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As day does to your eye.

Danes. [Within.]

Let her come in.

Laer. How now! what noise is that?

Re-enter Ophelia.

O heat, dry up my brains! Tears seven times salt,

Burn out the sense and virtue of mine eye!
By heaven, thy madness shall be paid with 145
weight,

Till our scale turn the beam. O rose of May!
Dear maid, kind sister, sweet Ophelia!

O heavens! is 't possible, a young maid's wits
Should be as mortal as an old man's life?
[Nature is fine in love, and where 'tis fine, 150
It sends some precious instance of itself
After the thing it loves.]

Oph. [Sings.] They bore him barefaced on the bier: [Hey non nonny, nonny, hey nonny;]

And in his grave rained many a tear,— 155

Fare you well, my dove!

Laer. Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade

revenge,

It could not move thus.

Oph. [Sings.] You must sing a-down a-down,

And you call him a-down-a.

O, how the wheel becomes it! It is the false steward, that stole his master's daughter.

Laer. This nothing's more than matter.

Oph. There's rosemary, that's for remembrance;

160

165 pray you, love, remember; and there is pansies, that's for thoughts.

Laer. A document in madness, thoughts and remembrance fitted.

0,

Oph. There's fennel for you, and columbines; 170 there's rue for you, and here's some for me; we may call it herb of grace o' Sundays. you must wear your rue with a difference. There's a daisy. I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died. They say he made a good end,[Sings.] For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy.

175

180

185

Laer. Thought and affliction, passion, hell itself,
She turns to favour and to prettiness.

Oph. [Sings.] And will he not come again?
And will he not come again?

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No, no, he is dead;

Go to thy death-bed;

He never will come again.

His beard was as white as snow,

All flaxen was his poll.

He is gone, he is gone,

And we cast away moan.

God ha' mercy on his soul!

And of all Christian souls, [I pray God.]

God buy you.

90 Laer. Do you see this, O God?

[Exit.

King. Laertes, I must commune with your grief,

Or you deny me right. Go but apart,

Laer.

Make choice of whom your wisest friends you will,

And they shall hear and judge 'twixt you and

King.

me.

If by direct or by collateral hand

They find us touched, we will our kingdom
give,

Our crown, our life, and all that we call ours,
To you in satisfaction; but if not,

Be you content to lend your patience to us,
And we shall jointly labour with your soul
To give it due content.

Let this be so.

His means of death, his obscure funeral-
No trophy, sword, nor hatchment o'er his
bones,

No noble rite nor formal ostentation

195

200

Cry to be heard, as 't were from heaven to 205

earth,

That I must call 't in question.

So you shall;

And where the offence is let the great axe fall.
I pray you, go with me.

[Exeunt.

15

20

SCENE VI.

Another room in the castle.

Enter Horatio and a servant.

Hor. What are they that would speak with me? Serv. Sea-faring men, sir. They say they have letters for you.

Hor. Let them come in.

[Exit Servant.

I do not know from what part of the world
I should be greeted, if not from Lord Hamlet.
Enter Sailors.

First Sail. God bless you, sir.

Hor. Let him bless thee too.

First Sail. He shall, sir, an 't please him. There's a letter for you, sir-it comes from the ambassador that was bound for Englandif your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is.

Hor. [Reads.] "Horatio, when thou shalt have overlooked this, give these fellows some means to the King; they have letters for him. Ere we were two days old at sea, a pirate of very warlike appointment gave us chase. Finding ourselves too slow of sail, we put on a compelled valour, and in the grapple I boarded them. On the instant they got clear of our ship, so I alone became their prisoner. They have dealt with me like thieves of mercy, but they knew what they did. I am to do a good turn for them. Let the King have the letters I have sent, and repair thou to me with as

much speed as thou wouldest fly death. I have 25
words to speak in thine ear will make thee dumb,
yet are they much too light for the bore of the
matter. These good fellows will bring thee where
I am.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern hold their
course for England; of them I have much to tell 30
thee. Farewell.

"He that thou knowest thine,

Hamlet."

Come, I will make you way for these your letters;

And do 't the speedier, that you may direct

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And you must put me in your heart for friend,
Sith you have heard, and with a knowing ear,
That he which hath your noble father slain
Pursued my life.

Laer.

It well appears.

But tell me 5 Why you proceeded not against these feats, So crimeful and so capital in nature,

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