But we will ship him hence; and this vile deed

We must with all our majesty and skill

Both countenance and excuse.—Ho, Guildensternl

Enter Rosencrantz 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 dragged him.

Go seek him out, speak fair, and bring the body

Into the chapel. I pray you haste in this.

Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

Come, Gertrude, we’ll call up our wisest friends

To let them know both what we mean to do

And what’s untimely done. O, come away!

My soul is full of discord and dismay.

Exeunt

4.2 Enter Prince Hamlet

HAMLET Safely stowed.

ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN (within)

Hamlet, Lord Hamlet!

HAMLET

What noise? Who calls on Hamlet?

Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

O, here they come.

ROSENCRANTZ

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

HAMLET

Compounded it with dust, whereto ’tis kin.

ROSENCRANTZ

Tell us where ’tis, that we may take it thence

And bear it to the chapel.

HAMLET Do not believe it.

ROSENCRANTZ 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?

ROSENCRANTZ 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 an apple in the corner 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.

ROSENCRANTZ I understand you not, my lord.

HAMLET I am glad of it. A knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear.

ROSENCRANTZ 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—

GUILDENSTERN A thing, my lord?

HAMLET Of nothing. Bring me to him. Hide fox, and all after.

Exit running, pursued by the others

4.3 Enter King Claudius

KING CLAUDIUS

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 loved of the distracted multitude,

Who like not in their judgement but their eyes,

And where ‘tis so, th’offender’s scourge is weighed,

But never the offence. To bear all smooth and even,

This sudden sending him away must seem

Deliberate pause. Diseases desperate grown

By desperate appliance are relieved,

Or not at all.

Enter Rosencrantz

How now, what hath befall’n?

ROSENCRANTZ

Where the dead body is bestowed, my lord,

We cannot get from him.

KING CLAUDIUS But where is he?

ROSENCRANTZ

Without, my lord, guarded to know your pleasure.

KING CLAUDIUS Bring him before us.

ROSENCRANTZ

Ho, Guildenstern! Bring in my lord.

Enter Prince Hamlet and Guildenstern

KING CLAUDIUS

Now, Hamlet, where’s Polonius?

HAMLET At supper.

KING CLAUDIUS At supper? Where?

HAMLET Not where he eats, but where a is eaten. A certain convocation of politic worms are e’en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet. We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service—two dishes, but to one table. That’s the end.

KING CLAUDIUS Alas, alas!

HAMLET A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.

KING CLAUDIUS What dost thou mean by this?

HAMLET Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar. 31

KING CLAUDIUS Where is Polonius?

HAMLET In heaven. Send thither to see. If your messenger find him not there, seek him i’th’ other place yourself. But indeed, if you find him not this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby. 36

KING CLAUDIUS ⌈to Rosencrantz⌉ Go seek him there.

HAMLET ⌈to Rosencrantz⌉ A will stay till ye come.

Exit ⌈Rosencrantz⌉

KING CLAUDIUS

Hamlet, this deed of thine, for thine especial safety—

Which we do tender as we dearly grieve

For that which thou hast done—must send thee hence

With fiery quickness. Therefore prepare thyself.

The barque is ready, and the wind at help,

Th’associates tend, and everything is bent

For England.

HAMLET For England?

KING CLAUDIUS Ay, Hamlet.

HAMLET Good.

KING CLAUDIUS

So is it if thou knew’st our purposes.

HAMLET

I see a cherub that sees them. But come, for

England. Farewell, dear mother.

KING CLAUDIUS Thy loving father, Hamlet.

HAMLET My mother. Father and mother is man and wife, man and wife is one flesh, and so my mother. Come, for England. Exit

KING CLAUDIUS ⌈to Guildenstern⌉

Follow him at foot. Tempt him with speed aboard. 56

Delay it not. I’ll have him hence tonight.

Away, for everything is sealed and done

That else leans on th’affair. Pray you, make haste.

Exit ⌈Guildenstern⌉

And, England, if my love thou hold‘st at aught—

As my great power thereof may give thee sense,

Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red

After the Danish sword, and thy free awe

Pays homage to us—thou mayst not coldly set

Our sovereign process, which imports at full,

By letters conjuring to that effect,

The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England,

For like the hectic in my blood he rages,

And thou must cure me. Till I know ’tis done,

Howe‘er my haps, my joys were ne’er begun.

Exit

4.4 Enter Fortinbras with an army over the stage

FORTINBRAS

Go, captain, from me greet the Danish king.

Tell him that by his licence Fortinbras

Claims the conveyance of a promised march