Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind. What shall I do? 180 Queen. Let the bloat king tempt you again to bed; Or paddling in your neck with his damn'd fingers, That I essentially am not in madness, 190 But mad in craft. 'Twere good you let him know; Unpeg the basket on the house's top, Queen. Be thou assured, if words be made of breath, And breath of life, I have no life to breathe What thou hast said to me. Ham. I must to England; you know that? Queen. I had forgot: 'tis so concluded on. Alack, 200 Ham. There's letters seal'd: and my two school fellows, They bear the mandate; they must sweep my way, Hoist with his own petar: and't shall go hard I'll lug the guts into the neighbor room. 210 [Exeunt severally; Hamlet dragging in Polonius. ACT FOURTH SCENE I A room in the castle. Enter KING, QUEEN, ROSENCRANTZ, and King. There's matter in these sighs, these profound heaves: You must translate: 'tis fit we understand them. Where is your son? Queen. Bestow this place on us a little while. [Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Ah, mine own lord, what have I seen to-night! King. What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet? Queen. Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend King. Which is the mightier: in his lawless fit, O heavy deed! It had been so with us, had we been there: His liberty is full of threats to all, To you yourself, to us, to every one. Alas, how shall this bloody deed be answer'd? It will be laid to us, whose providence ΙΟ Should have kept short, restrain'd and out of haunt, To keep it from divulging, let it feed Even on the pith of life. Where is he gone? Queen. To draw apart the body he hath kill'd: O'er whom his very madness, like some ore Among a mineral of metals base, Shows itself pure; he weeps for what is done. The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch, Friends both, go join you with some further aid: 20 30 And from his mother's closet hath he dragg'd him: [Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Whose whisper o'er the world's diameter, Transports his poison'd shot, may miss our name My soul is full of discord and dismay. 40 [Exeunt. SCENE II Another room in the castle. Enter HAMLET. Ham. Safely stowed. Ros. Guil. } [Within] Hamlet! Lord Hamlet. Ham. But soft, what noise? who calls on Hamlet? Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. Ros. What have you done, my lord, with the dead body? Ros. Tell us where 'tis, that we may take it thence Ham. Do not believe it. Ros. Believe what? Ham. That I can keep your counsel and not mine own. Besides, to be demanded of a sponge! Ros. Take you me for a sponge, my lord? 10 Ham. Ay, sir, that soaks up the king's countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end: he keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed, to be last swallowed: when 20 he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again. Ros. I understand you not, my lord. Ham. I am glad of it: a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear. Ros. My lord, you must tell us where the body is, and go with us to the king. Ham. The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. The king is a thing Guil. A thing, my lord? Ham. Of nothing: bring me to him. Hide fox, and all after. 30 [Exeunt. |