O, good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand pounds. Didst perceive?
_Ham._ (C.) Upon the talk of the poisoning.--
_Ham._ Ah, ah! come, some musick! come, the recorders!
_Enter_ ROSENCRANTZ _and_ GUILDENSTERN (L.H.) HAMLET _seats himself in the chair_ (R.)
_Guil._ (L.C.) Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you.
_Guil._ Is, in his retirement, marvellous distempered.[92]
_Ham._ Your wisdom should show itself more rich to signify this to the doctor; for, for me to put him to his purgation would perhaps plunge him into more choler.
_Guil._ Good my lord, put your discourse into some frame, and start not so wildly from my affair.
_Guil._ The queen, your mother, in most great affliction of spirit, hath sent me to you.
_Guil._ Nay, good my lord, this courtesy is not of the right breed. If it shall please you to make me a wholesome answer, I will do your mother's commandment: if not, your pardon and my return shall be the end of my business.
_Ham._ Make you a wholesome answer; my wit's diseased! But, sir, such answer as I can make, you shall command: or rather as you say, my mother: therefore no more, but to the matter: My mother, you say,--
_Ros._ (_Crosses to_ C.) Then thus she says: Your behaviour hath struck her into amazement and admiration.[93]
_Ham._ O wonderful son, that can so astonish a mother! But is there no sequel at the heels of this mother's admiration?--impart.
_Ros._ She desires to speak with you in her closet, ere you go to bed.
_Ham._ We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any further trade with us?[94]
_Ham._ And do still, by these pickers and stealers.[95]
_Ros._ (R.) Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? you do, surely, bar the door of your own liberty, if you deny your griefs to your friend.[96]
_Ros._ How can that be, when you have the voice of the king himself for your succession in Denmark?[97]
_Ham._ Ay, sir, but _While the grass grows_,--the proverb is something musty.[98]
O, the recorders:[99]--let me see one.--So; withdraw with you:--
[_Exeunt_ HORATIO _and_ Musicians R.H. GUILDENSTERN, _after speaking privately to_ ROSENCRANTZ, _crosses behind_ HAMLET _to_ R.H.]
Why do you go about to recover the wind of me,[100] as if you would drive me into a toil?[101]