SCENE III. Another Room in the same. Enter King, attended. King. I have sent to seek him, and to find the body. How dangerous is it, that this man goes loose? Yet must not we put the strong law on him: Who like not in their judgement, but their eyes; Or not at all. Enter ROSENCRANTZ. How now? what hath befallen? Ros. Where the dead body is bestow'd, my Lord, We cannot get from him. King. But where is he? Ros. Without, my Lord; guarded, to know your pleasure. King. Bring him before us. Ros. Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord. Enter HAMLET and GUILDENSTERN. King. Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? King. At supper? Where? Ham. Not where he eats, but where he is eaten : a certain convocation of politick worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your only Emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else, to fat us; and we fat ourselves for maggots: Your fat King, and your leau heggar, is but variable service; two dishes, but to one table; that's the end. King. Alas, alas! Ham. A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a King; and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm, King, What dost thou mean by this? Ham. Nothing, but to show you how a King may go a progress through the guts of a beggar. King. Where is Polonius? Ham. In heaven; send thither to see: if your messenger find him not there, seek him i'the other place yourself. But, indeed, if you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby. King. Go seek him there. [To some Attendants. Ham. He will stay till you come. [Exeunt Attendants: King. Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety, Which we do tender, as we dearly grieve For that which thou hast done, hence - must send thee With fiery quickness: Therefore, prepare thyself; Ham. For England? King. Ay, Hamlet. Ham, Good. King. So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes. Ham. I see a cherub, that sees them. But, come; for England! - Farewell, dear mother. King. Thy loving father, Hamlet.. Ham. My mother: Father and mother is man and wife: man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for England. [Exit. King. Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed aboard; Delay it not, I'll have him hence to-night: Away; for every thing is seal'd and done That else leans on the affair: Pray you, make haste. [Exeunt Ros. and GUIL. And, England, if my love thou hold'st at aught, (As my great power thereof may give thee sense } Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red After the Danish sword, and thy free awe Pays homage to us,) thou may'st not coldly set Our sovereign process; which imports at full, By letters conjuring to that effect, The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England; And thou must cure me: Till I know 'tis done, SCENE IV. A Plain in Denmark. Enter FORTINBRAS, and Forces, marching. Tell him, that, by his licence, Fortinbras Cap. I will do't, my Lord. For. Go softly on. [Exeunt FORTINBRAS and Forces. Enter HAMLET, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, &c. Ham. Good Sir, whose powers are these? I pray you? Cap. Against some part of Poland. Commands them, Sir? Cap. The nephew to old Norway, Fortinbras. Ham. Goes it against the main of Poland, Sir, Or for some frontier? Cap. Truly to speak, Sir, and with no addition, To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it; Ham. Why, then the Polack never will defend it. Ham. Two thousand souls, and twenty thousand ducats, Will not debate the question of this straw: How all occasions do inform against me, Be Be but to sleep, and feed? a beast, no more. That capability and godlike reason To fust in us unus'd. Now, whether it be A thought, which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom, - And, ever, three parts coward, I do not know To do't. Examples, gross as earth, exhort me: To all that fortune, death, and danger, dare, VOL. XVII. try the plot cause, [Exit. |