Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS.

Mar. How is't, my noble lord?
Hor.

Ham. O wonderful!

Hor.

What news, my lord?

Good my lord, tell it.

Nor I, my lord.

Ham. No; you'll reveal it.

Hor. Not I, my lord, by heaven.

Mar.

Ham. How say you then; would heart of

man once think it?

But you'll be secret?

Hor., Mar.

Ay, by heaven, my lord.

Ham. There's ne'er a villain dwelling in all-
Denmark

But he's an arrant knave.

Hor. There needs no ghost, my lord, come from the grave,

To tell us this.

Ham.

Why, right; you are i' the right;
And so, without more circumstance at all,
I hold it fit that we shake hands, and part;
You, as your business and desire shall point

you,

For every man has business and desire,

Such as it is,-and for mine own poor part,
Look you, I'll go pray.

Hor. These are but wild and whirling
words, my lord.

Ham. I'm sorry they offend you, heartily; Yes, 'faith, heartily.

Hor.

There's no offence, my lord.

Ham. Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is,

Horatio,
[here,
And much offence too. Touching this vision
It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you;
For your desire to know what is between us,
O'ermaster it as you may. And now, good
friends,

As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,
Give me one poor request.

Hor.

What is't, my lord? We will. Ham. Never make known what you have seen to-night.

Hor., Mar. My lord, we will not.

Ham.

Hor.

My lord, not I.

Mar.

Nay, but swear't.

130

In faith,

Nor I, my lord, in faith.

Ham. Upon my sword.

Mar. We have sworn, my lord, already.
Ham. Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.
Ghost. [beneath.] Swear.

Ham. Ha, ha, boy! say'st thou so? art
thou there, truepenny?

[larage,Come on, you hear this fellow in the cel

Consent to swear.

Hor.

Propose the oath, my lord.

Ham. Never to speak of this that you have

seen,

Swear by my sword.

Ghost. [beneath.] Swear.

Ham. Hic et ubique? then we'll shift our

:

ground:

Come hither, gentlemen,

140

150

And lay your hands again upon my sword:
Never to speak of this that you have heard,
Swear by my sword.

Ghost. [beneath.] Swear.

Ham. Well said, old mole! can'st work i' the ground so fast?

[friends. A worthy pioneer!-Once more remove, good Hor. O day and night, but this is wondrous

strange!

Ham. And therefore as a stranger give it

welcome.

[Horatio, There are more things in heaven and earth, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

But come ;

Here, as before, never, so help you mercy!
How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,
As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet
To put an antic disposition on—

That you, at such times seeing me, never shall
With arms encumber'd thus, or this head-

shake,

160 Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
As Well, well, we know ;-or, We could, an
if we would;-
[they might;
Or If we list to speak ;-or There be, an if
Or such ambiguous giving out, to note

That you know aught of me :-this not to do,
So grace and mercy at your most need help

Swear.

you,

Ghost. [beneath.] Swear.

Ham. Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! [They swear.] So, gentlemen,

to you,

With all my love I do commend me to you:
And what so poor a man as Hamlet is
May do, to express his love and friending
[gether;
God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in to-
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.
The time is out of joint;-O cursèd spite,
That ever I was born to set it right!—
Nay, come, let's go together.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-A Room in Polonius's House.

Enter POLONIUS and REYNALDO.

IVE him this money and these

notes, Reynaldo.

Rey. I will, my lord.

Pol. You shall do marvellous wise

ly, good Reynaldo,

Before you visit him, to make inquiry

Of his behavior.

Rey.

My lord, I did intend it.

Pol. Marry, well said: very well said.

Look you, sir,

Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris;
And how, and who, what means, and where

they keep,

[ing What company, at what expense; and find

10 By this encompassment and drift of question That they do know my son, come you more

20

nearer

Than your particular demands will touch it :
Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge
of him;

As thus, I know his father, and his friends,
And in part him,-do you mark this, Rey-

naldo?

Rey. Ay, very well, my lord.

Pol. And in part him;— but, you may say,

not well:

But if 't be he I mean, he's very wild;
Addicted so and so; and there put on him
What forgeries you please; marry, none so
rank

As may dishonor him; take heed of that;
But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.

Rey.

As gaming, my lord. Pol. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling,

Fighting-you may go so far.

Rey. My lord, that would dishonor him.
Pol. 'Faith, no; as you may season it in
the charge.

You must not put another scandal on him,
That he is open to incontinency;

That's not my meaning: but breathe his
faults so quaintly

That they may seem the taints of liberty: 30 The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind;