Enter old POLONIUS with his
man [REYNALDO]. Full Summary
POLONIUS
1 Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.
REYNALDO
2 I will, my lord.
POLONIUS
3 You shall do marvel's wisely, good Reynaldo,
4 Before you visit him, to make inquire
5 Of his behavior.
REYNALDO
5 My lord, I did intend it.
POLONIUS
6 Marry, well said; very well said. Look you, sir,
7 Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris;
8 And how, and who, what means, and where they keep,
9 What company, at what expense; and finding
10 By this encompassment and drift of question
11 That they do know my son, come you more nearer
12 Than your particular demands will touch it:
13 Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him;
14 As thus, "I know his father and his friends,
15 And in part him." Do you mark this, Reynaldo?
REYNALDO
16 Ay, very well, my lord.
POLONIUS
17 "And in part him—but," you may say "not well.
18 But, if't be he I mean, he's very wild;
19 Addicted so and so," and there put on him
20 What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank
21 As may dishonor him; take heed of that;
22 But, sir, such wanton, wild and usual slips
23 As are companions noted and most known
24 To youth and liberty.
REYNALDO
24 As gaming, my lord.
POLONIUS
25 Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling,
26 Drabbing: you may go so far.
REYNALDO
27 My lord, that would dishonor him.
POLONIUS
28 'Faith, no; as you may season it in the charge.
29 You must not put another scandal on him,
30 That he is open to incontinency;
31 That's not my meaning: but breathe his faults so quaintly
32 That they may seem the taints of liberty,
33 The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind,
34 A savageness in unreclaimed blood,
35 Of general assault.
REYNALDO
35 But, my good lord—
POLONIUS
36 Wherefore should you do this?
REYNALDO
36 Ay, my lord,
37 I would know that.
POLONIUS
37 Marry, sir, here's my drift;
38 And I believe, it is a fetch of wit:
39 You laying these slight sullies on my son,
40 As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i' the working,
41 Mark you,
42 Your party in converse, him you would sound,
43 Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes
44 The youth you breathe of guilty, be assured
45 He closes with you in this consequence;
46 "Good sir," or so, or "friend," or "gentleman,"
47 According to the phrase or the addition
48 Of man and country.
REYNALDO
48 Very good, my lord.
POLONIUS
49 And then, sir, does he this—he does—what was I about to say?
50 By the mass, I was about to say something.
51 Where did I leave?
REYNALDO
51 At "closes in the consequence."
POLONIUS
52 At "closes in the consequence," ay, marry;
53 He closes thus: "I know the gentleman;
54 I saw him yesterday, or t' other day,
55 Or then, or then; with such, or such; and, as you say,
56 There was a' gaming; there o'ertook in's rouse;
57 There falling out at tennis:" or perchance,
58 "I saw him enter such a house of sale,"
59 Videlicet, a brothel, or so forth. See you now;
60 Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth:
61 And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
62 With windlasses and with assays of bias,
63 By indirections find directions out:
64 So by my former lecture and advice,
65 Shall you my son. You have me, have you not?
REYNALDO
66 My lord, I have.
POLONIUS
66 God buy you; fare ye well.
REYNALDO
67 Good my lord!
POLONIUS
68 Observe his inclination in yourself.
REYNALDO
69 I shall, my lord.
POLONIUS
70 And let him ply his music.
REYNALDO
70 Well, my lord.
POLONIUS
71 Farewell!
Enter OPHELIA. Full Summary
71 How now, Ophelia! what's the matter?
OPHELIA
72 O, my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted!
POLONIUS
73 With what, i' the name of God?
OPHELIA
74 My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,
75 Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced;
76 No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd,
77 Ungarter'd, and down-gyved to his ankle;
78 Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other;
79 And with a look so piteous in purport
80 As if he had been loosed out of hell
81 To speak of horrors—he comes before me.
POLONIUS
82 Mad for thy love?
OPHELIA
82 My lord, I do not know;
83 But truly, I do fear it.
POLONIUS
83 What said he?
OPHELIA
84 He took me by the wrist and held me hard;
85 Then goes he to the length of all his arm;
86 And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
87 He falls to such perusal of my face
88 As he would draw it. Long stay'd he so;
89 At last, a little shaking of mine arm
90 And thrice his head thus waving up and down,
91 He raised a sigh so piteous and profound
92 As it did seem to shatter all his bulk
93 And end his being: that done, he lets me go:
94 And, with his head over his shoulder turn'd,
95 He seem'd to find his way without his eyes;
96 For out o' doors he went without their helps,
97 And, to the last, bended their light on me.
POLONIUS
98 Come, go with me: I will go seek the king.
99 This is the very ecstasy of love,
100 Whose violent property fordoes itself
101 And leads the will to desperate undertakings
102 As oft as any passion under heaven
103 That does afflict our natures. I am sorry.
104 What, have you given him any hard words of late?
OPHELIA
105 No, my good lord, but, as you did command,
106 I did repel his letters and denied
107 His access to me.
POLONIUS
107 That hath made him mad.
108 I am sorry that with better heed and judgment
109 I had not quoted him: I fear'd he did but trifle,
110 And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my jealousy!
111 By heaven, it is as proper to our age
112 To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions
113 As it is common for the younger sort
114 To lack discretion. Come, go we to the king:
115 This must be known; which, being kept close, might move
116 More grief to hide than hate to utter love.
117 Come.