HAMLET.

The king my father!

HORATIO.

Season your admiration for a while
With an attent ear, till I may deliver,
Upon the witness of these gentlemen,
This marvel to you.

HAMLET.

For God's love, let me hear.
HORATIO.

Two nights together had these gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,
In the dead vast and middle of the night,
Been thus encounter'd. A figure like your father,
Armed at point exactly, cap-a-pe, many
Appears before them, and with solemn march
Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd
By their oppress'd and fear-surprised eyes,

Within his truncheon's length; whilst they, dis-
till'd

Almost to jelly with the act of fear,

Stand dumb, and speak not to him. This to me
In dreadful secrecy impart they did;

And I with them the third night kept the watch:
Where, as they had deliver'd, both in time,

Form of the thing, each word made true and
good,

The apparition comes: I knew your father;
These hands are not more like.

HAMLET.

But where was this?

MARCELLUS.

My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd.

HAMLET.

Did you not speak to it?

HORATIO.

My lord, I did,

But answer made it none: yet once methought
It lifted up its head and did address

Itself to motion, like as it would speak:
But even then the morning cock crew loud,
And at the sound it shrunk in haste away
And vanish'd from our sight.

HAMLET.

'Tis very strange.

HORATIO.

As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true,
And we did think it writ down in our duty
To let you know of it.

HAMLET.

Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles me.

Hold you the watch to-night?

MARCELLUS and BERNARDO.

HORATIO.

O, yes, my lord; he wore his beaver

HAMLET.

What, look'd he frowningly?

HORATIO.

up.

Very like, very like. Stay'd it long?

HORATIO.

While one with moderate haste might tell a hun

dred.

MARCELLUS and BERNARDO.

Longer, longer.

HORATIO.

Not when I saw 't.

HAMLET.

His beard was grizzled? no?

HORATIO.

It was, as I have seen it in his life,

If it assume my noble father's person,

I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape
And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all,
If you have hitherto conceal'd this sight,
Let it be tenable in your silence still,
And whatsoever else shall hap to-night,
Give it an understanding, but no tongue :
I will requite your loves. So fare you well:
Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve,
I'll visit you.

ALL.

Our duty to your honour.

HAMLET.

Your loves, as mine to you: farewell.

Exeunt all but HAMLET.)

My father's spirit in arms! all is not well;
I doubt some foul play: would the night were

come!

Till then sit still, my soul: foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's

eyes.

(Exit.)

[A room in the house of POLONIUS is shown. LAERTES and OPHELIA enter from the first door at the right of the stage.]

LAERTES.

My necessaries are embark'd: farewell:

And, sister, as the winds give benefit
And convoy is assistant, do not sleep,

But let me hear from you.

OPHELIA.

Do you doubt that?

LAERTES.

For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favour,
Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood.
He may not, as unvalued persons do,
Carve for himself, for on his choice depends
The safety and health of this whole state.

Then weigh what loss your honour may sus

tain,

If with too credent ear you list his songs.
Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister,
And keep you in the rear of your affection,
Out of the shot and danger of desire.
The chariest maid is prodigal enough,
If she unmask her beauty to the moon.

OPHELIA.

I shall the effect of this good lesson keep,
As watchman to my heart. But, good my

brother,

Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,

Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,
Whilst, like a puff'd and reckless libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads
And recks not his own rede.

[20] V