Laer. For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favour, Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood; A violet in the youth of primy nature, Oph. No more but so? Think it no more: For nature, crescent, does not grow alone you, It fits your wisdom so far to believe it, As he in his peculiar sect and place May give his saying deed; which is no farther, Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open 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. Oph. I shall th' effect of this good lesson keep, As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother, Do not, as some ungracious pastors do, Shew me the steep and thorny way to Heaven, Laer. I stay too long ; O, fear me not. but here my father comes. Enter POLONIUS. A double blessing is a double grace; Pol. Yet here, Laertes? aboard, aboard, for shame! The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail, And you are stay'd for. There, my blessing with you; [Laying his hand on LAERTES' head. And these few precepts in thy memory See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue, Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar: Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice; Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment. Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy: For the apparel oft proclaims the man; And they in France, of the best rank and station, Neither a borrower, nor a lender be; Pol. The time invites you: go; your servants tend. Laer. Farewell, Ophelia; and remember well What I have said to you. Oph. 'Tis in my memory lock'd, [Exit LAERTES. And you yourself shall keep the key of it. Laer. Farewell. Pol. What is't, Ophelia, he hath said to you? Oph. So please you, something touching the Lord Hamlet. Pol. Marry, well bethought: "Tis told me, he hath very oft of late Given private time to you; and you yourself Have of your audience been most free and bounteous. If it be so, (and so 'tis put on me, And that in way of caution) I must tell you, Oph. He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders Of his affection to me. Pol. Affection? pooh! you speak like a green girl, Unsifted in such perilous circumstance. Do you believe his tenders, as you call them? Oph. I do not know, my lord, what I should think. Pol. Marry, I'll teach you: think yourself a baby, That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay, Which are not sterling. Tender yourself more dearly; Or, not to crack the wind of the poor phrase, Running it thus, you'll tender me a fool. Oph. My lord, he hath importun'd me with love, In honourable fashion. Pol. Ay, fashion you may call it; go to, go to. Oph. And hath given countenance to his speech, my lord, ! With almost all the [holy] vows of Heaven. Pol. Ay, springes to catch woodcocks. know, I do When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul Set your entreatments at a higher rate Than a command to parley. For Lord Hamlet, And with a larger tether may he walk, Than may be given you. In few, Ophelia, Do not believe his vows; for they are brokers, Breathing like sanctified and pious bawds, I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth, As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. The Platform. Enter HAMLET, HORATIO, and MARCELLus. Ham. The air bites shrewdly; it is very cold. Hor. It is a nipping and an eager air. Ham. What hour now? Hor. Mar. No, it is struck. I think it lacks of twelve. Hor. Indeed? I heard it not: it then draws near the season, Wherein the spirit held his wont to walk. [A flourish of trumpets, and ordnance shot off, within. What does this mean, my lord? Ham. The King doth wake to-night, and takes his rouse, Keeps wassel, and the swaggering up-spring reels; Hor. Ham. Ay, marry, is't: Is it a custom ? But to my mind, though I am native here, |