Page:Hamlet (1917) Yale.djvu/112

100 

King. There's matter in these sighs, these profound heaves:

You must translate; 'tis fit we understand them.

Where is your son?

[Queen. Bestow this place on us a little while.]

Ah! my good lord, what have I seen to-night!

King. What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet?

Queen. Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend

Which is the mightier. In his lawless fit,

Behind the arras hearing something stir,

Whips out his rapier, cries, 'A rat! a rat!'

And, in his brainish apprehension, kills

The unseen good old man.

King. O heavy deed!

It had been so with us had we been there.

His liberty is full of threats to all;

To you yourself, to us, to every one.

Alas! how shall this bloody deed be answer'd?

It will be laid to us, whose providence

Should have kept short, restrain'd, and out of haunt,

This mad young man: but so much was our love,

We would not understand what was most fit,

 1 heaves: prolonged sighs

11 brainish apprehension: insane illusion, or, brain-sick mood

12 heavy: grievous

17 providence: foresight

18 short: under control, tethered

out of haunt: out of company

