Page:Hamlet (1917) Yale.djvu/19

Prince of Denmark, I. i 

Mar. 'Tis gone!

We do it wrong, being so majestical,

To offer it the show of violence;

For it is, as the air, invulnerable,

And our vain blows malicious mockery.

Ber. It was about to speak when the cock crew.

Hor. And then it started like a guilty thing

Upon a fearful summons, I have heard,

The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn,

Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat

Awake the god of day; and at his warning,

Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,

The extravagant and erring spirit hies

To his confine; and of the truth herein

This present object made probation.

Mar. It faded on the crowing of the cock.

Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes

Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,

The bird of dawning singeth all night long;

And then, they say, no spirit can walk abroad;

The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike,

No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,

So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.

Hor. So have I heard and do in part believe it.

But, look, the morn in russet mantle clad,

Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastern hill;

Break we our watch up; and by my advice

Let us impart what we have seen to-night

Unto young Hamlet; for, upon my life,

This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.

 150 cock; cf. n.

154 extravagant: vagrant

erring: wandering

hies: hastens

155 confine: place of confinement

156 probation: proof

158 'gainst that: by the time that

162 planets strike; cf. n.

163 takes: bewitches

164 gracious: instinct with goodness 