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that you may direct me To him from whom you brought them。 Exeunt。
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
SCENE VII。 Elsinore。 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； That he which hath your noble father slain Pursued my life。 Laer。 It
well appears。 But tell me Why you proceeded not against these feats So
crimeful and so capital in nature； As by your safety； wisdom； all things
else； You mainly were stirr'd up。 King。 O； for two special reasons； Which
may to you； perhaps； seem much unsinew'd； 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；… She's so conjunctive to my life
and soul That； as the star moves not but in his sphere； I could not but by
her。 The other motive Why to a public count I might not go Is the great
love the general gender bear him； Who； dipping all his faults in their
affection； Would； like the spring that turneth wood to stone； Convert his
gives to graces； so that my arrows； Too slightly timber'd for so loud a wind；
Would have reverted to my bow again； And not where I had aim'd them。
Laer。 And so have I a noble father lost； A sister driven into desp'rate terms；
Whose worth； if praises may go back again； Stood challenger on mount of
all the age For her perfections。 But my revenge will come。 King。 Break not
your sleeps 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； And think it
pastime。 You shortly shall hear more。 I lov'd your father； and we love
ourself； And that； I hope； will teach you to imagine…
Enter a Messenger with letters。
How now？ What news？ Mess。 Letters； my lord； from Hamlet： This to
your Majesty； this to the Queen。 King。 From Hamlet？ Who brought them？
Mess。 Sailors； my lord； they say； I saw them not。 They were given me by
Claudio； he receiv'd them Of him that brought them。 King。 Laertes； you
shall hear them。 Leave us。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。'
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
What should this mean？ Are all the rest come back？ Or is it some abuse；
and no such thing？ Laer。 Know you the hand？ King。 'Tis Hamlet's
character。 'Naked！' And in a postscript here； he says 'alone。' Can you
advise me？ Laer。 I am 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。 If it be so； Laertes （As how should it be so？ how
otherwise？）； Will you be rul'd by me？ Laer。 Ay my lord； So 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 exploit now ripe in my device； Under the which he shall not
choose but fall； And for his death no wind shall breathe But even his
mother shall uncharge the practice And call it accident。 Laer。 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； And
that in Hamlet's hearing； for a quality Wherein they say you shine； Your
sum of parts Did not together pluck such envy from him As did that one；
and that； in my regard； Of the unworthiest siege。 Laer。 What part is that；
my lord？ King。 A very riband in the cap of youth… Yet needfull too； for
youth no less becomes The light and careless livery that it wears Than
settled age his sables and his weeds； Importing health and graveness。 Two
months since Here was a gentleman of Normandy。 I have seen myself； and
serv'd against； the French； And they can well on horseback； but this gallant
Had witchcraft in't。 He grew unto his seat； And to such wondrous doing
brought his horse As had he been incorps'd and demi…natur'd With the
brave beast。 So far he topp'd my thought That I； in forgery of shapes and
tricks； Come short of what he did。 Laer。 A Norman was't？ King。 A Norman。
Laer。 Upon my life； Lamound。 King。 The very same。 Laer。 I know him
well。 He is the broach indeed And gem of all the nation。 King。 He made
confession of you； And gave you such a masterly report For art and
exercise in your defence； And for your rapier most especially； That he
cried out 'twould be a sight indeed If one could match you。 The scrimers
of their nation He swore had neither motion； guard； nor eye； If you
oppos'd them。 Sir； this report of his Did Hamlet so envenom with his envy
That he could nothing do but wish and beg Your sudden coming o'er to
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
play with you。 Now； out of this… Laer。 What out of this； my lord？ King。
Laertes； was your father dear to you？ Or are you like the painting of a
sorrow； A face without a heart；' Laer。 Why ask you this？ King。 Not that I
think you did not love your father； But that I know love is begun by time；
And that I see； in passages of proof； Time qualifies the spark and fire of it。
There lives within the very flame of love A kind of wick or snuff that will
abate it； And nothing is at a like goodness still； For goodness； growing to a
plurisy； Dies in his own too…much。 That we would do； We should do when
we would； for this 'would' changes； And hath abatements and delays as
many As there are tongues； are hands； are accidents； And then this 'should'
is like a spendthrift sigh； That hurts by easing。 But to the quick o' th' ulcer！
Hamlet comes back。 What would you undertake To show yourself your
father's son in deed More than in words？ Laer。 To cut his throat i' th'
church！ King。 No place indeed should murther sanctuarize； Revenge
should have no bounds。 But； good Laertes； Will you do this？ Keep close
within your chamber。 Hamlet return'd shall know you are come home。
We'll put on those shall praise your excellence And set a double varnish on
the fame The Frenchman gave you； bring you in fine together And wager
on your heads。 He； being remiss； Most generous； and free from all
contriving； Will not peruse the foils； so that with ease； Or with a little
shuffling； you may choose A sword unbated； and； in a pass of practice；
Requite him for your father。 Laer。 I will do't！ And for that purpose I'll
anoint my sword。 I bought an unction of a mountebank； So mortal that； but
dip a knife in it； Where it draws blood no cataplasm so rare； Collected
from all simples that have virtue Under the moon； can save the thing from
death This is but scratch'd withal。 I'll touch my point With this contagion；
that； if I gall him slightly； It may be death。 King。 Let's further think of this；
Weigh what convenience both of time and means May fit us to our shape。
If this should fall； And that our drift look through our bad p