Whither wilt thou lead me? Speak. I'll go no further.

Mark me.

Mark me. I will.

Mark me. I will. My hour is almost come

1.5.3686718When I to sulf'rous and tormenting flames

1.5.4687719Must render up myself.

Must render up myself. Alas, poor ghost!

Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing

1.5.6690722To what I shall unfold.

Speak. I am bound to hear.

So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear.

What?

I am thy father's spirit,

1.5.11695727Doomed for a certain term to walk the night,

1.5.12696728And for the day confined to fast in fires,

1.5.13697729Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature

1.5.14698730Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid

1.5.15699731To tell the secrets of my prison house,

1.5.16700732I could a tale unfold whose lightest word

1.5.17701733Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood,

1.5.18702734Make thy two eyes like stars start from their spheres,

1.5.19703735Thy knotted and combinèd locks to part,

1.5.20704736And each particular hair to stand on end

1.5.21705737Like quills upon the fearful porpentine.

1.5.22706738But this eternal blazon must not be

1.5.23707739To ears of flesh and blood. List, list, oh, list:

1.5.24708740If thou didst ever thy dear father love--

O God!

Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.

Murder?

Murder most foul, as in the best it is,

1.5.29713745But this most foul, strange, and unnatural.

Haste me to know't, 715that I with wings as swift

1.5.31716747As meditation or the thoughts of love

1.5.32717748May sweep to my revenge.

May sweep to my revenge. I find thee apt,

1.5.33719750And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed

1.5.34720751That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf

1.5.35721752Wouldst thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear:

1.5.36722753'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard,

1.5.37723754A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark

1.5.38724755Is by a forgèd process of my death

1.5.39725756Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth,

1.5.40726757The serpent that did sting thy father's life

1.5.41727758Now wears his crown.

Oh, my prophetic soul! My uncle?

Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,

1.5.44730761With witchcraft of his wits, with traitorous gifts--

1.5.45731762Oh, wicked wit and gifts, that have the power

1.5.46732763So to seduce!--won to his shameful lust

1.5.47733764The will of my most seeming virtuous queen.

1.5.48734765Oh, Hamlet, what falling off was there!

1.5.49735766From me, whose love was of that dignity

1.5.50736767That it went hand in hand even with the vow

1.5.51737768I made to her in marriage, and to decline

1.5.52738769Upon a wretch whose natural gifts were poor

1.5.53739770To those of mine. But virtue, as it never will be moved,

1.5.54740771Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven,

1.5.55741772So but though to a radiant angel linked,

1.5.56742773Will sort itself in a celestial bed

1.5.57774And prey on garbage.

1.5.58743775But soft, methinks I scent the morning air.

1.5.59744776Brief let me be. Sleeping within my orchard,

1.5.60745777My custom always of the afternoon,

1.5.61746778Upon my secure hour, thy uncle stole

1.5.62747779With juice of cursèd hebona in a vial,

1.5.63748780And in the porches of my ears did pour

1.5.64749781The lep'rous distillment, whose effect

1.5.65750782Holds such an enmity with blood of man

1.5.66751783That swift as quicksilver it courses through

1.5.67752784The natural gates and alleys of the body,

1.5.68753785And with a sudden vigor it doth possess

1.5.69754786And curd like eager droppings into milk

1.5.70755787The thin and wholesome blood; so did it mine,

1.5.71756788And a most instant tetter barked about

1.5.72757789Most lazarlike with vile and loathsome crust

1.5.73758790All my smooth body.

1.5.74759791Thus was I sleeping by a brother's hand

1.5.75760792Of life, of crown, of queen at once dispatched,

1.5.76761793Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,

1.5.77762794Unhousled, disappointed, unaneled,

1.5.78763795No reck'ning made, but sent to my account

1.5.79764796With all my imperfections on my head.

1.5.80765797Oh, horrible, oh, horrible, most horrible!

1.5.81766798If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not.

1.5.82767799Let not the royal bed of Denmark be

1.5.83768800A couch for luxury and damnèd incest.

1.5.84769801But howsomever thou pursues this act,

1.5.85770802Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive

1.5.86771803Against thy mother aught; leave her to heaven

1.5.87772804And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge

1.5.88773805To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once.

1.5.89774806The glow-worm shows the matin to be near

1.5.90775807And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire.

1.5.91776808Adieu, adieu, adieu! Remember me.

O all you host of heaven! O earth! What else?

1.5.93778810And shall I couple hell? Oh, fie! Hold, hold, my heart,

1.5.94779811And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,

1.5.95780812But bear me swiftly up. Remember thee?

