SCENE V. A remote Part of the Platform. Enter GHOST and HAMLET. Ham. Whither wilt thou lead me? speak, I'll go no further. Ghost. Mark me. Ham. I will. Ghost. My hour is almost come, When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames Must render up myself. Ham. Alas, poor ghost! Ghost. Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing To what I shall unfold. Ham. Speak, I am bound to hear. Ghost. So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear. Ham. What? Ghost. I am thy father's spirit; Doom'd, for a certain term, to walk the night; And, for the day, confin'd to fast in fires, Till the foul crimes, done in my days of nature, I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, To ears of flesh and blood:-List, list, O list!- Ham. O Heaven! Ghost. Revenge his foul and most unnatural mur der. Ham. Murder! Ghost. Murder most foul, as in the best it is: But this most foul, strange, and unnatural. Ham. Haste me to know it, that I, with wings as swift As meditation, or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge. Ghost. I find theė apt.— Now, Hamlet, hear : "Tis given out, that, sleeping in my orchard, Rankly abus'd: But know, thou noble youth, Ham. O, my prophetic soul! my uncle? Ghost. Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast, With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts, Won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming virtuous queen: But, soft! methinks, I scent the morning air; The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine. Ham. O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible! Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me. Ham. Hold, hold, my heart; [The GHOST vanishes. * And you, my sinews, grow not instant old, Ham. So be it. Hor. [Within.] Hillo, ho, ho, my lord! Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS. Mar. How is't, my noble lord? lord? Hor. What news, my Ham. O, wonderful! Hor. Good my lord, tell it. You will reveal it. Hor. Not I, my lord, by Heaven. Mar. Nor I, my lord. Ham. How say you then; would heart of man once think it? But you'll be secret, Hor. Ay, by Heaven, my lord. Ham. There's ne'er a villain, dwelling in all Denmark, But he's an arrant knave. Hor. There needs no ghost, my lord, come from the grave, To tell us this. Ham. Why right; you are in the right; You, as your business and desire shall point you,- Such as it is,—and, for my own poor part, I will go pray. Hor. These are but wild and whirling words, my lord. Ham. I am sorry they offend you, heartily. Hor. There's no offence, my lord. Ham. Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio, And much offence too. Touching this vision here,— It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you: For your desire to know what is between us, Hor. What is't, my lord? -We will. D Ham. Never make known what you have seen to night. Hor. & Mar. My lord, we will not. Ham. Nay, but swear it. Hor. Propose the oath, my lord, Ham. Never to speak of this that you have seen, Swear by my sword. Ghost. [Beneath.] Swear. Hor. O day and night, but this is wondrous strange! Ham. And therefore, as a stranger, give it wel come. There are more things in Heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But come: Here, as before,-Never,-so help you mercy! That you, at such times seeing me, never shall As, Well, well, we know ;-or, We could, an if we would;—or, If we list to speak ;—or, There be, an if they might ; Or such ambiguous giving out,) denote That you know aught of me :-this do you swear, grace and mercy at your most need help you! Ham. Rest, rest, perturbed spirit!-So, gentlemen, With all my love I do commend me to you; And what so poor a man as Hamlet is May do, to express his love and friending to you, Heaven willing, shall not lack. Let us go in toge ther: And still your fingers on your lips, I pray. [Exeunt. |