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And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?-- `
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Marcellus? `
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Mar. `
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My good lord,-- `
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Ham. `
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I am very glad to see you.--Good even, sir.-- `
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But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg? `
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Hor. `
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A truant disposition, good my lord. `
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Ham. `
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I would not hear your enemy say so; `
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Nor shall you do my ear that violence, `
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To make it truster of your own report `
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Against yourself: I know you are no truant. `
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But what is your affair in Elsinore? `
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We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart. `
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Hor. `
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My lord, I came to see your father's funeral. `
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Ham. `
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I prithee do not mock me, fellow-student. `
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I think it was to see my mother's wedding. `
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Hor. `
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Indeed, my lord, it follow'd hard upon. `
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Ham. `
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Thrift, thrift, Horatio! The funeral bak'd meats `
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Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables. `
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Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven `
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Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio!-- `
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My father,--methinks I see my father. `
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Hor. `
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Where, my lord? `
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Ham. `
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In my mind's eye, Horatio. `
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Hor. `
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I saw him once; he was a goodly king. `
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Ham. `
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He was a man, take him for all in all, `
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I shall not look upon his like again. `
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Hor. `
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My lord, I think I saw him yesternight. `
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Ham. `
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Saw who? `
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Hor. `
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My lord, the king your father. `
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Ham. `
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The King my father! `
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Hor. `
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Season your admiration for awhile `
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With an attent ear, till I may deliver, `
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Upon the witness of these gentlemen, `
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This marvel to you. `
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Ham. `
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For God's love let me hear. `
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Hor. `
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Two nights together had these gentlemen, `
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Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch `
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In the dead vast and middle of the night, `
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Been thus encounter'd. A figure like your father, `
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Armed at point exactly, cap-a-pe, `
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Appears before them and with solemn march `
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Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd `
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By their oppress'd and fear-surprised eyes, `
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Within his truncheon's length; whilst they, distill'd `
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Almost to jelly with the act of fear, `
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Stand dumb, and speak not to him. This to me `
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In dreadful secrecy impart they did; `
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And I with them the third night kept the watch: `
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Where, as they had deliver'd, both in time, `
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Form of the thing, each word made true and good, `
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The apparition comes: I knew your father; `
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These hands are not more like. `
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Ham. `
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But where was this? `
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Mar. `
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My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd. `
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Ham. `
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Did you not speak to it? `
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Hor. `
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My lord, I did; `
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But answer made it none: yet once methought `
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It lifted up it head, and did address `
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Itself to motion, like as it would speak: `
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But even then the morning cock crew loud, `
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And at the sound it shrunk in haste away, `
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And vanish'd from our sight. `
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Ham. `
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'Tis very strange. `
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Hor. `
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As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true; `
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And we did think it writ down in our duty `
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To let you know of it. `
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Ham. `
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Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles me. `
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Hold you the watch to-night? `
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Mar. and Ber. `
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We do, my lord. `
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Ham. `
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Arm'd, say you? `
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Both. `
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Arm'd, my lord. `
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Ham. `
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From top to toe? `
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Both. `
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My lord, from head to foot. `
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Ham. `
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Then saw you not his face? `
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Hor. `
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O, yes, my lord: he wore his beaver up. `
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Ham. `
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What, look'd he frowningly? `
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Hor. `
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A countenance more in sorrow than in anger. `
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Ham. `
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Pale or red? `
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Hor. `
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Nay, very pale. `
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Ham. `
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And fix'd his eyes upon you? `
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Hor. `
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Most constantly. `
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Ham. `
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I would I had been there. `
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Hor. `
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It would have much amaz'd you. `
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Ham. `
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Very like, very like. Stay'd it long? `
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Hor. `
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While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred. `
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Mar. and Ber. `
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Longer, longer. `
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Hor. `
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Not when I saw't. `
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Ham. `
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His beard was grizzled,--no? `
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Hor. `
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It was, as I have seen it in his life, `
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A sable silver'd. `
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Ham. `
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I will watch to-night; `
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Perchance 'twill walk again. `
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Hor. `
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I warr'nt it will. `
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Ham. `
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If it assume my noble father's person, `
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I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape `
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And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all, `
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If you have hitherto conceal'd this sight, `
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Let it be tenable in your silence still; `
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And whatsoever else shall hap to-night, `
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue: `
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I will requite your loves. So, fare ye well: `
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