1.5.96781813Ay, thou poor ghost, whiles memory holds a seat

1.5.97782814In this distracted globe. Remember thee?

1.5.98783815Yea, from the table of my memory

1.5.99784816I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,

1.5.100785817All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past

1.5.101786818That youth and observation copied there,

1.5.102787819And thy commandment all alone shall live

1.5.103788820Within the book and volume of my brain,

1.5.104789821Unmixed with baser matter. Yes, by heaven.

1.5.105790822Oh, most pernicious woman!

1.5.106791823Oh, villain, villain, smiling damnèd villain!

1.5.107792824My tables--meet it is I set it down

1.5.108793825That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.

1.5.109794826At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark.

1.5.110795827So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word.

1.5.111796828It is "Adieu, adieu, remember me."

1.5.112829I have sworn't.

My lord, my lord!

Lord Hamlet!

Heavens secure him!

So be it.

Illo, ho, ho, my lord!

Hillo, ho, ho, boy, come, and come!

How is't, my noble lord?

What news, my lord?

Oh, wonderful!

Good my lord, tell it.

No, you will reveal it.

Not I, my lord, by heaven.

Nor I, my lord.

How say you then, would heart of man once think it--

1.5.127812845But you'll be secret?

Ay, by heaven.

There's never a villain848dwelling in all Denmark

1.5.130815849But he's an arrant knave.

There needs no ghost, my lord, come from the grave

1.5.132817851To tell us this.

To tell us this. Why, right, you are in the right.

1.5.133819853And so, without more circumstance at all

1.5.134820854I hold it fit that we shake hands and part:

1.5.135821855You as your business and desire shall point you

1.5.136822856(For every man hath business and desire,

1.5.137823857Such as it is), and for my own poor part

1.5.138824858I will go pray.

These are but wild and whirling words, my lord.

I am sorry they offend you--heartily,

1.5.141827861Yes, faith, heartily.

Yes, faith, heartily. There's no offense, my lord.

Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio,

1.5.143830864And much offense too. Touching this vision here,

1.5.144831865It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you.

1.5.145832866For your desire to know what is between us,

1.5.146833867O'ermaster it as you may. And now, good friends,

1.5.147834868As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,

1.5.148835869Give me one poor request.

What is't, my lord? We will.

Never make known what you have seen tonight.

My lord, we will not.

Nay, but swear't.

In faith, my lord, not I.

Nor I, my lord, in faith.

Upon my sword.

We have sworn, my lord, already.

Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.

Swear.

Ha, ha, boy, say'st thou so? Art thou there, truepenny?--

1.5.160847882Come on, you hear this fellow in the cellarage.

1.5.161848883Consent to swear.

Consent to swear. Propose the oath, my lord.

Never to speak of this that you have seen.

1.5.163851886Swear by my sword.

Swear.

Hic et ubique? Then we'll shift our ground.

1.5.166854889Come hither, gentlemen,

1.5.167855890And lay your hands again upon my sword.

1.5.168857891Swear by my sword

1.5.169856892Never to speak of this that you have heard.

Swear by his sword.

Well said, old mole. Canst work i'th' earth so fast?

1.5.172860895A worthy pioneer!--Once more remove, good friends.

Oh, day and night, but this is wondrous strange.

And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.

1.5.175863898There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

1.5.176864899Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But come,

1.5.177865900Here as before: never, so help you mercy,

1.5.178866901How strange or odd some'er I bear myself

1.5.179867902(As I perchance hereafter shall think meet

1.5.180868903To put an antic disposition on),

1.5.181869904That you at such times seeing me never shall,

1.5.182870905With arms encumbered thus, or this headshake,

1.5.183871906Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase

1.5.184872907As, "Well, well, we know," or "We could an if we would,"

1.5.185873908Or "If we list to speak," or "There be, an if they might,"

1.5.186874909Or such ambiguous giving out, to note

1.5.187875910That you know aught of me. This do swear,

1.5.188876911So grace and mercy at your most need help you.

Swear.

Rest, rest, perturbèd spirit.--So, gentlemen,

1.5.191880914With all my love I do commend me to you,

1.5.192881915And what so poor a man as Hamlet is

1.5.193882916May do t'express his love and friending to you,

1.5.194883917God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together,

1.5.195884918And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.

1.5.196885919The time is out of joint. Oh, cursèd spite,

1.5.197886920That ever I was born to set it right!

1.5.198887921Nay, come, let's go together.