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French rapiers and poniards； with their assigns； as girdle； hangers； and so。
Three of the carriages； in faith； are very dear to fancy； very responsive to
the hilts； most delicate carriages； and of very liberal conceit。 Ham。 What
call you the carriages？ Hor。 ＇aside to Hamlet＇ I knew you must be edified
by the margent ere you had done。 Osr。 The carriages； sir； are the hangers。
Ham。 The phrase would be more germane to the matter if we could carry
cannon by our sides。 I would it might be hangers till then。 But on！ Six
Barbary horses against six French swords； their assigns； and three liberal…
conceited carriages： that's the French bet against the Danish。 Why is this
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
all impon'd； as you call it？ Osr。 The King； sir； hath laid that； in a dozen
passes between yourself and him； he shall not exceed you three hits； he
hath laid on twelve for nine； and it would come to immediate trial if your
lordship would vouchsafe the answer。 Ham。 How if I answer no？ Osr。 I
mean； my lord； the opposition of your person in trial。 Ham。 Sir； I will walk
here in the hall。 If it please his Majesty； it is the breathing time of day with
me。 Let the foils be brought； the gentleman willing； and the King hold his
purpose； I will win for him if I can； if not； I will gain nothing but my
shame and the odd hits。 Osr。 Shall I redeliver you e'en so？ Ham。 To this
effect； sir； after what flourish your nature will。 Osr。 I commend my duty to
your lordship。 Ham。 Yours； yours。 ＇Exit Osric。＇ He does well to commend
it himself； there are no tongues else for's turn。 Hor。 This lapwing runs
away with the shell on his head。 Ham。 He did comply with his dug before
he suck'd it。 Thus has he； and many more of the same bevy that I know the
drossy age dotes on； only got the tune of the time and outward habit of
encounter… a kind of yesty collection； which carries them through and
through the most fann'd and winnowed opinions； and do but blow them to
their trial…the bubbles are out；
Enter a Lord。
Lord。 My lord； his Majesty commended him to you by young Osric；
who brings back to him； that you attend him in the hall。 He sends to know
if your pleasure hold to play with Laertes； or that you will take longer time。
Ham。 I am constant to my purposes； they follow the King's pleasure。 If his
fitness speaks； mine is ready； now or whensoever； provided I be so able as
now。 Lord。 The King and Queen and all are coming down。 Ham。 In happy
time。 Lord。 The Queen desires you to use some gentle entertainment to
Laertes before you fall to play。 Ham。 She well instructs me。 ＇Exit Lord。＇
Hor。 You will lose this wager； my lord。 Ham。 I do not think so。 Since he
went into France I have been in continual practice。 I shall win at the odds。
But thou wouldst not think how ill all's here about my heart。 But it is no
matter。 Hor。 Nay； good my lord … Ham。 It is but foolery； but it is such a
kind of gaingiving as would perhaps trouble a woman。 Hor。 If your mind
dislike anything； obey it。 I will forestall their repair hither and say you are
not fit。 Ham。 Not a whit； we defy augury； there's a special providence in
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the fall of a sparrow。 If it be now； 'tis not to come； if it be not to come； it
will be now； if it be not now； yet it will come： the readiness is all。 Since no
man knows aught of what he leaves； what is't to leave betimes？ Let be。
Enter King； Queen； Laertes； Osric； and Lords； with other Attendants
with foils and gauntlets。A table and flagons of wine on it。
King。 Come； Hamlet； come； and take this hand from me。 ＇The King
puts Laertes' hand into Hamlet's。＇ Ham。 Give me your pardon； sir。 I have
done you wrong； But pardon't； as you are a gentleman。 This presence
knows； And you must needs have heard； how I am punish'd With sore
