GUIL: Well, that's a step in the right direction.

ROS: You think so? He could be anywhere.

GUIL: All right-you go that way, I'll go this way.

ROS: Right.

They walk towards opposite wings. ROShalts.

N o.

GUILhalts.

You go this way-I'll go that way.

GUIL: All right.

They march towards each other, cross. ROS halts.

ROS: Wait a minute.

GUILhalts.

I think we should stick together. He might be violent.

GUIL: Good point. I'll come with you.

GUIL marches across to ROS . They turn to leave. ROS halts.

ROS: No, I’ll come with you.

GUIL: Right.

They turn, march across to the opposite wing. ROS halls. GUIL halts.

ROS: I'll come with you, my way.

GUIL: All right.

They turn again and march across. ROS halts. GUIL halts.

ROS: I've just thought. If we both go, he could come here. That would be stupid, wouldn't it?

GUIL: All right-I'll stay, you go.

ROS: Right.

GUILmarches to midstage.

I say.

GUIL wheels and carries on marching back towards ROS , who starts marching downstage. They cross. ROShalts.

I've just thought.

GUILhalts.

We ought to stick together; he might be violent.

GUIL: Good point.

GUIL marches down to join ROS. They stand still for a moment in their original positions.

Well, at last we're getting somewhere.

Pause.

Of course, he might not come.

ROS (airily) : Oh, he'll come.

GUIL: We'd have some explaining to do.

ROS: He'll come. (Airily wanders upstage.) Don't worry-take my word for it- (Looks out-is appalled.) He's coming!

GUIL: What's he doing?

ROS: Walking.

GUIL: Alone?

ROS: No.

GUIL: Not walking?

ROS: No.

GUIL: Who's with him?

ROS: The old man.

GUIL: Walking?

ROS: No.

GUIL: Ah. That's an opening if ever there was one. (And is suddenly galvanized into action.) Let him walk into the trap!

ROS: What trap?

GUIL: You stand there! Don't let him pass!

He positions ROS with his back to one wing, facing HAMLET 's entrance. GUIL positions himself next to ROS , a few feet away they are covering one side of the stage, facing the opposite side. GUIL unfastens his belt. ROS does the same. They join the two belts, and hold them taut between them. it trousers slide slowly down. HAMLET enters opposite, slowly, dragging POLONIUS 's body. He enters upstage, makes a small arc and leaves by side, a few feet downstage. ROS and GUIL , holding the belts taut, stare at him in some bewilderment. HAMLET leaves, dragging the body. They relax the the belts.

ROS: That was close.

GUIL: There's a limit to what two people can do.

They undo the belts. ROS pulls up his trousers.

ROS (worriedly –he walks a few paces towards HAMLET) : was dead.

GUIL: Of course he's dead!

ROS (turns to GUIL) : Properly.

GUIL: (angrily) : Death's death, isn't it?

ROSfalls silent. Pause.

Perhaps hell come back this way.

ROSstarts to take off his belt.

No, no, no!-if we can't learn by experience, what else have we got?

ROS desists. Pause.

ROS: Give him a shout.

GUIL: I thought we'd been into all that.

ROS (shouts) : Hamlet!

GUIL: Don't be absurd.

ROS (shouts) : Lord Hamlet!

HAMLET enters. ROSis a little dismayed.

What have you done, my lord, with the dead body?

HAMLET: Compounded it with dust, whereto is kin.

ROS: Tell us where 'tis, that we may take it thence and bear it to the chapel.

HAMLET: Do not believe it.

ROS: Believe what?

HAMLET: That I can keep your counsel and not mine own. Besides, to be demanded of a sponge, what replication should be made by the son of a king?

ROS: Take you me for a sponge, my lord?

HAMLET: Ay, sir, that soaks 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 comer of his jaw, first mouthed, to be last swallowed. When he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you and, sponge, you shall be dry again.

ROS: I understand you not, my lord.

HAMLET: I am glad of it: a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish car.

ROS: My lord, you must tell us where the body is and go with us to the King.

HAMLET: The body is with the King, but the King is not with the body. The King is a thing

GUIL: A thing, my lord-?

HAMLET: Of nothing. Bring me to him.

HAMLET moves resolutely towards one wing. They move with him, shepherding. Just before they reach the exit, HAMLET , apparently seeing CLAUDIUS approaching from off stage, bends low in a sweeping bow. ROS and GUIL , cued by Hamlet, also bow deeply-a sweeping ceremonial bow with their cloaks swept round them. HAMLET , however, continues the movement into an about-turn and walks off in the opposite direction. ROS and GUIL , with their heads low, do not notice. No one comes on. ROS and GUIL squint upwards and find that they are bowing to nothing. CLAUDIUS enters behind them. At first word they leap up and do a double-take.

CLAUDIUS: How now? What hath befallen?

ROS: Where the body is bestowed, my lord, we cannot get from him.

CLAUDIUS: But where is he?

ROS (fractional hesitation) : Without, my lord; guarded to know your pleasure.

CLAUDIUS (moves) : Bring him before us.

This hits ROS between the eyes but only his eyes show it. Again his hesitation is fractional. And then with great deliberation he turns to GUIL .

ROS: Ho! Bring in the lord.

Again there is a fractional moment In which ROS is smug, GUIL is trapped and betrayed. GUIL opens his mouth and closes it. The situation is saved. HAMLET , escorted, is marched in just as CLAUDIUS leaves. HAMLET and his ESCORT Cross the stage and go out, following CLAUDIUS . Lighting changes to Exterior.

ROS (moves to go) : All right, then?

GUIL (does not move; thoughtfully) : And yet it doesn't seem enough; to have breathed such significance. Can that be all? And why us?-anybody would have done. And we have contributed nothing.

ROS: It was a trying episode while it lasted, but they've done with us now.

GUIL: Done what?

ROS: I don't pretend to have understood. Frankly, I'm not very interested. If they won't tell us, that's their affair. (He wanders upstage towards the exit.) For my part, I'm only glad that that's the last we've seen of him- (And he glances off stage and turns front, his face betraying the fact that)

ROS: Talking.

GUIL: To himself?

ROS Makes to go, GUILCuts him off.

Is he alone?

ROS: NO, he's with a soldier.

GUIL: Then he's not talking to himself, is he?

ROS: Not by himself Should we go?

GUIL: Where?

ROS: Anywhere.

GUIL: Why?

ROS puts up his head listening.

ROS: There it is again. (In anguish.) All I ask is a change ground!

GUIL: (coda) : Give us this day our daily round…

HAMLET enters behind them, talking with a soldier in arms. ROS and GUIL don't look round.

ROS: They'll have us hanging about till we're dead. At least. And the weather will change. (Looks up.) The spring can't last for ever.

HAMLET: Good sir, whose powers are these?

SOLDIER: They are of Norway, sir.