Page:Hamlet (1917) Yale.djvu/105

Prince of Denmark, III. iv

Queen. What have I done that thou dar'st wag thy tongue

In noise so rude against me?

Ham. Such an act

That blurs the grace and blush of modesty,

Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose

From the fair forehead of an innocent love

And sets a blister there, makes marriage vows

As false as dicers' oaths; O! such a deed

As from the body of contraction plucks

The very soul, and sweet religion makes

A rhapsody of words; heaven's face doth glow,

Yea, this solidity and compound mass,

With tristful visage, as against the doom,

Is thought-sick at the act.

Queen. Ay me! what act,

That roars so loud and thunders in the index?

Ham. Look here, upon this picture, and on this;

The counterfeit presentment of two brothers.

See, what a grace was seated on this brow;

Hyperion's curls, the front of Jove himself,

An eye like Mars, to threaten and command,

A station like the herald Mercury

New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill,

A combination and a form indeed,

Where every god did seem to set his seal,

To give the world assurance of a man.

This was your husband: look you now, what follows.

Here is your husband; like a mildew'd ear,

 46 contraction: marriage contract

48 rhapsody of words: meaningless string of words

glow: blush

49 solidity and compound mass: the earth

50 tristful: sad

doom: doomsday

52 index: preface

54 counterfeit presentment: portrayed likeness

56 front: forehead

58 station: poise

64 ear: ear of wheat

