See you now;

Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth;
And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
With windlaces, and with assays of bias,
By indirections find directions out:

So, by my former lecture and advice,

Shall you my son. You have me, have you not?

Rey. My lord, I have.

Pol.

Rey. Good my lord!

God be wi' you;

fare you

well.

Pol. Observe his inclination in yourself.

Rey. I shall, my lord.

Pol. And let him ply his music.

60

Enter OPHELIA

How now, Ophelia! what's the matter?

Oph. Oh, my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted!

Pol. With what, in the name of God?

Oph. My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,
Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced;
No hat upon his head; his stockings fouled,
Ungartered, and down-gyvèd to his ankle;
Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other;

And with a look so piteous in purpórt 80 As if he had been loosèd out of hell

To speak of horrors, — he comes before me.

Oph. He took me by the wrist and held me hard; Then goes he to the length of all his arm;

And with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
He falls to such perusal of my face,

As he would draw it. Long time stayed he so;
At last, a little shaking of mine arm,

90 And thrice his head thus waving up and down, He raised a sigh so piteous and profound

That it did seem to shatter all his bulk

And end his being: that done, he lets me go:
And, with his head over his shoulder turned,
He seemed to find his way without his eyes;
For out o' doors he went without their help,
And to the last bendéd their light on me.

Pol. Come, go with me; I will go seek the king.
This is the very ecstasy of love;

100 Whose violent property fordoes itself,

And leads the will to desperate undertakings,

As oft as any passion under heaven

That does afflict our natures. I am sorry,

What, have you given him any hard words of late? Oph. No, my good lord; but, as you did command, I did repel his letters and denied

His access to me.

Pol.

That hath made him mad.

I am sorry that with better heed and judgment

I had not quoted him: I feared he did but trifle,

And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my jealousy! 110 By heaven, it is as proper to our age

To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions

As it is common for the younger sort

To lack discretion. Come, go we to the king:

This must be known; which, being kept close, might

move

More grief to hide than hate to utter love. [Exeunt

SCENE II

A Room in the Castle

Flourish. Enter KING, QUEEN, ROSENCrantz, GuilDENSTERN, and Attendants

King. Welcome, dear Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern! 44

Moreover that we much did long to see you,
The need we have to use you did provoke
Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's transformation; so I call it,
Since not the exterior nor the inward man
Resembles that it was. What it should be,

More than his father's death, that thus hath put him
So much from the understanding of himself,

10 I cannot dream of: I entreat you both,

That, being of so young days brought up with him,
And since so neighbored to his youth and humor,
That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court
Some little time: so by your companies

To draw him on to pleasures; and to gather
So much as from occasions you may glean,
Whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus,
That, opened, lies within our remedy.

Queen. Good gentlemen, he hath much talked of
you;

20 And sure I am two men there are not living

To whom he more adheres. If it will please you

To show us so much gentry and good will
As to expend your time with us awhile,
For the supply and profit of our hope,

Your visitation shall receive such thanks

As fits a king's remembrance.

Ros.

Both your majesties
Might, by the sovereign power you have of us,
Put your dread pleasures more into command
Than to entreaty.

And here give up ourselves, in the full bent
To lay our services freely at your feet,

To be commanded.

King. Thanks, Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern.

Queen. Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosen

crantz :

And I beseech you instantly to visit

My too much changèd son. Go, some of you,

And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.

Guil. Heavens make our presence and our prac

tices

Pleasant and helpful to him!

Queen.

Ay, amen!

[Exeunt Ros., GUIL., and some Attendants

Enter POLONIUS

30

Pol. The ambassadors from Norway, my good lord, 40

Are joyfully returned.