Page:Hamlet (1917) Yale.djvu/143

Prince of Denmark, V. i

Hor. Not a jot more, my lord.

Ham. Is not parchment made of sheep-skins?

Hor. Ay, my lord, and of calf-skins, too.

Ham. They are sheep and calves which seek

out assurance in that. I will speak to this fel-

low. Whose grave 's this, sir?

[First] Clo. Mine, sir,

O! a pit of clay for to be made

For such a guest is meet."

Ham. I think it be thine, indeed; for thou

liest in 't.

[First] Clo. You lie out on 't, sir, and there-

fore it is not yours; for my part, I do not lie in 't,

and yet it is mine.

Ham. Thou dost lie in 't, to be in 't and say

it is thine: 'tis for the dead, not for the quick;

therefore thou liest.

[First] Clo. 'Tis a quick lie, sir; 'twill away

again, from me to you.

Ham. What man dost thou dig it for?

[First] Clo. For no man, sir.

Ham. What woman, then?

[First] Clo. For none, neither.

Ham. Who is to be buried in 't?

[First] Clo. One that was a woman, sir; but

rest her soul, she's dead.

Ham. How absolute the knave is! we must

speak by the card, or equivocation will undo us.

By the Lord, Horatio, these three years I have

taken note of it; the age is grown so picked

that the toe of the peasant comes so near the

 127 assurance: security; cf. n.

149 absolute: precise

150 by the card: with precision; cf. n.

152 picked: fastidious

