Osr. A hit, a very palpable hit. [Sidenote: Ostrick.]
Laer. Well: againe. [Sidenote: Drum, trumpets and a shot. Florish, a peece goes off.]
King. Stay, giue me drinke. Hamlet, this Pearle is thine, Here's to thy health. Giue him the cup,[10]
Trumpets sound, and shot goes off.[11]
Ham. Ile play this bout first, set by a-while.[12] [Sidenote: set it by] Come: Another hit; what say you?
Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confesse.[13] [Sidenote: Laer. | doe confest.]
King. Our Sonne shall win.
[Footnote 1: —to make it look as if he were choosing.]
[Footnote 2: —asked in an offhand way. The fencers must not measure weapons, because how then could the unbated point escape discovery? It is quite like Hamlet to take even Osricke's word for their equal length.]
[Footnote 3: Not in Q.]