mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent music. Look you, these are the stops.

Guil. But these cannot I command to any utterance of harmony; I have not the skill.

Ham. Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me! you would play upon me: you would seem to know my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass: and there is much music, excellent voice, in this little organ; yet cannot you make it speak. 'Sdeath, do you think I am easier to be play'd on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me.

Enter POLONIUS.

Pol. My lord, the queen would speak with you, and presently.

Ham. Do you see yonder cloud, that's almost in shape of a camel?

Pol. By the mass, and 'tis like a camel, indeed.
Ham. Methinks, it is like a weasel.

Pol. It is back'd like a weasel.

Ham. Or, like a whale.

Pol. Very like a whale.

Ham. Then will I come to my mother by and by. -They fool me to the top of my bent.-I will come by and by.

Pol. I will say so.

Ham. By and by is easily said. [Exit POLONIUS. Leave me, friends.

[Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. 'Tis now the very witching time of night,

When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes

out

Contagion to this world: Now could I drink hot blood,

And do such business as the better day
Would quake to look on.

ther

Soft; now to my mo

O, heart, lose not thy nature; let not ever
The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom :
Let me be cruel, not unnatural:

I will speak daggers to her, but use none.

[Exit HAMLET.

SCENE III.

A Room in the Palace.

Enter the KING, Rosencrantz, and GUILDENStern.
King. I like him not; nor stands it safe with us,
To let his madness range. Therefore prepare you :
I your commission will forthwith despatch,
And he to England shall along with you:
Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy voyage;
For we will fetters put upon this fear,
Which now goes too free-footed.

Ros. We will haste us.

[Exeunt GUILDenstern und Rosencrantz. Enter POLONIUS.

Pol. My lord, he's going to his mother's closet; Behind the arras I'll convey myself,

To hear the process: I'll warrant she'll tax him home:

And, as you said, and wisely was it said,

'Tis meet that some more audience than a mother, Since nature makes them partial, should o'erhear The speech of vantage. Fare you well, my liege; I'll call upon you ere you go to bed,

And tell you what I know.

King. Thanks, dear my lord.

[Exeunt KING and POLONIUS.

SCENE IV.

The QUEEN's Closet.

Enter QUEEN and POLONIUS.

Pol. He will come.straight. Look, you lay home to him:

Tell him his pranks have been too broad to bear

with;

And that your grace has screen'd and stood between
Much heat and him.-I'll sconce me even here.—
Pray you be round with him.
Queen. I'll warrant you;

Fear me not:-Withdraw, I hear him coming.
[POLONIUS Conceals himself behind the arras.

Enter HAMLET.

Ham. Now, mother, what's the matter?

Queen. Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended. Ham. Mother, you have my father much offended. Queen. Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue.

Ham. Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue.
Queen. Why, how now, Hamlet?

Ham. What's the matter now?
Queen. Have you forgot me?

Ham. No, by the rood, not so:

You are the queen, your husband's brother's wife : And-'would it were not so!-you are my mother. Queen. Nay, then, I'll set those to you that can speak.

Ham. Come, come, and sit you down you shall not budge;

You go not, till I set you up a glass

Where you may see the inmost part of you.

Queen. What wilt thou do? Thou wilt not murder me?

Help, help, ho!

Pol. [Behind.] What, ho! help!

Ham. How now? a rat?

Dead, for a ducat, dead.

[HAMLET draws, and makes a pass through the

arras.

Pol. [Behind.] 0, 0, 0!—

[POLONIUS falls, and dies.

Queen. O me, what hast thou done?

Ham. Nay, I know not:

Is it the king?

Queen. O, what a rash and bloody deed is this! Ham. A bloody deed?-almost as bad, good mother,

As kill a king, and marry with his brother.

Queen. As kill a king!—

Ham. Ay, lady, 'twas

my word.

[Lifts up the arras, and sees PoLonius.

Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell!

I took thee for thy better.

Leave wringing of your hands: Peace; sit you down, And let me wring your heart: for so I shall,

If it be made of penetrable stuff;

If damned custom have not brazed it so,
That it be proof and bulwark against sense.

Queen. What have I done, that thou dar'st wag
thy tongue

In noise so rude against me?

Ham. Such an act,

That blurs the grace and blush of modesty;
Calls virtue, hypocrite; takes off the rose
From the fair forehead of an innocent love,
And sets a blister there; makes marriage vows

As false as dicers' oaths: O, such a deed,
As from the body of contraction plucks
The very soul; and sweet religion makes
A rhapsody of words:---

Ah me, that act!

Queen. Ah me! what act?

Ham. Look here, upon this picture, and on this:
The counterfeit presentment of two brothers.
See what a grace was seated on this brow!
Hyperion's curls, the front of Jove himself;
An eye like Mars, to threaten and command;
A station like the herald Mercury,

New lighted on a heaven-kissing hill;
A combination, and a form, indeed,
Where every god did seem to set his seal,
To give the world assurance of a man.

This was your husband,--Look you now, what fol

lows:

Here is your husband; like a mildew'd ear,
Blasting his wholesome brother.
Have you eyes?
Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed,
And batten on this moor? Ha! have you eyes?
You cannot call it love: for, at your age,

The hey-day in the blood is tame, it's humble,
And waits upon the judgment. And what judgment
Would step from this to this?

O shame! where is thy blush? Rebellious hell,
If thou canst mutine in a matron's bones,
To flaming youth let virtue be as wax,

And melt in her own fire!-proclaim no shame,
When the compulsive ardour gives the charge;
Since frost itself as actively doth burn,
And reason panders will.

Queen. O Hamlet, speak no more:

Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul;
And there I see such black and grained spots,
As will not leave their tinct.