LORD POLONIUS
This business is well ended.
My liege, and madam, to expostulate
Why day is day, night night, and time is time,
Were nothing but to waste night, day and time;
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,
I will be brief: your noble son is mad.
Mad call I it, for to define true madness,
What is't but to be nothing else but mad?
But let that go.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
More matter, with less art.
LORD POLONIUS
Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
That he is mad, 'tis true, 'tis true 'tis pity,
And pity 'tis, 'tis true: a foolish figure!
But farewell it, for I will use no art.
I have a daughter - have while she is mine -
Who, in her duty and obedience, mark,
Hath given me this:
Enter OPHELIA with HAMLET and second OPHELIA in the background.
OPHELIA
Lord Hamlet, as if he had been loosed out of hell
To speak of horrors, came he before me.
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 stay'd 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
As 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 o' doors he went without their helps
And, to the last, bended their light on me.
Exit OPHELIA AND HAMLET
POLONIUS
Now gather and surmise what more she gives me.
Reads
'To the celestial and my soul's idol, the most
beautified Ophelia,' -
That's an ill phrase, a vile phrase; 'beautified' is
a vile phrase, but you shall hear.
Reads
'Thus in her excellent white bosom, these, etc. etc.'
QUEEN GERTRUDE
Came this from Hamlet to her?
LORD POLONIUS
Good madam, stay awhile: I will be faithful.
Reads
'Doubt thou the stars are fire,
Doubt that the sun doth move,
Doubt truth to be a liar,
But never doubt I love.
Adieu.Thine evermore most dear lady, whilst
this machine is to him, Hamlet.'
This, in obedience, hath my daughter shown me -
QUEEN GERTRUDE
But how hath she
Received his love?
LORD POLONIUS
What do you think of me?
KING CLAUDIUS
As of a man faithful and honourable.
LORD POLONIUS
I would fain prove so. But what might you think,
When I had seen this hot love on the wing -
If I had played the desk or table-book,
Or looked upon this love with idle sight;
What might you think? No, I went round to work
And my young mistress thus I did bespeak:
'Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy star.
This must not be'.She took the fruits of my advice,
And he, repelled, a short tale to make,
Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,
Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness,
Thence to lightness, and by this declension,
Into the madness wherein now he raves,
And all we mourn for.
KING CLAUDIUS
Do you think 'tis this?
QUEEN GERTRUDE
It may be, very like.
LORD POLONIUS
You knowsometimes he walks four hours together
Here in the lobby.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
So he does indeed.
LORD POLONIUS
At such a time I'll loose my daughter to him.
Be you and I behind an arras then,
Mark the encounter: if he love her not
And be not from his reason fallen thereon,
Let me be no assistant for a state,
But keep a farm and carters.
KING CLAUDIUS
We will try it.
Exeunt