Sport and repose lock from me day and night!

　　To desperation turn my trust and hope!

　　An anchor's cheer in prison be my scope!

　　Each opposite that blanks the face of joy

　　Meet what I would have well and it destroy!

　　Both here and hence pursue me lasting strife,

　　If, once a widow, ever I be wife!

　　HAMLET

　　If she should break it now!

　　Player King

　　'Tis deeply sworn. Sweet, leave me here awhile;

　　My spirits grow dull, and fain I would beguile

　　The tedious day with sleep.

　　Sleeps

　　Player Queen

　　Sleep rock thy brain,

　　And never come mischance between us twain!

　　Exit

　　HAMLET

　　Madam, how like you this play?

　　QUEEN GERTRUDE

　　The lady protests too much, methinks.

　　HAMLET

　　O, but she'll keep her word.

　　KING CLAUDIUS

　　Have you heard the argument? Is there no offence in 't?

　　HAMLET

　　No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest; no offence

　　i' the world.

　　KING CLAUDIUS

　　What do you call the play?

　　HAMLET

　　The Mouse-trap. Marry, how? Tropically. This play

　　is the image of a murder done in Vienna: Gonzago is

　　the duke's name; his wife, Baptista: you shall see

　　anon; 'tis a knavish piece of work: but what o'

　　that? your majesty and we that have free souls, it

　　touches us not: let the galled jade wince, our

　　withers are unwrung.

　　Enter LUCIANUS

　　This is one Lucianus, nephew to the king.

　　OPHELIA

　　You are as good as a chorus, my lord.

　　HAMLET

　　I could interpret between you and your love, if I

　　could see the puppets dallying.

　　OPHELIA

　　You are keen, my lord, you are keen.　　HAMLET

　　It would cost you a groaning to take off my edge.

　　OPHELIA

　　Still better, and worse.

　　HAMLET

　　So you must take your husbands. Begin, murderer;

　　pox, leave thy damnable faces, and begin. Come:

　　'the croaking raven doth bellow for revenge.'

　　LUCIANUS

　　Thoughts black, hands apt, drugs fit, and time agreeing;

　　Confederate season, else no creature seeing;

　　Thou mixture rank, of midnight weeds collected,

　　With Hecate's ban thrice blasted, thrice infected,

　　Thy natural magic and dire property,

　　On wholesome life usurp immediately.

　　Pours the poison into the sleeper's ears

　　HAMLET

　　He poisons him i' the garden for's estate. His

　　name's Gonzago: the story is extant, and writ in

　　choice Italian: you shall see anon how the murderer

　　gets the love of Gonzago's wife.

　　OPHELIA

　　The king rises.

　　HAMLET

　　What, frighted with false fire!

　　QUEEN GERTRUDE

　　How fares my lord?