Ber. Welcome, Horatio:-welcome, good Marcellus. Mar. Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy, And will not let belief take hold of him Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us: Therefore I have entreated him along With us to watch the minutes of this night; He may approve our eyes, and speak to it. And let us once again assail your ears, Hor. Sit down awhile; Well, sit we down, And let us hear Bernardo speak of this. Ber. Last night of all, When yond same star that's westward from the pole Had made his course to illume that part of heaven Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself, The bell then beating one,— Mar. Peace, break thee off; look, where it comes again! Enter Ghost. Ber. In the same figure, like the king that's dead. Mar. Thou art a scholar; speak to it, Horatio. Mar. Question it, Horatio. Hor. What art thou, that usurp'st this time of night, Together with that fair and warlike form. In which the majesty of buried Denmark Did sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, speak! Ber. See, it stalks away! Hor. Stay! speak, speak! I charge thee, speak! Mar. 'Tis gone, and will not answer. [Exit Ghost. Ber. How now, Horatio! you tremble, and look pale: Is not this something more than fantasy? What think you on't? Hor. Before my God, I might not this believe Without the sensible and true avouch Of mine own eyes. Mar. Is it not like the king? Hor. As thou art to thyself: Such was the very armour he had on Mar. Thus twice before, and just at this dead hour, Hor. In what particular thought to work I know not; But, in the gross and scope of my opinion, This bodes some strange eruption to our state. Mar. Good now, sit down, and tell me, he that knows, Why this same strict and most observant watch So nightly toils the subject of the land; Hor. At least, the whisper goes so. That can I; Our last king, Whose image even but now appear'd to us, Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands Had he been vanquisher; as, by the same cov❜nant, His fell to Hamlet. Now, sir, young Fortinbras, Hath in the skirts of Norway, here and there, For food and diet, to some enterprise That hath a stomach in't: which is no other The source of this our watch, and the chief head Ber. I think it be no other, but e'en so: Hor. A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye. In the most high and palmy state of Rome, A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets: As,(4) stars with trains of fire, and dews of blood, Disasters in the sun; and the moist star, Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands, Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse: Re-enter Ghost. I'll cross it, though it blast me.-Stay, illusion! Speak to me: If there be any good thing to be done, That may to thee do ease, and grace to me, If thou art privy to thy country's fate, Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death, [Cock crows. Speak of it:-stay, and speak!-Stop it, Marcellus. We do it wrong, being so majestical, To offer it the show of violence; For it is, as the air, invulnerable, And our vain blows malicious mockery. Ber. It was about to speak, when the cock crew. Upon a fearful summons. I have heard, The extravagant and erring spirit hies Mar. It faded on the crowing of the cock. Hor. So have I heard, and do in part believe it. Mar. Let's do't, I pray; and I this morning know [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. A room of state in the same. Enter the King, Queen, HAMLET, POLONIUS, LAERTEs, Voltimand, CORNELIUS, Lords, and Attendants. King. Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death The memory be green; and that it us befitted To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom. To be contracted in one brow of woe; Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature, |