SCENE IV. The Platform Enter HAMLET, HORATIO, and MARCELLUS Hamlet. The air bites shrewdly; it is very cold. Horatio. It is a nipping and an eager° air. Hamlet. What hour now? Horatio. Hamlet. No, it is struck. I think it lacks of twelve. Horatio. Indeed? I heard it not. Then it 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? 5 Hamlet. The king doth wake to-night, and takes his rouse, O Keeps wassail, and the swaggering up-spring reels; And, as he drains his draughts of Rhenish down, The kettle-drum and trumpet thus bray out The triumph of his pledge. Horatio. Hamlet. Ay, marry, is't: 10 Is it a custom ? But to my mind, though I am native here And to the manner° born, it is a custom More honour'd in the breach than the observance. This heavy-headed revel east and west Makes us traduc'd and tax'd° of other nations. They clepe us drunkards, and with swinish phrase Soil our addition°; and indeed it takes • 20 From our achievements, though perform'd at height, That for some vicious mole of nature in them, As, in their birth - wherein they are not guilty, Horatio. Look, my lord, it comes! 25 30 35 Enter GHOST Hamlet. Angels and ministers of grace defend us! Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn'd, 40 Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell, Be thy intents wicked or charitable, Thou com'st in such a questionable shape That I will speak to thee. I'll call thee Hamlet, King, father: royal Dane, O, answer me! 45 Let me not burst in ignorance; but tell Why thy canoniz'd° bones, hearsed in death," To cast thee up again. What may this mean, 50 55 With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls? [GHOST beckons HAMLET Horatio. It beckons you to go away with it, As if it some impartment did desire To you alone. Marcellus. Look, with what courteous action It waves you to a more removed ground. But do not go with it. Horatio. No, by no means. Hamlet. It will not speak; then I will follow it. Hamlet. 6c Why, what should be the fear? I do not set my life at a pin's fee°; Being a thing immortal as itself? It waves me forth again. I'll follow it. 65 Horatio. What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff That beetles o'er his base into the sea, And there assume some other horrible form, Hamlet. Go on; I'll follow thee. It waves me still. Marcellus. You shall not go, my lord. 70 75 Hamlet. Hold off your hands. 80 Horatio. Be rul'd: you shall not go. Hamlet. My fate cries out, And makes each petty artery in this body By heaven, I'll make a ghost of him that lets me! 85 [Exeunt GHOST and HAMLET. Horatio. He waxes desperate with imagination. Marcellus. Let's follow; 'tis not fit thus to obey him Horatio. Have after. To what issue will this come? Marcellus. Something is rotten in the state of Den Hamlet. Where wilt thou lead me? Speak. I'll |