SCENE VI.
Another Room.
Enter Horatio, with a Servant.
Hor.
What are they, that would speak with me?
Serv.
Sailors, sir;
They say, they have letters for you.
-- 360 --
Hor.
Let them come in.—
I do not know from what part of the world
I should be greeted, if not from lord Hamlet.
Enter Sailors.
Sail.
God bless you, sir.
Hor.
Let him bless thee too.
Sail.
He shall, sir, an't please him. There's a
letter for you, sir: it comes from the embassador
that was bound for England; if your name be Horatio,
as I am let to know it is.
Horatio reads the letter.
HORATIO, when thou shalt have overlook'd this,
give these fellows some means to the king; they have
letters for him. Ere we were two days old at sea, a
pirate of very warlike appointment gave us chace:
Finding ourselves too slow of sail, we put on a compell'd
valour; and in the grapple I boarded them: on
the instant, they got clear of our ship; so I alone became
their prisoner. They have dealt with me, like
thieves of mercy; but they knew what they did; I am
to do a good turn for them. Let the king have the
letters I have sent; and repair thou to me with as
much haste as thou would'st fly death. I have words
to speak in thine ear, will make thee dumb; yet are they
much too light 3 notefor the bore of the matter. These
good fellows will bring thee where I am. Rosencrantz
and Guildenstern hold their course for England: of
them I have much to tell thee. Farewel.
He that thou knowest thine, Hamlet.
-- 361 --
Come, I will make you way for these your letters;
And do't the speedier, that you may direct me
To him from whom you brought them.
[Exeunt.
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].
