To my revenge: but in my terms of honour To keep my name ungor'd. But till that time, And will not wrong it. And will this brother's wager frankly play.- Give us the foils.-Come on. Laer. Come, one for me. Ham. I'll be your foil, Laertes: in mine ignorance Your skill shall, like a star i' the darkest night, King. Give them the foils, young Osric.-Cousin Hamlet, You know the wager? Your grace hath laid the odds o' the weaker side. But since he is better'd, we have therefore odds. Ham. This likes me well. These foils have all a length? Osr. Ay, my good lord. [They prepare to play. King. Set me the stoops of wine upon that table.— If Hamlet give the first or second hit, Or quit in answer of the third exchange, The king shall drink to Hamlet's better breath; In Denmark's crown have worn. Give me the cups; The trumpet to the cannoneer without, The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to earth, King. Stay; give me drink.- Hamlet, this pearl is thine; Here's to thy health. [Trumpets sound, and cannon shot off within. Give him the cup. Ham. I'll play this bout first; set it by awhile. Come. Another hit; what say you? [They play. He's fat, and scant of breath. Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confess. Queen. Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows: Ham. Good madam! King. Gertrude, do not drink. Queen. I will, my lord; I pray you, pardon me. Laer. My lord, I'll hit him now. King. I do not think't. [Aside. Laer. And yet 'tis almost 'gainst my conscience. [Aside. I pray you, pass with your best violence; [Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, in scuffling, they change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes. Hor. They bleed on both sides.-How is it, my lord? Osr. How is't, Laertes? Laer. Why, as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric; I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery. Ham. How does the queen? King. She swoons (99) to see them bleed. Queen. No, no, the drink, the drink,-O my dear Ham let, The drink, the drink!-I am poison'd. Ham. O villany!-Ho! (100) let the door be lock'd: Laer. It is here, Hamlet: Hamlet, thou art slain; Then, venom, to thy work. All. Treason! treason! [Dies. [Stabs the King. King. O, yet defend me, friends; I am but hurt. Ham. Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damnèd Dane, Drink off this potion :-is thy union here? Follow my mother. Laer. [King dies. He is justly serv'd; It is a poison temper'd by himself.— Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, [Dies. Ham. Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee.— I am dead, Horatio.-Wretched queen, adieu !— I am more an antique Roman than a Dane: Here's yet some liquor left. Нат. As thou'rt a man, Give me the cup: let go; by heaven, I'll have't.— O good Horatio, what a wounded name, Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me! Absent thee from felicity awhile, And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, To tell my story. [March afar off, and shot within. What warlike noise is this? Osr. Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland, To the ambassadors of England gives The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit: I cannot live to hear the news from England; On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice; So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less, [Dies. Hor. Now cracks a noble heart:-good night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!— Why does the drum come hither? [March within. Enter FORTINBRAS, the English Ambassadors, and others. Fort. Where is this sight? Hor. What is it ye would see? If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search. Fort. This quarry cries on havoc.-O proud death, What feast is toward in thine eternal cell, That thou so many princes at a shot So bloodily hast struck? First Amb. The sight is dismal; And our affairs from England come too late: The ears are senseless that should give us hearing, That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead: Where should we have our thanks? Hor. Not from his mouth, Had it the ability of life to thank you: He never gave commandment for their death. And let me speak to the yet unknowing world Fall'n on the inventors' heads: all this can I Fort. Let us haste to hear it, And call the noblest to the audience. For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune: Hor. Of that I shall have also cause to speak, Even while men's minds are wild; lest more mischance, Fort. Let four captains Bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage; For he was likely, had he been put on, To have prov'd most royally: and, for his passage, Speak loudly for him. Take up the bodies:(101)-such a sight as this [A dead march. Exeunt, bearing off the dead bodies; |