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Yet here she is allow'd her virgin crants,

Her maiden strewments, and the bringing home
Of bell and burial.

Laer. Must there no more be done?

Friar. No more be done!

We should profane the service of the dead,

To sing a Requiem, and such rest to her
As to peace parted souls.

Laer. Lay her i' the earth ;—

And from her fair and unpolluted flesh

May violets spring!—

[They put the Coffin in the Grave.

I tell thee, churlish priest,

A minst'ring angel shall my sister be,
When thou liest howling.

Ham. What, the fair Ophelia!

Queen. Sweets to the sweet: Farewell!

[Scattering Flowers.

I hop'd, thou should'st have been my Hamlet's wife; I thought, thy bride-bed to have deck'd, sweet maid, And not have strew'd thy grave.

Laer. O, treble woe

Fall ten times treble on that cursed head,
Whose wicked deed the most ingenious sense
Depriv'd thee of!-

[The GRAVEDIGGER about to throw the Earth inte
the Grave.

Hold off the earth a while,

Till I have caught her once more in mine arms:

[LAERTES leaps into the Grave. Now pile your dust upon the quick and dead; Till of this flat a mountain you have made, To o'ertop old Pelion, or the skyish head Of blue Olympus.

[Exit GRAVEDIgger.

Ham. [Advancing.] What is he whose grief Bears such an emphasis? Whose phrase of sorrow

Conjures the wand'ring stars, and makes them stand Like wonder-wounded hearers? This is I,

Hamlet the Dane.

Laer. The devil take thy soul !

[Springing out of the Grave, and seizing HAMLET.

Ham. Thou pray'st not well.

I pr'ythee, take thy fingers from my throat;
For, though I am not splenetive and rash,
Yet have I something in me dangerous,

Which let thy wisdom fear: Hold off thy hand.
King. Pluck them asunder.

[They are parted by HORATIO and

MARCELLUS.

Queen. Hamlet, Hamlet!

Ham. Why, I will fight with him upon this theme, Until my eyelids will no longer wag.

Queen. O, my son! what theme?

Ham. I lov'd Ophelia; forty thousand brothers

Could not, with all their quantity of love,

Make up my sum.-What wilt thou do for her?
Queen. O, he is mad, Laertes.

Ham. Come, show me what thou❜lt do:

Woul't weep? woul't fight? woul't fast? woul't tear thyself?

I'll do't.-Dost thou come here to whine?

To outface me with leaping in her grave?
Be buried quick with her, and so will I:

And, if thou prate of mountains, let them throw
Millions of acres on us; till our ground,

Singeing his pate against the burning zone,

Make Ossa like a wart!

I'll rant as well as thou.

Nay, an thoul't mouthe,

Queen. This is mere madness:

And thus a while the fit will work on him;
Anon, as patient as the female dove,
When that her golden couplets are disclos'd,

His silence will sit drooping.
Ham. Hear you, sir;

What is the reason that you use me thus ?
I lov'd you ever: But it is no matter;
Let Hercules himself do what he may,
The cat will mew, and dog will have his day.

[Exit HAMLET.

King. I pray thee, good Horatio, wait upon him.

[Exit HORATIO.

Strengthen your patience in our last night's speech;

[To LAERTES.

We'll put the matter to the present push.― Good Gertrude, set some watch over your son.[Exeunt QUEEN and LADIES.

This grave shall have a living monument;

An hour of quiet thereby shall we see ;
Till then, in patience our proceeding be.

[Bell tolls.[Exeunt KING, LAERTES,
FRIAR, &c.

SCENE II.

A Hall in the Palace.

Enter HAMLET and HORATIO.

Ham. But I am very sorry, good Horatio,

That to Laertes I forgot myself;

For, by the image of my cause, I see

The portraiture of his.

Hor. Peace; who comes here?

Enter OSRICK.

Osr. Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark.

Ham. I humbly thank you, sir.-Dost know this water-fly?

Hor. No, my good lord.

Ham. Thy state is the more gracious; for, 'tis a vice, to know him.

Osr. Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I should impart a thing to you from his majesty.

Ham. I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of spirit:-Your bonnet to his right use; 'tis for the head.

Osr. I thank your lordship, 'tis very hot.

Ham. No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly.

Osr. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.

Ham. But yet, methinks, it is very sultry and hot; or my complexion

Osr. Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry, as 'twere,-I cannot tell how.- -My lord, his majesty bade me signify to you, that he has laid a great wager on your head: Sir, this is the matter;Ham. I beseech you, remember

[HAMLET signs to him to put on his Hat. Osr. Nay, good my lord; for my ease, in good faith. -Sir, here is newly come to court, Laertes: believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft society, and great showing: Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of gentry; for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see.

Ham. Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you: What imports the nomination of this gentle

man?

Osr. Of Laertes ?

Ham. Of him, sir.

Osr. You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is

Ham. I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in excellence; but, to know a man well, were to know himself.

Osr. I mean, sir, for his weapon.

Ham. What is his weapon?

Osr. Rapier and dagger.

:

Ham. That's two of his weapons:-But, well,Osr. The king, sir, hath wager'd with him six Barbary horses against the which he has impawn'd, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so: Three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit.

Ham. What call you the carriages?

Osr. The carriages, sir, are the hangers.

Ham. The phrase would be more german to the matter, if we could carry a cannon by our sides.

Osr. The king, sir, hath lay'd, that in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits; and it would come to immediate trial, if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer.

Ham. How, if I answer, no?

Osr. I mean, my lord, the opposition of your person in trial.

Ham. Sir, it is the breathing time of day with me: let the foils be brought; the gentleman willing, and the king hold his purpose, I will win for him, if I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame, and the odd hits.

Osr. Shall I deliver you so?

Ham. To this effect, sir; after what flourish your nature will.

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