Act V, Scene 2
[Line 63]
HORATIO
So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to it.
HAMLET
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 incenséd points
Of mighty opposites.
HORATIO Why, what a king is this!
HAMLET
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 it not perfect conscience
To quit him with his arm? And is it not to be damned
To let this canker of our nature come
In further evil?
HORATIO
It must be shortly known to him from England
What is the issue of the business there.
HAMLET
It will be short. The interim’s 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 favors.
But, sure, the bravery of his grief did put me
Into a towering passion.
HORATIO Peace, who comes here?
[Enter OSRIC, a courtier.]
OSRIC Your Lordship is right welcome back to Denmark.
HAMLET I humbly thank you, sir.
[Aside to HORATIO] Dost know this waterfly?
HORATIO [Aside to HAMLET] No, my good lord.
HAMLET [Aside to HORATIO]
Thy state is the more gracious
For ‘tis a vice to know him.
He hath much land, and fertile.
Let a beast be lord of beasts
And his crib shall stand at the king’s mess.
‘Tis a chough, but as I say, spacious
In the possession of dirt.
OSRIC
Sweet lord, if your Lordship were at leisure,
I should impart a thing to you from his Majesty.
HAMLET
I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of spirit.
Put your bonnet to his right use: ‘tis for the head.
OSRIC
I thank your Lordship. It is very hot.
HAMLET No, believe me. ‘Tis very cold;
The wind is northerly.
OSRIC
It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.
HAMLET
But yet me thinks it is very sultry and hot
For my complexion.
OSRIC
Exceedingly, my lord. It is very sultry, as ‘twere.
I cannot tell how. My lord, his Majesty
Bade me signify to you that he has
Laid a great wager on your head.
Sir, this is the matter—
HAMLET
I beseech you, remember.
[HAMLET motions to OSRIC to put on his hat.]
OSRIC
Nay, good my lord, for my ease, in good faith.
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.
HAMLET
Sir, his definement suffers no perdition
In you, though I know to divide him inventorially
Would dozy the arithmetic of memory.
[Line 127]