O'ermaster't as you may. And now, good friends, 140

As you are friends, scholars and soldiers,

Give me one poor request.

Hor. What is't, my lord? we will.

Ham. Never make known what you have seen to

Ham. Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.

Ghost. [Beneath] Swear.

Ham. Ah, ha, boy! say'st thou so? art thou there,

truepenny?

Come on-you hear this fellow in the cellarage-
Consent to swear.

Hor.

Propose the oath, my lord.

150

Ham. Never to speak of this that you have seen, Swear by my sword.

Ghost. [Beneath] Swear.

Ham. Hic et ubique? then we'll shift our ground.

Come hither, gentlemen,

And lay your hands again upon my sword:

Never to speak of this that you have heard,

Swear by my sword.

Ghost. [Beneath] Swear.

160

Ham. Well said, old mole! canst work i' the earth

so fast?

A worthy pioner! Once more remove, good friends. Hor. O day and night, but this is wondrous strange!

Ham. And therefore as a stranger give it welcome. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

But come;

Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,
How strange or odd soe'er 1 bear myself,
As I perchance hereafter shall think meet
To put an antic disposition on,

That you, at such times seeing me, never shall,
With arms encumber'd thus, or this head-shake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,

170

As "Well, well, we know," or "We could, an if we would,"

Or "If we list to speak," or "There be, an if they might,"

Or such ambiguous giving out, to note

That you know aught of me: this not to do,

So grace and mercy at your most need help you, 180 Swear.

Ghost. [Beneath] Swear.

Ham. Rest, rest, perturbed spirit [They swear.] So, gentlemen,

With all my love I do commend me to you:

And what so poor a man as Hamlet is

May do, to express his love and friending to you, God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together; And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.

The time is out of joint: O cursed spite,

That ever I was born to set it right!
Nay, come, let's go together.

[Exeunt. 190

ACT II.

SCENE I. A room in Polonius' house.

Enter POLONIUS and REYNALDO.

Pol. Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.

Rey. I will, my lord.

Pol. You shall do marvelous wisely, good Reynaldo,

Before you visit him, to make inquire

Of his behavior.

Rey.

My lord, I did intend it.

Pol. Marry, well said; very well said. Look you, sir,

Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris;

And how, and who, what means, and where they keep,

What company, at what expense; and finding
By this encompassment and drift of question

10

That they do know my son, come you more nearer
Than your particular demands will touch it:
Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of

him;

As thus, "I know his father and his friends,

And in part him:" do you mark this, Reynaldo?
Rey. Ay, very well, my lord.

Pol. "And in part him; but" you may say "not well:

But, if't be he I mean, he's very wild;

Addicted so and so:" and there put on him

What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank 20

As may dishonor him; take heed of that;
But, sir, such wanton, wild and usual slips
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.

Rey.

As gaming, my lord.

Pol. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrel

ing,

Drabbing: you may go so far.

Rey. My lord, that would dishonor him.

Pol. 'Faith, no; as you may season it in the charge. You must not put another scandal on him,

That he is open to incontinency;

30

That's not my meaning: but breathe his faults so quaintly

That they may seem the taints of liberty,

The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind,

A savageness in unreclaimed blood,

Of general assault.

And, I believe, it is a fetch of wit:
You laying these slight sullies on my son,

As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i' the working,
Mark you.

Your party in converse, him you would sound,
Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes
The youth you breathe of guilty, be assured
He closes with you in this consequence;

"Good sir," or so, or "friend," or "gentleman,"

40

According to the phrase or the addition
Of man and country.

Rey.

Very good, my lord.

Pol. And then, sir, does he this-he does-what was I about to say? By the mass, I was about to say something: where did I leave? 51

Rey. At "closes in the consequence," at "friend

or so," and "gentleman."

Pol. At "closes in the consequence," ay, marry; He closes thus: "I know the gentleman;

I saw him yesterday, or t'other day,

Or then, or then; with such, or such; and, as you say, There was a' gaming; there o'ertook in's rouse; There falling out at tennis:" or perchance,

"I saw him enter such a house of sale," Videlicet, a brothel, or so forth.

See you now;

Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth:
And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,

With windlasses and with assays of bias,
By indirections find directions out:

So by my former lecture and advice,

Shall you my son. You have me, have you not?

Rey. My lord, I have.

Pol.

60

Rey. Good my lord!

70

Pol. Observe his inclination in yourself.

Rey. I shall, my lord.

Pol. And let him ply his music.

Rey.

Pol. Farewell!

Well, my lord.

[Exit Reynaldo.