Page:Hamlet (1917) Yale.djvu/111

Prince of Denmark, III. iv

No, in despite of sense and secrecy,

Unpeg the basket on the house's top,

Let the birds fly, and, like the famous ape,

To try conclusions, in the basket creep,

And break your own neck down.

Queen. Be thou assur'd, if words be made of breath,

And breath of life, I have no life to breathe

What thou hast said to me.

Ham. I must to England; you know that?

Queen. Alack!

I had forgot: 'tis so concluded on.

Ham. [There's letters seal'd; and my two school-fellows,

Whom I will trust as I will adders fang'd,

They bear the mandate; they must sweep my way,

And marshal me to knavery. Let it work;

For 'tis the sport to have the enginer

Hoist with his own petar: and it shall go hard

But I will delve one yard below their mines,

And blow them at the moon. O! 'tis most sweet,

When in one line two crafts directly meet.]

This man shall set me packing;

I'll lug the guts into the neighbour room.

Mother, good-night. Indeed this counsellor

Is now most still, most secret, and most grave,

Who was in life a foolish prating knave.

Come, sir, to draw toward an end with you.

Good-night, mother.

Exit Hamlet tugging in Polonius.

 194 famous ape: a reference not yet identified

195 conclusions: experiments

204 mandate: command

sweep my way: clear my path

205 marshal: conduct

206 enginer: maker of military engines, sapper

207 Hoist: blown up

petar: small bomb

go hard But; cf. n.

211 set me packing: send me off quickly 