Scene I

[Elsinore. A room in the Castle.]

[Enter King and Queen, with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.]

KING:

There's matter in these sighs. These profound heaves
You must translate; 'tis fit we understand them.
Where is your son?

KING:

There's a problem in these sighs. You must translate
This heavy breathing. It is right we understand them.
Where is your son?

QUEEN:

Bestow this place on us a little while.

[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern exit.]

Ah, mine own lord, what have I seen tonight!(5)

QUEEN:

Leave us alone for a little while.

Ah, my good lord, what have I seen tonight!

KING:

What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet?

KING:

What, Gertrude? How is 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!'(10)
And in this brainish apprehension kills
The unseen good old man.

QUEEN:

As crazy as the sea and wind, when both fight over
Which is mightier. In his wild fit,
Hearing something stir behind the curtain,
He whips out his knife, cries 'A rat, a rat! '
And in this headstrong state, kills
The hidden 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,(15)
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(20)
We would not understand what was most fit,
But, like the owner of a foul disease,
To keep it from divulging, let it feed
Even on the pith of life. Where is he gone?

KING:

O heavy deed!
It would’ve been us if we had been there.
His freedom is full of threats to everyone,
To you yourself, to us, to every one.
Alas, how shall this bloody deed be explained?
It will be our fault, who
Should’ve kept this mad young man on a short leash,
Restrained, and out of society. But we loved him so much
That we would not understand what was the best action,
But, like the owner of a dirty disease,
To keep it from showing, let it feed
Even on the core of life. Where has he gone?

QUEEN:

To draw apart the body he hath kill'd;(25)
O'er whom his very madness, like some ore
Among a mineral of metals base,
Shows itself pure. He weeps for what is done.

QUEEN:

To hide the body he has killed.
Over whom his very craziness, like some gemstone
In a rock of base metals
Shows itself pure. He weeps for what is done.

KING:

O Gertrude, come away!
The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch(30)
But we will ship him hence; and this vile deed
We must with all our majesty and skill
Both countenance and excuse. Ho, Guildenstern!

Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Friends both, go join you with some further aid.
Hamlet in madness hath Polonius slain,(35)
And from his mother's closet hath he dragg'd him.
Go seek him out; speak fair, and bring the body
Into the chapel. I pray you haste in this.

[Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.]

Come, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends
And let them know both what we mean to do(40)
And what's untimely done. So haply slander
Whose whisper o'er the world's diameter,
As level as the cannon to his blank,
Transports his poisoned shot, may miss our name
And hit the woundless air.—O, come away!(45)
My soul is full of discord and dismay.

KING:

O Gertrude, let’s go!
The sun will no sooner touch the mountains
Than we will ship him away. and we must both
Back up and excuse this vile deed
With all our majesty and skill. Ho, Guildenstern!

Friends both, go get some further assistance.
Hamlet has Polonius slain in insanity,
And he has dragged him from his mother's bedroom.
Go find him, speak gently, and bring the body
Into the chapel. I beg you, hurry.

Come, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends,
And let them know both what we mean to do
And what's done at an unfortunate time. so maybe
slander, whose whisper covers the entire world
As surely as the cannon hits its target and
Delivers his poisoned shot, may miss our name,
And not amount to anything at all. O, come away!
My soul is full of confusion and sorrow.

Exeunt.