Ros. To visit you, my lord; no other occasion. 265
Ham. Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but[794]
I thank you: and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear
a halfpenny. Were you not sent for? Is it your own[795]
inclining? Is it a free visitation? Come, deal justly with me:[796]
come, come; nay, speak. 270
Guil. What should we say, my lord?
Ham. Why, any thing, but to the purpose. You were[797]
sent for; and there is a kind of confession in your looks,[798]
which your modesties have not craft enough to colour: I
know the good king and queen have sent for you. 275
Ros. To what end, my lord?
Ham. That you must teach me. But let me conjure you,
by the rights of our fellowship, by the consonancy of our[799]
youth, by the obligation of our ever-preserved love, and by[800]
what more dear a better proposer could charge you withal, be[801] 280
even and direct with me, whether you were sent for, or no.[802]
Ros. [Aside to Guil.] What say you?[803]
Ham. [Aside] Nay then, I have an eye of you.—If you[804][805]
love me, hold not off.[804]
Guil. My lord, we were sent for. 285
Ham. I will tell you why; so shall my anticipation prevent
your discovery, and your secrecy to the king and queen[806][807]
moult no feather. I have of late—but wherefore I know not—lost[807][808]
all my mirth, foregone all custom of exercises; and indeed[809]
it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly[810] 290
frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most
excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'erhanging[811]
firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why,[812]
it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent[813]
congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is a man![814] 295
how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and[815][816]
moving how express and admirable! in action how like an[816]
angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the[816]
world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this
quintessence of dust? man delights not me; no, nor woman[817] 300
neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so.[818]