Alas, how shall this bloody deed be answer'd° ? Should have kept short, restrain'd and out of haunt, But so much was our love, This mad young man. We would not understand what was most fit, To keep it from divulging, let it feed Where is he gone? Queen. To draw apart the body he hath kill'ɖ; Shows itself pure. He weeps for what is done. The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch, Ho, Guildenstern! Reënter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN Friends both, go join you with some further aid. 20 25 30 35 [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. Come, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends, 40 [Exeunt. SCENE II. Another Room in the Castle Enter HAMLET Hamlet. Safely stowed. Rosencrantz. Guildenstern. [Within] Hamlet! Lord Hamlet! Hamlet. What noise? Who calls on Hamlet? O, here they come. Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN Rosencrantz. What have you done, my lord, with the dead body? Hamlet. Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin. 5 Rosencrantz. Tell us where 'tis, that we may take it Hamlet. That I can keep your counsel and not mine own. Besides, to be demanded of a sponge, what replication should be made by the son of a king? Rosencrantz. Take you me for a sponge, my lord? Hamlet. Ay, sir, that soaks up the king's countenance,° his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end. He keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw, first mouthed, to be last swallowed. When he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again. Rosencrantz. I understand you not, my lord. Hamlet. I am glad of it: a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear. 21 Rosencrantz. My lord, you must tell us where the body is, and go with us to the king. 25 Hamlet. The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. The king is a thing Guildenstern. A thing, my lord! Hamlet. Of nothing. Bring me to him. Hide fox, and all after.° [Exeunt. SCENE III. Another Room in the Castle 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; He's loved of the distracted multitude, 5 Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes: Deliberate pause. Diseases desperate grown Or not at all. Enter ROSENCRANTZ 10 Rosencrantz. Where the dead body is bestow'd, my lord, We cannot get from him. King. But where is he? Rosencrantz. Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure. King. Bring him before us. Rosencrantz. Ho, Guildenstern! Bring in my lord. 15 Enter HAMLET and GUILDENSTERN King. Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? Hamlet. At supper. King. At supper! Where? 19 Hamlet. 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! 26 Hamlet. 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? Hamlet. Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar. King. Where is Polonius? 32 If your Hamlet. In heaven. Send thither to see. 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. 38 |