Page:Hamlet (1917) Yale.djvu/98

86 

God bless you, sir !

Pol. My lord, the queen would speak with

you, and presently.

Ham. Do you see yonder cloud that's almost

in shape of a camel?

Pol. By the mass, and 'tis like a camel, indeed.

Ham. Methinks it is like a weasel.

Pol. It is backed like a weasel.

Ham. Or like a whale?

Pol. Very like a whale.

Ham. Then I will come to my mother by

and by. [Aside.] They fool me to the top of my

bent. [Aloud.] I will come by and by.

Pol. I will say so.

Ham. By and by is easily said. Leave me, friends

'Tis now the very witching time of night,

When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out

Contagion to this world: now could I drink hot blood,

And do such bitter business as the day

Would quake to look on. Soft! now to my mother.

O heart! lose not thy nature; let not ever

The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom;

Let me be cruel, not unnatural;

I will speak daggers to her, but use none;

My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites;

How in my words soever she be shent,

To give them seals never, my soul, consent!

Exit.

 409 bent: degree of endurance; cf. n.

413 witching: when spells are cast

419 Nero; cf. n.

423 shent: rebuked

424 give them seals: confirm them by making words into deeds 