་ O heavens! is't possible a young maid's wits Nature is fine in love; and, where 'tis fine, Oph. They bore him bare-fac'd on the bier; And on his grave rain'd many a tear; Fare you well, my dove! 399 Laer. Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge, It could not move thus. Oph. You must sing, Down a-down, an you call him a-down-a. 400 O, how the wheel becomes it! It is the false steward, that stole his master's daughter. Laer. This nothing's more than matter. Oph. There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray you, love, remember: and there is pansies, that's for thoughts. Laer. A document in madness; thoughts and remembrance fitted. Oph. There's fennel for you, and columbines There's rue for you;-and here's some for me :we may call it, herb of grace o'Sundays:-you may wear your rue with a difference.-There's a daisy I would give you some violets; but they wither'd all when my father died :-They say, he made a good end,~ For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy, L 415 Laer, Laer. Thought, and affliction, passion, hell itself, She turns to favour, and to prettiness, Oph. And will he not come again? And will he not come again? No, no, he is dead, "Go to thy death-bed, He never will come again. 420 And of all Christian souls! I pray God. God be wi' you. Laer. Do you see this, O God? [Exit OPHELIA. King. Laertes, I must common with your grief, Or you deny me right. Go but apart, Make choice of whom your wisest friends you will, They find us touch'd, we will our kingdom give, To you Be you content to lend your patience to us,' And we shall jointly labour with your soul To give it due content. Laer. Let this be so ; His means of death, his obscure funeral, No trophy, sword, por hatchment o'er his bones, 440 No No noble rite, nor formal ostentation, Cry to be heard, as 'twere from heaven to earth, King. So you shall; And, where the offence is, let the great axe fall. I pray you, go with me. [Exeunt. 457 SCENE VI. Another Room. Enter HORATIO, with a Servant. Hor. What are they, that would speak with me? Serv. Sailors, sir; They say, they have letters for you. Hor. Let them come in. I do not know from what part of the world Enter Sailors. Sail. God bless you, sir. -Hor. Let him bless thee too. Sail. He shall, sir, an't please him. There's a letter for you, sir: it comes from the embassador that was bound for England; if your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is. Horatio reads the letter. 462 HORATIO, when thou shalt have overlook'd this, give these fellows some means to the king; they have letters for him. Ere we were two days old at sea, a pirate of very warlike appointment gave us chace : Finding ourselves too slow of sail, we put on a compelled valour, and in the grapple I boarded them: on the instant, they got clear of our ship; so I alone became their prisoner. They have dealt with me, like thieves of mercy; but they knew what they did; I am to do a good turn for them. Let the king have the letters I have sent; and repair thou to me with as much haste as thou would'st fly death. I have words to speak in thine ear, will make thee dumb; yet are they much too light for the bore of the matter. These good fellows will bring thee where I am. Guildenstern hold their course for England: of them Į have much to tell thee. Farewel. Rosencrantz and 479 He that thou knowest thine, Hamlet. Come, I will make you way for these your letters; [Exeunt. SCENE VII. Another Room. Enter the King, and LAERTES. King. Now must your conscience my acquittance And you seal, must put me in your heart for friend; Sith you have heard, and with a knowing ear, That he, which hath your noble father slain, Pursu'd my life. Laer, Laer. It well appears :-But tell me, Why you proceeded not against these feats, 490 1 As by your safety, greatness, wisdom, all things else, You mainly were stirr'd up? King. O, for two special reasons; Which may to you, perhaps, seem much unsinew'd, And yet to me they are strong. The queen, his mother, Lives almost by his looks; and for myself (My virtue, or my plague, be it either which), She is so conjunctive to my life and soul, That, as the star moves not but in his sphere, 500 Why to a publick count I might not go, great love the general gender bear him: Would have reverted to my bow again, Laer. And so have I a noble father lost; A sister driven into desperate terms; Whose worth, if praises may go back again, 510 For her perfections :-But my revenge will come. King. Break not your sleeps for that: you must not think, That we are made of stuff so flat and dull, |