Home > Hamlet Text > Act IV, Scene VII - Page 2

LAERTES:

To cut his throat i' the church.

LAERTES:

To cut his throat in the church.

KING:

No place indeed should murder sanctuarize;
Revenge should have no bounds. But, good Laertes,(140)
Will you do this? Keep close within your chamber.
Hamlet return'd shall know you are come home.
We'll put on those shall praise your excellence
And set a double varnish on the fame
The Frenchman gave you, bring you in fine together(145)
And wager on your heads. He, being remiss,
Most generous and free from all contriving,
Will not peruse the foils; so that with ease,
Or with a little shuffling, you may choose
A sword unbated, and in a pass of practice,(150)
Requite him for your father.

KING:

Murder, indeed, should not be a church activity, because
Then revenge should have no bounds. But, good
Laertes, will you do this, keep close within your friend
Bernardo. When Hamlet returns, he shall know you’re Home.
We'll start rumors that praise your excellence
And exaggerate the fame
The Frenchman gave you, bring you together in the end,
And place bets on your fight. He, being weak,
Most generous, and free from all trickery,
Will not think about swords, so that easily,
Or with a little mix up, you may choose
A sword that’s not poisoned, and, in a pass during
Practice, kill him in revenge for your father.

LAERTES:

I will do't!
And for that purpose I'll anoint my sword.
I bought an unction of a mountebank,
So mortal that but dip a knife in it,(155)
Where it draws blood no cataplasm so rare,
Collected from all simples that have virtue
Under the moon, can save the thing from death
This is but scratch'd withal. I'll touch my point
With this contagion, that, if I gall him slightly,(160)
It may be death.

LAERTES:

I’ll do it.
And for that purpose, I’ll poison my sword.
I bought an oil of a mountebank,
So mortal that, only dip a knife in it,
Where it draws blood, no super-potion so rare,
Collected from all antidotes under the moon
That have always worked, can save the thing from death
And this is only with a scratch. I’ll touch the point of my
sword with this poison so that, if I touch him slightly,
It will kill him.

KING:

Let's further think of this,
Weigh what convenience both of time and means
May fit us to our shape. If this should fail,
And that our drift look through our bad performance.(165)
'Twere better not assay'd. Therefore this project
Should have a back or second, that might hold
If this did blast in proof. Soft! let me see.
We'll make a solemn wager on your cunnings—
I ha't!(170)
When in your motion you are hot and dry—
As make your bouts more violent to that end—
And that he calls for drink, I'll have prepared him
A chalice for the nonce; whereon but sipping,
If he by chance escape your venom'd stuck,(175)
Our purpose may hold there. But stay, what noise?

Enter Queen.

How now, sweet Queen?

KING:

Let's think more carefully about this.
Consider what would be the best time and means
Fit our plan. If this plan should fail,
And that our plan is seen through by our bad
performance, then it would be better not to do it.
Therefore this project should have a plan B or C, that
might hold if this first one failed. Hang on! Let me think.
We'll make a solemn wager on your cunnings,
I have it!
While you’re moving around and you are hot and dry,
Since you’ll make your bouts more violent to that
purpose, and he calls for drink, I’ll have prepared a
Goblet for him for that purpose, so that even only sipping,
If he escapes your stick of venom by luck,
We can be successful this way.

What now, sweet queen!

QUEEN:

One woe doth tread upon another's heel,
So fast they follow. Your sister's drown'd, Laertes.

QUEEN:

One sorrow walks on the heels of another,
Following too fast. Your sister's drowned, Laertes.

LAERTES:

Drown'd! O, where?(180)

LAERTES:

Drowned! O, where?

QUEEN:

There is a willow grows aslant a brook,
That shows his hoary leaves in the glassy stream.
Therewith fantastic garlands did she make
Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples,
That liberal shepherds give a grosser name,(185)
But our cold maids do dead men's fingers call them.
There on the pendant boughs her crownet weeds
Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke,
When down her weedy trophies and herself
Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide(190)
And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up;
Which time she chaunted snatches of old lauds,
As one incapable of her own distress,
Or like a creature native and indued
Unto that element; but long it could not be(195)
Till that her garments, heavy with their drink,
Pull'd the poor wretch from her melodious lay
To muddy death.

QUEEN:

There is a willow that grows beside a brook,
That shows his frosty leaves in the glassy stream,
There, she came with fantastic garlands
Of cornflowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples,
That bold shepherds give a nasty name,
But our indifferent maids call them “dead men's fingers.”
There, climbing to hang her wreaths of weeds
On the branches above her, an jealous branch broke,
And down went her weedy trophies and herself
Into the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide,
And, mermaid-like, they held her up a while,
During which she chanted pieces of old tunes,
As one incapable of understanding her own danger,
Or like a creature, a native and knowing
The danger. but it wasn’t long
Until her garments, heavy with the water they had soaked
up, pulled the poor wretch from her melodious song
To a muddy death.

LAERTES:

Alas, then she is drown'd?

LAERTES:

Alas, then she is drowned?

QUEEN:

Drown'd, drown'd.(200)

QUEEN:

Drowned, drowned.

LAERTES:

Too much of water hast thou, poor Ophelia,
And therefore I forbid my tears; but yet
It is our trick; nature her custom holds,
Let shame say what it will. When these are gone,
The woman will be out. Adieu, my lord.(205)
I have a speech of fire, that fain would blaze
But that this folly drowns it.

LAERTES:

You had too much water, poor Ophelia,
And therefore I’ll hold back my tears, but
It is still our trick, nature holds her habits,
Let shame say what it will. When these tears are gone,
Woman will be extinct. Farewell, my lord.
I have a rumor of fire, that I would gladly spread,
Before this news puts the fire out.

Exit.

KING:

Let's follow, Gertrude.
How much I had to do to calm his rage.
Now fear I this will give it start again;(210)
Therefore let's follow.

KING:

Let's follow him, Gertrude,.
I had all I could do to calm his anger!
Now I fear this will make it start all over again,
Therefore let's follow him.

Exeunt.