should be made by the son of a king? Ros. Take you me for a sponge, my lord? Ham. Ay, sir; that soaks up the king's countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end: He keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed, to be last swallowed: When he needs what you have gleaned, it 7— cannon to his blank,] The blank was the white mark at which shot or arrows were directed. 71 like an ape,] i. e. as an ape does an apple. is but squeezing you, and, sponge, 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.9 [Exeunt. SCENE III. Another Room in the same. Enter King, attended. 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; Enter ROSENCRANTZ. Or not at all. How now? what hath befallen? 9 King. But where is he? Hide fox, &c.] There is a play among children, called Hide fox, and all after. Ros. Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure. King. Bring him before us. Ros. Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord. Enter HAMLET and GUILDenstern. King. Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? King. At supper? where? Ham. Not where he eats, but where he is eaten : a certain convocation of politick 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. 1 King. Where is Polonius? Ham. In heaven; send thither to see: if your mes senger find him not there, seek him i'the other place yourself. But, indeed, if you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby. King. Go seek him there. Ham. He will stay till you come. [To some Attendants. [Exeunt Attendants. King. Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety, — Which we do tender, as we dearly grieve For that which thou hast done, go a progress] Alluding to the royal journeys of state, always styled progresses; a familiar idea to those who, like our author, lived during the reigns of queen Elizabeth and king James I. The bark is ready, and the wind at help2, Ham. King. Ham. For England? Ay, Hamlet. Good. But, come; King. So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes. for England!-Farewell, dear mother. Ham. My mother: Father and mother is man and wife; man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for England. [Exit. King. Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed aboard; Delay it not, I'll have him hence to-night: Away; for every thing is seal'd and done That else leans on the affair: Pray you, make haste. [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUIL DENSTERN. And, England, if my love thou hold'st at aught, The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England; 2 the wind at help,] i. e. at hand, ready. 3 thou may'st not coldly set-] i. e. set at nought. + Howe'er my haps,] i. e. whatever befall me. [Exit. |