University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

A royal apartment.
Enter King and Queen, with Rosencrans and Guildenstern.
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 Rosencrans and Guildenstern.
Ah, my lord, what have I seen tonight!

KING.
What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet?

QUEEN.
Mad as the seas and wind when both contend
Which is mightier. In his lawless fit,
Behind the arras hearing something stir,
He whips his rapier out and cries a Rat!
And in his brainish apprehension kills
The unseen good old man.

KING.
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 answered?
’It will be laid to us, whose providence
’Should have kept short, restrained and out of haunt
’This mad young man. But so much was our love,
’We would not understand what was most fit;
’But like the owner of a dire disease
’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 killed,
’O'er whom his very madness like some ore
Among a mineral of metals base,
’Shows itself poor; he weeps for what is done.’

KING.
O Gertrude, come away!
The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch
But we will ship him hence; and this vile deed
We must with all our majesty and skill
Both count'nance and excuse.—Ho, Guildenstern!
Enter Rosencrans and Guildenstern.
Friends both, go join you with some further aid.
Hamlet in madness hath Polonius slain,
And from his mother's closet he has dragged him.
Go seek him out; speak fair, and bring the body
Into the chapel; pray you haste in this.
Come, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends
And let them know both what we mean to do
And what's untimely done. For sland'rous malice
’(Whose whisper o'er the world's diameter,
’As level as the cannon to his blank,
’Transports his poisoned shot)—may miss our name
’And hit the woundless air.—O, come away!
’My soul is full of discord and dismay.’

Exeunt.
Enter Hamlet.
HAMLET.
Safely stowed.
Within: Hamlet! Lord Hamlet!
What noise? who calls on Hamlet?
O here they come.

[Enter Rosencrans and Guildenstern.]
ROSENCRANS.
What have you done, my lord, with the dead body?

HAMLET.
Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin.

ROSENCRANS.
Tell us where 'tis, that we may take it thence
And bear it to the chapel.

HAMLET.
Do not believe it.

ROSENCRANS.
Believe what?

HAMLET.

That I can keep your counsel, and not my own. Besides, to be
demanded of a sponge, what replication should be made by the son
of a king?

ROSENCRANS.

Take you me for a sponge, my lord?

HAMLET.

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 apple, in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed
to be the last swallowed. When he needs what you have gleaned,
it is but squeezing you and, sponge, you shall be dry again.

ROSENCRANS.

I understand you not, my lord.

HAMLET.

I am glad of it: a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear.

ROSENCRANS.

My lord, you must tell me where the body is and go with
us to the King.

’HAMLET.
The King is a thing.

’GUILDENSTERN.
A thing, my lord!

HAMLET.
’Of nothing.’ Bring me to him.

Exeunt.
Enter King and Gentlemen.
KING.
I've sent to seek him and to find the body.
How dang'rous is it that this man goes loose!
Yet must we not put the strong law upon him.
He's loved of the distracted multitude,
Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes;
And where 'tis so, th' offender's scourge is weighed,
But never the offense. To bear all smooth and even,
This sudden sending him away must seem
Deliberate pause. Diseases desperate grown
By desperate appliance are reliev'd,
Or not at all.
Enter Rosencrans and Guildenstern.
How now? What hath befallen?

ROSENCRANS.
Where the dead body is bestowed, my lord,
We cannot get from him.

KING.
But where is he?

ROSENCRANS.
Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure.

KING.
Bring him before us.

ROSENCRANS.
Ho, Guildenstern! Bring in my lord.

Enter Hamlet and Guards.
KING.
Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius?

HAMLET.
At supper.

KING.
At supper? Where?

HAMLET.

Not where he eats, but where he is eaten. A certain convocation
of politic worms are e'en at him.

KING.

Where is Polonius?

HAMLET.

In heaven. Send thither to see. If your messenger find him
not there, seek him i' th' other place yourself. But indeed, if you
find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go upstairs
into the lobby.

KING.
Go seek him there.

HAMLET.
He will stay till you come.

KING.
Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety,—
(Which we do tender as we dearly grieve
’For that which thou hast done,)’—must send thee hence
With fiery quickness. Therefore prepare thyself.
The bark is ready and the wind at help.
’Th' associates tend, and everything is bent’
For England.

HAMLET.
For England?

KING.
Ay, Hamlet.

HAMLET.
Good.

KING.
So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes.

HAMLET.
I see a cherub that sees them. But come; for England!
Farewell, dear mother.

KING.
Thy loving father, Hamlet.

HAMLET.

My mother! Father and mother is man and wife; man and
wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Farewell, mother. Come, for
England!

Exit.
KING.
Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed aboard;
’Delay it not,’ I'll have him hence tonight.
Away! Everything is sealed and done
’That else leans on the affair. Pray make you haste.’
Exeunt Guildenstern, Rosencrans.
And England, if my present love thou hold'st at aught,
Let it be testified in Hamlet's death.
O do it, England—for like a hectic in my blood he rages
And thou must cure me.

Exit.