King.
There's matters in these sighs, these profound heaves;
You must translate, 'tis fit we understand them.
Where is your Son?

Queen.
Ah, my good Lord, what have I seen to Night?

King.
What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet?

Queen.
Mad as the Seas, and Wind, when both contend
Which is the mightier; in his lawless fit
Behind the Arras, hearing something stir,
He whips his Rapier out, and cries a Rat, a Rat,
And in his brainish apprehension, kills
The unseen good old Man.

King.
Oh heavy deed!
It had been so with us, had we been there:
His Liberty is full of threats to all,
To you your self, to us, to every one.
Alas, how shall this bloody deed be answer'd?
It will be laid to us, whose providence
Should have kept short, restrain'd, and out of haunt,
This mad young Man. But so much was our love,
We would not understand what was most fit,
But like the Owner of a foul Disease,
To keep it from divulging, lets it feed
Even on the pith of Life. Where is he gone?

Queen.
To draw apart the Body he hath kill'd,
O'er whom his very Madness, like some Ore
Among a Mineral of Metals base,
Shews it self pure. He weeps for what is done.

King.
Oh Gertrude, come away:
The Sun no sooner shall the Mountains touch,
But we will ship him hence, and this vile deed,
We must, with all our Majesty and Skill,
Both countenance, and excuse. Ho! Guildenstern!

Enter Roseneraus and Guildenstern.
Friends both, go join you with some further aid:
Hamlet in madness hath Polonius slain,
And from his Mother's Closet hath he dragg'd him.
Go seek him out, speak fair, and bring the Body
Into the Chappel. I pray you haste in this. [Ex. Ros. and Guild.
Gome, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest Friends,
To let them know both what we mean to do,
And what's untimely done. Oh come away,
My Soul is full of discord and dismay. [Exeunt. Enter Hamlet.

Ham.
Safely stowed.

Gentlemen within.
Hamlet! Lord Hamlet!

Ham.
What noise? who calls on Hamlet?
Oh here they come. Enter Roseneraus and Guildenstern.

Ros.
What have you done, my Lord, with the dead Body?

Ham.
Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin.

Ros.
Tell us where 'tis, that we may take it thence,
And bear it to the Chappel.

Ham.
Do not believe it.

Ros.
Believe what?

Ham.

That I can keep your Counsel, and not mine own. Besides, to be demanded of a Spunge, what replication should be made by the Son of a King.

Ros.

Take you me for a Spunge, my Lord?

Ham.

Ay, Sir, that sokes up the King's Countenance, his Rewards, his Authorities; but such Officers do the King best service in the end; he keeps them like an Ape in the corner of his Jaw, first mouth'd to be last swallowed, when he needs what you have glean'd, it is but squeezing you, and Spunge you shall be dry again.

Ros.

I understand you not, my Lord.

Ham.

I am glad of it; a knavish Speech sleeps in a foolish Ear.

Ros.

My Lord, you must tell us where the Body is, and go with us to the King.

Ham.

The Body is with the King, but the King is not with the Body. The King, is a thing—

Guild.
A thing, my Lord?

Ham.

Of nothing? bring me to him, hide Fox, and all after.

Enter King.

King.
I have sent to seek him, and to find the Body;
How dangerous is it that this Man goes loose!
Yet must not we put the strong Law on him;
He's lov'd of the distracted Multitude,
Who like not in their Judgment, but their Eyes:
And where 'tis so, th' Offender's scourge is weigh'd,
But never the Offence. To bear all smooth, and even,
This sudden sending him away, must seem
Deliberate pawse: Diseases desperate grown,
By desperate Appliance are relieved,
Or not at all. Enter Roseneraus.
How now? what hath befal'n?

Ros.
Where the dead Body is bestow'd, my Lord,
We cannot get from him.

King.
But where is he?

Ros.

Without, my Lord, guarded to know your Pleasure.

King.

Bring him before us.

Ros.

Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my Lord.