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 politic 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 lean beggar, 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 ye come. [Exeunt Attendants. King. Hamlet, this deed of thine, 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 associates tend, and everything is bent Ham. King. Ham. For England? Ay, Hamlet. 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: haste. That else leans on the affair: pray you, make The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England; [Exit. SCENE IV.-A Plain in Denmark. Enter FORTINBRAS and Forces, marching. For. [to an Officer.] Go, captain, from me greet the Danish king; Tell him, that, by his licence, Fortinbras And let him know so. Cap. I will do't, my lord. [Exeunt FORTINBRAS and Forces. Enter HAMLET, Rosencrantz, GUILDENSTERN, &c. Ham. Good sir, whose powers are these? Cap. They are of Norway, sir. How purposed, sir, Against some part of Poland. Commands them, sir? Who Cap. The nephew to old Norway, Fortinbras. Ham. Goes it against the main of Poland, sir, Or for some frontier? Cap. Truly to speak, and with no addition, We go to gain a little patch of ground, That hath in it no profit but the name. Το pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it; Nor will it yield to Norway, or the Pole, A ranker rate, should it be sold in fee. Ham. Why, then the Polack never will defend it. Cap. Yes, 'tis already garrison'd. Ham. Two thousand souls, and twenty thousand ducats, Will not debate the question of this straw; This is the imposthume of much wealth and peace, That inward breaks, and shows no cause without Why the man dies.—I humbly thank you, sir. Cap. God be wi' you, sir. Ros. [Exit. Will't please you go, my lord? Ham. I will be with you straight. Go a little before. [Exeunt Ros. and GUIL. To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be A thought, which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom, And ever, three parts coward,-I do not know Why yet I live to say, This thing's to de: Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means, To do't. Examples, gross as earth, exhort me: To all that fortune, death, and danger, dare, Is, not to stir without great argument, then, How stand I That have, a father kill'd, a mother stain'd, Go to their graves like beds; fight for a plot SCENE V.-Elsinore. A Room in the Castle. Enter QUEEN and HORATIO. Queen. I will not speak with her. Hor. She is importunate; indeed, distract; Her mood will needs be pitied. Queen. What would she have? Hor. She speaks much of her father; says, she hears, There's tricks i' the world; and hems, and beats her heart; Spurns enviously at straws; speaks things in doubt, That carry but half sense: her speech is nothing, Yet the unshaped use of it doth move The hearers to collection; they aim at it, And botch the words up fit to their own thoughts; Which, as her winks, and nods, and gestures, yield them, |