Hamlet.

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 I 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 encumbered thus, or this head-shake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,

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.

Swear.

Ghost.

Hamlet.

[Beneath.

Rest, rest, perturbèd spirit! 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, cursèd spite,

That ever I was born to set it right!

Nay, come, let's go together.

CURTAIN.

[Picture.

Alas! my lord, I have been so affrighted!

Pol.

With what, i' the name of heaven?

Oph.

My lord, as I was sewing in my chamber,
Lord Hamlet,- with his doublet all unbraced;
No hat upon his head; he comes before me.

What said he?

Pol.

Oph.

He took me by the wrist, and held me hard;
Then goes he to the length of all his arm;
And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
He falls to such perusal of my face

As he would draw it. Long stayed he so ;
At last,—a little shaking of mine arm,

And thrice his head thus waving up and down,—
He raised a sigh so piteous and profound,
That it did seem to shatter all his bulk,
And end his being: that done, he lets me go:
And, with his head over his shoulder turned,
He seemed to find his way without his eyes;
For out of doors he went without their help,
And to the last, bended their light on me.

What! have you given him any hard words of late?

Oph.

No, my good lord; but, as you did command,

I did repel his letters, and denied

His access to me.

Pol.

That hath made him mad.

This must be known; which, being kept close, might move More grief to hide than hate to utter love.

[Exeunt Polonius and Ophelia L. I. E.

[Enter King, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern c.

King.

Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern!
Moreover that we much did long to see you,
The need we have to use you did provoke
Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's transformation; so I call it,
Since nor the exterior nor the inward man
Resembles that it was. What it should be,
More than his father's death, that thus hath put him
So much from the understanding of himself,

I cannot dream of: I entreat you both,

[Enter Queen and Attendants L. U. E.

That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court
Some little time: so by your companies