Enter Sailors First Sailor. God bless you, sir. First Sailor. He shall, sir, an't please him. There's a letter for you, sir. It comes from the ambassador that was bound for England, if your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is. 12 Horatio. [Reads] "Horatio, when thou shalt have overlooked this, give these fellows some means to the king: they have letters for him. Ere we were two days old at sea, a pirate of very warlike appointment gave us chase. Finding ourselves too slow of sail, we put on a compelled valour. In the grapple I boarded them on the instant they got clear of our ship; so I alone became their prisoner. They have dealt with me like thieves of mercy. But they knew what they did; I am to do a good turn for them. Let the king have the letters I have sent, and repair thou to me with as much speed as thou wouldst fly death. I have words to speak in thine ear will make thee dumb; yet are they much too light for the bore of the matter. These good fellows will bring thee where I am. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern hold their course for England; of them I have much to tell thee. Farewell. "He that thou knowest thine, HAMLET." Come, I will make you way for these your letters; 30 [Exeunt. SCENE VII. Another Room in the Castle Enter KING and LAERTES King. Now must your conscience my acquittance seal, And you must put me in your heart for friend, Sith you have heard, and with a knowing ear, Laertes. It well appears. But tell me 5 O, for two special reasons, King. Which may to you, perhaps, seem much unsinew'd, 10 But yet to me they are strong. The queen his mother Lives almost by his looks; and for myself . My virtue or my plague, be it either which Why to a public count° I might not go, Would, like the spring that turneth wood to stone, Would have reverted to my bow again, And not where I had aim'd them. Laertes. And so have I a noble father lost, 15 20 25 For her perfections. But my revenge will come. King. Break not your sleep for that. You must not think That we are made of stuff so flat and dull That we can let our beard be shook with danger, more. 30 You shortly shall hear I lov'd your father, and we love ourself; And that, I hope, will teach you to imagine— 35 Enter a Messenger How now! what news? Messenger. Letters, my lord, from Hamlet: This to your majesty; this to the queen. King. From Hamlet! who brought them? Messenger. Sailors, my lord, they say; I saw them not: They were given me by Claudio; he receiv'd them 40 Of him that brought them. King. Leave us. Laertes, you shall hear them. [Exit Messenger. [Reads] "High and mighty, You shall know I am set naked on your kingdom. To-morrow shall I beg leave to see your kingly eyes, when I shall, first asking your pardon thereunto, recount the occasion of my sudden and more strange return. HAMLET." What should this mean? Are all the rest come back? Or is it some abuse, and no such thing? Laertes. Know you the hand? King. 'Tis Hamlet's character. And in a postscript here, he says “alone.” Can you advise me? "Naked!" 51 Laertes. I'm lost in it, my lord. But let him come. It warms the very sickness in my heart, That I shall live and tell him to his teeth, "Thus didest thou." King. 55 If it be so, Laertes As how should it be so, how otherwise? Will you be rul'd by me? So Laertes. Ay, my lord, you will not o'errule me to a peace. King. To thine own peace. If he be now return'd, As checking at his voyage, and that he means No more to undertake it, I will work him To an exploit, now ripe in my device, Under the which he shall not choose but fall; 61 And for his death no wind of blame shall breathe, 65 But even his mother shall uncharge the practice° And call it accident. Laertes. My lord, I will be rul'd; The rather, if you could devise it so That I might be the organ. King. It falls right. You have been talk'd of since your travel much, Of the unworthiest siege. 70 |