Ham. Saw? Who?[223] 190

Hor. My lord, the king your father.

Ham. The king my father!

Hor. Season your admiration for a while[224]
With an attent ear, till I may deliver,[225]
Upon the witness of these gentlemen,
This marvel to you.

Ham. For God's love, let me hear.[226] 195

Hor. Two nights together had these gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,
In the dead vast and middle of the night,[227]
Been thus encounter'd. A figure like your father,
Armed at point exactly, cap-a-pe,[228] 200
Appears before them, and with solemn march
Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd[229]
By their oppress'd and fear-surprised eyes,[230]
Within his truncheon's length; whilst they, distill'd[231]
Almost to jelly with the act of fear,[232] 205
Stand dumb, and speak not to him. This to me
In dreadful secrecy impart they did;[233]
And I with them the third night kept the watch:
Where, as they had deliver'd, both in time,[234]
Form of the thing, each word made true and good, 210
The apparition comes: I knew your father;[235]
These hands are not more like.

Ham. But where was this?

Mar. My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd.

Ham. Did you not speak to it?

Hor. My lord, I did,[236]
But answer made it none: yet once methought[237] 215
It lifted up its head and did address[238]
Itself to motion, like as it would speak:[239]
But even then the morning cock crew loud,
And at the sound it shrunk in haste away
And vanish'd from our sight.