Act IV, Scene 6
HORATIO
What are they that would speak with me?
GENTLEMAN Seafaring men, sir.
They say they have letters for you.
HORATIO
Let them come in.
[GENTLEMAN exits. SAILORS enter.]
I do not know from what part of the world
I should be greeted, if not
From Lord Hamlet.
SAILOR God bless you, sir.
HORATIO Let Him bless thee too.
SAILOR He shall, sir, an it please Him.
There’s a letter for you, sir. It came from
The ambassador that was bound for England—
If your name be Horatio, as I am let
To know it is.
[SAILOR hands HORATIO the letter.]
HORATIO [reading the letter]
Horatio, when thou shalt have
Overlooked this, give these fellows
Some means to the King.
They have letters for him. Ere we were
Two days old at sea, a pirate of very
Warlike appointment gave us chase.
Finding ourselves too slow of sail,
We put on a compelled valor. And
In the grapple, I boarded them.
On the instant, they got clear of our ship.
So I alone became their prisoner.
They have dealt with me like thieves of mercy
But they knew what they did.
I am to do a good turn for them.
Let the King have the letters I have sent.
And repair thou to send with as much speed
As thou wouldst fly death. I have words
To speak in thine ear will make thee dumb.
Yet are they much too light for the bore
Of the matter. These good fellows will
Bring thee where I am. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Hold their course for England. Of them I have
Much to tell thee! Farewell.
—He that knowest thing, Hamlet
Come I will give you way for these your letters
And do’t the speedier that you may direct me
To him from whom you brought them.
[ALL exeunt.]
End of Act IV, Scene 6