Hor. Half a share.

Ham. A whole one, ay.

For thou dost know, O Damon dear,

This realm dismantled was

Of Jove himself; and now reigns here

A very, very-pajock.

Hor. You might have rhymed.

Ham. O good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand pound. Didst perceive?

Hor. Very well, my lord.

Ham. Upon the talk of the poisoning, –

Hor. I did very well note him.

Ham. Ah, ha! - Come, some music! come, the recorders!

For if the king like not the comedy,

Why then, belike, he likes it not, perdy.

Come, some music!

Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN

Guil. Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you. Ham. Sir, a whole history.

Ham. Ay, sir, what of him?

Guil. Is in his retirement marvelous distempered.

Ham. With drink, sir?

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280

Guil. No, my lord, rather with choler.

Ham. Your wisdom should show itself more richer 290 to signify this to his doctor; for, for me to put him

to his purgation, would perhaps plunge him into far more choler.

Guil. Good my lord, put your discourse into some frame, and start not so wildly from my affair.

Ham. I am tame, sir: pronounce.

Guil. The queen, your mother, in most great affliction of spirit, hath sent me to you.

Ham. You are welcome.

Guil. Nay, good my lord, this courtesy is not of the 300 right breed. If it shall please you to make me a wholesome answer, I will do your mother's commandment; if not, your pardon and my return shall be the end of my business.

Ham. Sir, I cannot.

Guil. What, my lord?

Ham. Make you a wholesome answer; my wit's diseased; but, sir, such answer as I can make you shall command; or rather, as you say, my mother: therefore no more, but to the matter; my mother, you

Ros. Then thus she says: your behavior hath struck her into amazement and admiration.

Ham. O wonderful son, that can so astonish a mother! But is there no sequel at the heels of this mother's admiration? Impart.

Ros. She desires to speak with you in her closet, ere you go to bed.

Ham.. We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any further trade with us?

Ros. My lord, you once did love me.

Ham. So I do still, by these pickers and stealers. Ros. Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? you do surely bar the door upon your own liberty, if you deny your griefs to your friend.

Ham. Sir, I lack advancement.

Ros. How can that be, when you have the voice of the king himself for your succession in Denmark?

Ham. Ay, sir, but While the grass grows, erb is something musty.

Re-enter Players with recorders

-the prov

Oh, the recorders! let me see one. - To withdraw with you-why do you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive me into a toil?

Guil. Oh, my lord, if my duty be too bold, my love is too unmannerly.

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330

Ham. I do not well understand that.

play upon this pipe?

Will you

Ham. I do beseech you.

Ros. I know no touch of it, my lord.

Ham. 'Tis as easy as lying; govern these ventages with your fingers and thumb, give it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent music. -Look you, these are the stops.

Guil. But these cannot I command to any utterance of harmony; I have not the skill.

Ham. Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing 350 you make of me! You would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass: and there is much music, excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot you make it speak. S'blood! do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me.—

God bless you, sir!

Re-enter POLONIUS

Pol. My lord, the queen would speak with you, 360 and presently.

Ham. Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel?

Pol. By the mass, and 'tis like a camel indeed.

Ham. Methinks it is like a weasel.

Pol. It is backed like a weasel.

Ham. Or like a whale?

Pol. Very like a whale.

Ham. Then will I come to my mother by and by. — [Aside] They fool me to the top of my bent. I will 370

come by and by.

Pol. I will say so.

Ham. By and by is easily said. [Exit POLONIUS]
Leave me, friends.

[Exeunt Ros., GUIL., HOR., etc.

'Tis now the very witching time of night,

When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out Contagion to this world; now could I drink hot blood, And do such bitter business as the day

Would quake to look on. Soft! now to my