Elsinore. A Platform before the Castle. Ber. Bernardo? He. Fran. You come most carefully upon your hour. Ber. 'T is new-struck twelve: get thee to bed, Francisco. Fran. For this relief much thanks. "T is bitter cold, And I am sick at heart. Ber. Have you had quiet guard? Ber. Well, good night.. If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste. Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS. Fran. I think I hear them. Fran. Give you good night. Who hath reliev'd you? Stand, ho! Who is there! And liegemen to the Dane. O! farewell, honest soldier: Bernardo has my place. Give you good 'night. [Exit FRANCISCO. Mar. Holla Bernardo! Ber. Say. What! is Horatio there? Hor. A piece of him. Ber. Welcome, Horatio: welcome, good Marcellus.... 2 3 Ber. I have seen nothing. Mar. Horatio says, 't is but our fantasy, He may approve our eyes, and speak to it. | And let us once again assail your ears, Hor. Sit down awhile; Well, sit we down, When yond same star, that 's westward from the pole, The bell then beating one, Mar, Peace! break thee off: look, where it comes again! | Ber. In the same figure, like the king that 's dead. it harrows me with fear, and wonder. Ber. It would be spoke to." Mar, Question it, Horatio. Hor. What art thou, that usurp'st this time of night, Together with that fair and warlike form, In which the majesty of buried Denmark Did sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, speak! Ber. 1 See! it stalks away! Hor. Stay! speak, speak! I charge thee, speak! 5 Mar. 'T is gone, and will not answer. Exit Ghost. Ber. How now, Horatio! you tremble, and look pale. Is not this something more than fantasy? What think you on 't? Hor. Before my God, I might not this believe, ́ Without the sensible and true ayouch Hor. As thou art to thyself. Such was the very armour he had on, So frown'd he once, when, in an angry parle, "T is strange. Mar. Thus, twice before, and jump at this dead hour, Hor. In what particular thought to work, I know not; Mar. Good now, sit down; and tell me, he that knows, Hor. That can I; Did forfeit with his life all those his lands, Had he been vanquisher; as, by the same cov'nant, His fell to Hamlet. Now, Sir, young Fortinbras, Of unimproved mettle hot and full, Hath in the skirts of Norway, here and there, For food and diet, to some enterprize That hath a stomach in 't: which is no other (As it doth well appear unto our state) But to recover of us, by strong hand 6 8 9 10 11 And terms compulsative, those 'foresaid lands The source of this our watch, and the chief head Ber. I think, it be no other, but e'en so; Hor. A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye, The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead As, stars with trains of fire and dews of blood, Re-enter Ghost. -- But, soft! behold! lo, where it comes again! If there be any good thing to be done, If thou art privy to thy country's fate, Or, if thou hast uphoarded in thy life Extorted treasure in the womb of earth, For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death, [Cock crows. Stop it, Marcellus. | Speak of it: - stay, and speak! - Hor. Do, if it will not stand. To offer it the show of violence; For it is, as the air, invulnerable, And our vain blows malicious mockery. Ber. It was about to speak, when the cock crew. Mar. It faded on the crowing of the cock. Hor. So have I heard, and do in part believe it. As needful in our loves, fitting our duty? Mar. Let's do 't, I pray; and I this morning know Where we shall find him most conveniently. SCENE II. The Same. A Room of State. [Exeunt. Enter the King, Queen, HAMLET, POLONIUS, LAERTES, VOLTIMAND, CORNELIUS, Lords, and Attendants. King. Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death The memory be green, and that it us befitted To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom To be contracted in one brow of woe; Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature, Together with remembrance of ourselves. 12 13 |