Act V, Scene 2 — The Rest Is Silence

So much for this, sir. Now shall you see the other. You do remember all the circumstance?

Remember it, my lord!

Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting that would not let me sleep. Methought I lay worse than the mutines in the bilboes. Rashly— and praised be rashness for it; let us know, our indiscretion sometimes serves us well when our deep plots do pall, and that should learn us there's a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will.

That is most certain.

Up from my cabin, my sea-gown scarfed about me, in the dark groped I to find out them, had my desire, fingered their packet, and in fine withdrew to mine own room again, making so bold, my fears forgetting manners, to unseal their grand commission; where I found, Horatio— O royal knavery!—an exact command, larded with many several sorts of reasons importing Denmark's health, and England's too, with ho! such bugs and goblins in my life, that on the supervise, no leisure bated, no, not to stay the grinding of the axe, my head should be struck off.

Is't possible?

Here's the commission; read it at more leisure. But wilt thou hear now how I did proceed?

I beseech you.

Being thus benetted round with villainies— ere I could make a prologue to my brains, they had begun the play— I sat me down, devised a new commission, wrote it fair. I once did hold it, as our statists do, a baseness to write fair, and laboured much how to forget that learning; but, sir, now it did me yeoman's service. An earnest conjuration from the King, as England was his faithful tributary, that he should the bearers put to sudden death, not shriving time allowed.

So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to't.

Why, man, they did make love to this employment. They are not near my conscience. Their defeat does by their own insinuation grow. 'Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes between the pass and fell incensed points of mighty opposites.

Does it not, think thee, stand me now upon— he that hath killed my king and whored my mother, popped in between th' election and my hopes, thrown out his angle for my proper life, and with such cozenage—is't not perfect conscience to quit him with this arm? And is't not to be damned to let this canker of our nature come in further evil?

It must be shortly known to him from England what is the issue of the business there.

It will be short. The interim is mine, and a man's life's no more than to say "one." But I am very sorry, good Horatio, that to Laertes I forgot myself, for by the image of my cause I see the portraiture of his. I'll court his favours. But sure the bravery of his grief did put me into a towering passion.

Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark.

I humbly thank you, sir.

Sir, here is newly come to court Laertes—believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft society and great showing. Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of gentry, for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see.

Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you, though I know to divide him inventorially would dizzy th' arithmetic of memory, and yet but yaw neither in respect of his quick sail. But in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of great article, and his infusion of such dearth and rareness as, to make true diction of him, his semblable is his mirror, and who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more.

The King, sir, hath wagered with him six Barbary horses, against the which he has impawned, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so. The King, sir, hath laid that in a dozen passes between yourself and him he shall not exceed you three hits. He hath laid on twelve for nine, and it would come to immediate trial if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer.

Sir, I will walk here in the hall. If it please his Majesty, it is the breathing time of day with me. Let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the King hold his purpose, I will win for him an I can. If not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits.

You will lose, my lord.

I do not think so. Since he went into France I have been in continual practice. I shall win at the odds. But thou wouldst not think how ill all's here about my heart—but it is no matter.

Nay, good my lord—

It is but foolery, but it is such a kind of gaingiving as would perhaps trouble a woman.

If your mind dislike anything, obey it. I will forestall their repair hither, and say you are not fit.

Not a whit. We defy augury. There is special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come. The readiness is all. Since no man of aught he leaves knows, what is't to leave betimes? Let be.

Come, Hamlet, come and take this hand from me.

Give me your pardon, sir. I have done you wrong; but pardon't as you are a gentleman. This presence knows, and you must needs have heard, how I am punished with a sore distraction. What I have done that might your nature, honour, and exception roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness. Was't Hamlet wronged Laertes? Never Hamlet. If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away, and when he's not himself does wrong Laertes, then Hamlet does it not; Hamlet denies it. Who does it then? His madness. If't be so, Hamlet is of the faction that is wronged; his madness is poor Hamlet's enemy. Sir, in this audience, let my disclaiming from a purposed evil free me so far in your most generous thoughts that I have shot my arrow o'er the house and hurt my brother.

I am satisfied in nature, whose motive in this case should stir me most to my revenge; but in my terms of honour I stand aloof, and will no reconcilement till by some elder masters of known honour I have a voice and precedent of peace to keep my name ungored. But till that time I do receive your offered love like love, and will not wrong it.

I embrace it freely, and will this brother's wager frankly play. Give us the foils. Come on.

Come, one for me.

One.

No.

Judgement!

A hit, a very palpable hit.

Stay, give me drink. Hamlet, this pearl is thine. Here's to thy health. Give him the cup.

I'll play this bout first. Set it by awhile. Come.

Another hit. What say you?

A touch, a touch, I do confess't.

The Queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet.

Gertrude, do not drink.

I will, my lord; I pray you pardon me.

It is the poisoned cup. It is too late.

Nay, come again!

Look to the Queen there, ho!

They bleed on both sides. How is it, my lord?

How does the Queen?

She swoons to see them bleed.

No, no, the drink, the drink! O my dear Hamlet! The drink, the drink! I am poisoned.

O villainy! Ho, let the door be locked! Treachery! Seek it out!

It is here, Hamlet. Hamlet, thou art slain. No med'cine in the world can do thee good; in thee there is not half an hour's life. The treacherous instrument is in thy hand, unbated and envenomed. The foul practice hath turned itself on me. Lo, here I lie, never to rise again. Thy mother's poisoned. I can no more. The King, the King's to blame.

The point envenomed too? Then, venom, to thy work!

Treason! Treason!

Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane, drink off this potion! Is thy union here? Follow my mother!

He is justly served. It is a poison tempered by himself. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet. Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, nor thine on me.

Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee. I am dead, Horatio. Wretched Queen, adieu! You that look pale and tremble at this chance, that are but mutes or audience to this act, had I but time—as this fell sergeant, Death, is strict in his arrest—O, I could tell you— but let it be. Horatio, I am dead, thou livest. Report me and my cause aright to the unsatisfied.

Never believe it. I am more an antique Roman than a Dane. Here's yet some liquor left.

As thou'rt a man, give me the cup. Let go! By heaven, I'll ha't. O God, Horatio, what a wounded name, things standing thus unknown, shall I leave behind me! If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, absent thee from felicity awhile, and in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain to tell my story.

What warlike noise is this?

Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland, to th' ambassadors of England gives this warlike volley.

O, I die, Horatio! The potent poison quite o'ercrows my spirit. I cannot live to hear the news from England, but I do prophesy th' election lights on Fortinbras. He has my dying voice. So tell him, with th' occurrents, more and less, which have solicited— the rest is silence.

Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!

Where is this sight?

What is it you would see? If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search.

This quarry cries on havoc. O proud Death, what feast is toward in thine eternal cell, that thou so many princes at a shot so bloodily hast struck?

Let us haste to hear it, and call the noblest to the audience. For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune. I have some rights of memory in this kingdom, which now to claim my vantage doth invite me.

Of that I shall have also cause to speak, and from his mouth whose voice will draw on more. But let this same be presently performed, even while men's minds are wild, lest more mischance on plots and errors happen.

Let four captains bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage, for he was likely, had he been put on, to have proved most royal; and for his passage, the soldiers' music and the rite of war speak loudly for him. Take up the bodies. Such a sight as this becomes the field, but here shows much amiss. Go, bid the soldiers shoot.