A little month; or ere those shoes were old,
With which she follow'd my poor father's body,
Like Niobe, all tears, why she, even she,-

O heaven! a beast, that wants discourse of reason,a Would have mourn'd longer, married with mine uncle,

My father's brother; but no more like my father,
Than I to Hercules: Within a month;
Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
Had left the flushing of her galled eyes,
She married:-O most wicked speed, to post
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets;
It is not, nor it cannot come to, good;

But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue!

Enter HORATIO, BERNARDO, and MARCELLUS. Hor. Hail to your lordship!

Ham.

I am glad to see you well: Horatio, or I do forget myself.

Hor. The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever. Ham. Sir, my good friend; I'll change that name with you.

And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?—
Marcellus ?

Mar. My good lord,—

Ham. I am very glad to see you; good even, sir,But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg? Hor. A truant disposition, good my lord. Ham. I would not have your enemy say so; Nor shall you do mine ear that violence, To make it truster of your own report Against yourself: I know, you are no truant. But what is your affair in Elsinore ?

We'll teach you to drink deep, ere you depart.

a Discourse of reason is the discursion of reason-the faculty of pursuing a train of thought, or of passing from one thought

to another.

Hor. My lord, I came to see your father's funeral. Ham. I pray thee, do not mock me, fellow-student; I think it was to see my mother's wedding.

Hor. Indeed, my lord, it follow'd hard upon.
Ham. Thrift, thrift,a Horatio! the funeral bak'd
meats

Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.
'Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven
Ere I had ever seen that day, Horatio!—
My father, Methinks, I see my father.

Hor.

My lord?

Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio.

O, where,

Hor. I saw him once, he was a goodly king.
Ham. He was a man, take him for all in all,

I shall not look upon his like again.

Hor. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.
Ham. Saw! who?

Hor. My lord, the king your father.

Ham.

The king my father!

Hor. Season your admiration for a while With an attent ear; till I may deliver, Upon the witness of these gentlemen,

This marvel to you.

Ham.

For heaven's love, let me hear. Hor. Two nights together had these gentlemen, Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,

In the dead waste and middle of the night,

Been thus encounter'd. A figure like your father,
Arm'd at all points, exactly, cap-à-pé,

Appears before them, and, with solemn march,
Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd,
By their oppress'd and fear-surprized eyes,

Within his truncheon's length; whilst they, bestill'd
Almost to jelly with the act of fear,

a Thrift, thrift. It was a frugal arrangement,-a thrifty proceeding.

Stand dumb, and speak not to him. This to me
In dreadful secrecy impart they did;

And I with them the third night kept the watch:
Where, as they had deliver'd, both in time,
Form of the thing, each word made true and good,
The apparition comes: I knew your father;
These hands are not more like.

But where was this?

Ham.
Mar. My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd.
Ham. Did you not speak to it?

Hor.
My lord, I did:
But answer made it none: yet once, methought,
It lifted up its head, and did address

Itself to motion, like as it would speak:
But, even then, the morning cock crew loud;
And at the sound it shrunk in haste away,
And vanish'd from our sight.

Ham.

"T is very strange.

Hor. As I do live, my honour'd lord, 't is true; And we did think it writ down in our duty,

To let you know of it.

Ham. Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles me. Hold you the watch to-night?

Hor. O, yes, my lord; he wore his beaver up.
Ham. What, look'd he frowningly?

Hor.

In sorrow than in anger.

A countenance more

Arm'd, say you?" without doubt, is asked with reference to the Ghost, who has been described by Horatio as

"Arm'd at all points exactly, cap-à-pé.”

Ham.

Hor. Nay, very pale.

Ham.

Hor. Most constantly.

Ham.

Pale, or red?

And fix'd his eyes upon you?

I would I had been there.

Hor. It would have much amaz'd you.
Ham.

Very like Stay'd it long?

Very like,

Hor. While one with moderate haste might tell a

hundred.

Mar., Ber. Longer, longer.

Hor. Not when I saw it.

Ham.

His beard was grizly? no.

Hor. It was, as I have seen it in his life, A sable silver'd.

Нат.

I will watch to-night;

Perchance, 't will walk again.

Hor.

I warrant it will.

Ham. If it assume my noble father's person,
I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape,
And bid me hold my peace.
pray you all,
If you have hitherto conceal'd this sight,
Let it be treble in your silence still;
And whatsoever else shall hap to-night,
Give it an understanding, but no tongue;
I will requite your loves. So, fare ye well:
Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve,
I'll visit you.

All.

Our duty to your honour. Ham. Your love, as mine to you: Farewell. [Exeunt HOR., MAR., and BER. My father's spirit in arms! all is not well; I doubt some foul play: 'would the night were come! Till then sit still, my soul. Foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes.

[Exit.

SCENE III.—A Room in Polonius' House.

Enter LAERTES and OPHelia.

Laer. My necessaries are embark'd; farewell;
And, sister, as the winds give benefit,

And convoy is assistant, do not sleep,
But let me hear from you.

Oph.

Do you doubt that?

Laer. For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favours, Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood;

A violet in the youth of primy nature,
Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,
The perfume and suppliance of a minute;
No more.

Oph. Laer.

No more but so?

Think it no more:

a

For nature, crescent, does not grow alone
In thews, and bulk; but, as this temple waxes,
The inward service of the mind and soul
Grows wide withal. Perhaps, he loves you now;
And now no soil, nor cautel, doth besmirch
The virtue of his will: but, you must fear,
His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own;
For he himself is subject to his birth:
He may not, as unvalued persons do,
Carve for himself; for on his choice depends
The sanctity and health of the whole state;

And therefore must his choice be circumscrib'd

Unto the voice and yielding of that body,

Whereof he is the head: Then if he says, he loves you, It fits your wisdom so far to believe it,

As he in his peculiar sect and force

May give his saying deed; which is no further,
Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal.
Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain,

a Soil, is a spot; cautel, a crafty way to deceive; besmirch, to sully.