distraction。 What I have done That might your nature； honour； and
exception Roughly awake； I here proclaim was madness。 Was't Hamlet
wrong'd Laertes？ Never Hamlet。 If Hamlet from himself be taken away；
And when he's not himself does wrong Laertes； Then Hamlet does it not；
Hamlet denies it。 Who does it； then？ His madness。 If't be so； Hamlet is of
the faction that is wrong'd； His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy。 Sir； in
this audience； Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil Free me so far in
your most generous thoughts That I have shot my arrow o'er the house
And hurt my brother。 Laer。 I am satisfied in nature； Whose motive in this
case should stir me most To my revenge。 But in my terms of honour I
stand aloof； and will no reconcilement Till by some elder masters of
known honour I have a voice and precedent of peace To keep my name
ungor'd。 But till that time I do receive your offer'd love like love； And will
not wrong it。 Ham。 I embrace it freely； 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' th'
darkest night； Stick fiery off indeed。 Laer。 You mock me； sir。 Ham。 No； by
this hand。 King。 Give them the foils； young Osric。 Cousin Hamlet； You
know the wager？ Ham。 Very well； my lord。 Your Grace has laid the odds o'
th' weaker side。 King。 I do not fear it； I have seen you both； But since he is
better'd； we have therefore odds。 Laer。 This is too heavy； let me see
another。 Ham。 This likes me well。 These foils have all a length？ Prepare to
play。 Osr。 Ay； my good lord。 King。 Set me the stoups of wine upon that
table。 If Hamlet give the first or second hit； Or quit in answer of the third
exchange； Let all the battlements their ordnance fire； The King shall drink
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
to Hamlet's better breath； And in the cup an union shall he throw Richer
than that which four successive kings In Denmark's crown have worn。
Give me the cups； And let the kettle to the trumpet speak； The trumpet to
the cannoneer without； The cannons to the heavens； the heaven to earth；
'Now the King drinks to Hamlet。' Come； begin。 And you the judges； bear a
wary eye。 Ham。 Come on； sir。 Laer。 Come； my lord。They play。 Ham。 One。
Laer。 No。 Ham。 Judgment！ Osr。 A hit； a very palpable hit。 Laer。 Well； again！
King。 Stay； give me drink。 Hamlet； this pearl is thine； Here's to thy
health。＇Drum； trumpets sound； a piece goes off ＇within＇。 Give him the cup。
Ham。 I'll play this bout first； set it by awhile。 Come。 （They play。） Another
hit。 What say you？ Laer。 A touch； a touch； I do confess't。 King。 Our son
shall win。 Queen。 He's fat； and scant of breath。 Here； Hamlet； take my
napkin； rub thy brows。 The Queen carouses to thy fortune； Hamlet。 Ham。
Good madam！ King。 Gertrude； do not drink。 Queen。 I will； my lord； I pray
you pardon me。Drinks。 King。 ＇aside＇ It is the poison'd cup； it is too late。
Ham。 I dare not drink yet； madam； by…and…by。 Queen。 Come； let me wipe
thy face。 Laer。 My lord； I'll hit him now。 King。 I do not think't。 Laer。 ＇aside＇
And yet it is almost against my conscience。 Ham。 Come for the third；
Laertes！ You but dally。 Pray you pass with your best violence； I am afeard
you make a wanton of me。 Laer。 Say you so？ Come on。 Play。 Osr。 Nothing
neither way。 Laer。 Have at you now！ ＇Laertes wounds Hamlet； then＇ in
scuffling； they change rapiers； ＇and Hamlet wounds Laertes＇。 King。 Part
them！ They are incens'd。 Ham。 Nay come！ again！ The Queen falls。
Osr。 Look to the Queen there； ho！ 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 sounds to see them bleed。 Queen。 No； no！ the
drink； the drink！ O my dear Hamlet！ The drink； the drink！ I am poison'd。
＇Dies。＇ Ham。 O villany！ Ho！ let the door be lock'd。 Treachery！ Seek it out。
＇Laertes falls。＇ Laer。 It is here； Hamlet。 Hamlet； thou art slain； No
medicine in the world can do thee good。 In thee there is not half an hour of
life。 The treacherous instrument is i