فصل 6

Enter old Polonius with his man [Reynaldo].

POLONIUS

Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.

[He gives money and papers.] REYNALDO I will, my lord.

POLONIUS

You shall do marvelous wisely, good Reynaldo, Before you visit him, to make inquire Of his behavior.

REYNALDO My lord, I did intend it.

POLONIUS

Marry, well said, very well said. Look you, sir, Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris, And how, and who, what means, and where they keep, What company, at what expense; and finding By this encompassment and drift of question That they do know my son, come you more nearer Than your particular demands will touch it.

Take you, as ‘twere, some distant knowledge of him, As thus, “I know his father and his friends, And in part him.” Do you mark this, Reynaldo?

REYNALDO Ay, very well, my lord.

POLONIUS

“And in part him, but,” you may say, “not well.

But if’t be he I mean, he’s very wild, Addicted so and so,” and there put on him What forgeries you please—marry, none so rank As may dishonor him, take heed of that, But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips As are companions noted and most known To youth and liberty.

REYNALDO As gaming, my lord.

POLONIUS Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, Quarreling, drabbing-you may go so far.

REYNALDO My lord, that would dishonor him.

POLONIUS

Faith, no, as you may season it in the charge.

You must not put another scandal on him That he is open to incontinency; That’s not my meaning. But breathe his faults so quaintly That they may seem the taints of liberty, The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind, A savageness in unreclaimèd blood, Of general assault.

REYNALDO But, my good lord— POLONIUS Wherefore should you do this?

REYNALDO Ay, my lord, I would know that.

POLONIUS Marry, sir, here’s my drift, And I believe it is a fetch of warrant41.

You laying these slight sullies on my son, As ‘twere a thing a little soiled wi’th’ working, Mark you,

Your party in converse, him you would sound, Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes The youth you breathe of guilty, be assured He closes with you in this consequence: “Good sir,” or so, or “friend,” or “gentleman,” According to the phrase or the addition Of man and country.

REYNALDO Very good, my lord.

POLONIUS And then, sir, does ‘a this—’a does—what was I about to say? By the Mass, I was about to say something. Where did I leave?

REYNALDO At “closes in the consequence.” POLONIUS

At “closes in the consequence,” ay, marry.

He closes thus: “I know the gentleman, I saw him yesterday,” or “th’other day,” Or then, or then, with such or such, “and as you say, There was ‘a gaming,” “there o’ertook in ‘s rouse,” “There falling out at tennis,” or perchance “I saw him enter such a house of sale,” Videlicet a brothel, or so forth. See you now, Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth; And thus do we of wisdom and of reach, With windlasses and with assays of bias, By indirections find directions out.

So by my former lecture and advice Shall you my son. You have me, have you not?

REYNALDO

My lord, I have.

POLONIUS God b’wi’ye; fare ye well.

REYNALDO Good my lord.

POLONIUS

Observe his inclination in yourself.

REYNALDO I shall, my lord.

POLONIUS And let him ply his music.

REYNALDO Well, my lord.

POLONIUS

Farewell.

Exit Reynaldo.

Enter Ophelia.

How now, Ophelia, what’s the matter?

OPHELIA

Oh, my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted!

POLONIUS With what, i’th’ name of God?

OPHELIA

My lord, as I was sewing in my closet, Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced, No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled, Ungartered, and down-gyvèd to his ankle, Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other, And with a look so piteous in purport As if he had been loosèd out of hell To speak of horrors—he comes before me.

POLONIUS

Mad for thy love?

OPHELIA My lord, I do not know, But truly I do fear it.

POLONIUS What said he?

OPHELIA

He took me by the wrist and held me hard.

Then goes he to the length of all his arm, And, with his other hand thus o’er his brow He falls to such perusal of my face As93 ‘a would draw it. Long stayed he so.

At last, a little shaking of mine arm And thrice his head thus waving up and down, He raised a sigh so piteous and profound As it did seem to shatter all his bulk And end his being. That done, he lets me go, And with his head over his shoulder turned He seemed to find his way without his eyes, For out o’ doors he went without their helps, And to the last bended their light on me.

POLONIUS

Come, go with me. I will go seek the King.

This is the very ecstasy of love, Whose violent property fordoes itself And leads the will to desperate undertakings As oft as any passion under heaven That does afflict our natures. I am sorry.

What, have you given him any hard words of late?

OPHELIA

No, my good lord, but as you did command I did repel his letters and denied His access to me.

POLONIUS That hath made him mad.

I am sorry that with better heed and judgment I had not quoted him. I feared he did but trifle And meant to wrack thee. But beshrew my jealousy! By heaven, it is as proper to our age To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions As it is common for the younger sort To lack discretion. Come, go we to the King.

This must be known, which, being kept close, might move More grief to hide than hate to utter love.

Come.