Oph. Well, God 'ild you! They say the owl was a baker's daughter. Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be. God be at your table!

King. Conceit upon her father.

Oph. Pray you, let's have no words of this; but when they ask you what it means, say you this:

[Sings] To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day, All in the morning betime,

And I a maid at your window,

To be your Valentine.

[Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes,
And dupp'd the chamber-door;

50

Oph. I hope all will be well. We must be patient: but I cannot choose but weep, to think they should lay him i' the cold ground. My brother shall know of it: and so I thank you for your good counsel. Come, my coach! Good night, ladies; good night, sweet ladies; good night, good night. [Exit.

King. Follow her close; give her good watch, I pray you. [Exit Horatio. O, this is the poison of deep grief; it springs All from her father's death. O Gertrude, Gertrude,

When sorrows come, they come not single spies, But in battalions! [First, her father slain: Next, your son gone; and he most violent author

80

Of his own just remove: the people muddied, Thick and unwholesome in their thoughts.

and whispers,

For good Polonius' death; and we have done but greenly, In hugger - mugger 10 to inter him: poor Ophelia

Divided from herself and her fair judgment, Without the which we are pictures, or mere

beasts:

90

Last, and as much containing as all these,
Her brother is in secret come from France,
Feeds on his wonder, keeps himself in clouds,
And wants not buzzers to infect his ear
With pestilent speeches of his father's death;
Wherein necessity, of matter beggar'd,
Will nothing stick our person to arraign
In ear and ear. O my dear Gertrude, this,

Like to a murdering-piece,1 in many places
Gives me superfluous death.] [A noise within.
Queen.
Alack, what noise is this?
King. Where are my Switzers? Let them
guard the door.

Enter a Gentleman.

What is the matter?

Gent.

99

Save yourself, my lord: The ocean, overpeering of his list,2 Eats not the flats with more impetuous haste Than young Laertes, in a riotous head,3 O'erbears your officers. The rabble call him lord;

[And, as the world were now but to begin, Antiquity forgot, custom not known, The ratifiers and props of every word,] They cry, "Choose we; Laertes shall be king!" Caps, hands, and tongues applaud it to the clouds,

"Laertes shall be king, Laertes king!"

Queen. How cheerfully on the false trail they cry!

109

And, like the kind life-rendering pelican Repast them with my blood.

150

King. Why, now you speak Like a good child and a true gentleman.] That I am guiltless of your father's death, And am most sensibly in grief for it, It shall as level to your judgment pierce 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 by weight, Till our scale turn the beam. O rose of May! Dear maid, kind sister, sweet Ophelia!

Hor. [Reads] "Horatio, when thou shalt have overlooked this, give these fellows some means1 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 haste as thou wouldst fly death. I have 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 thee. Farewell.

30