READ STUDY GUIDE: Act IV, scenes i–ii |
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Act IV, Scene ii:
Another room in the Castle.
Another room in the Castle.
| [Enter Hamlet.] |
| Ham.: |
| Safely stowed. |
| Ros. and Guil. |
| [Within.] Hamlet! Lord Hamlet! |
| Ham.: |
| What noise? who calls on Hamlet? O, here they come. |
| [Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.] |
| Ros.: |
| What have you done, my lord, with the dead body? |
| Ham.: |
| Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin. |
| Ros.: |
| Tell us where 'tis, that we may take it thence, |
| And bear it to the chapel. |
| Ham.: |
| Do not believe it. |
| Ros.: |
| Believe what? |
| Ham.: |
| That I can keep your counsel, and not mine own. Besides, to be |
| demanded of a sponge!—what replication should be made by the son |
| of a king? |
| Ros.: |
| Take you me for a sponge, my lord? |
| Ham.: |
| Ay, sir; that soaks up the King's countenance, his rewards, |
| his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in |
| the end: he keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; |
| first mouthed, to be last swallowed: when he needs what you have |
| gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry |
| again. |
| Ros.: |
| I understand you not, my lord. |
| Ham.: |
| I am glad of it: a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear. |
| Ros.: |
| My lord, you must tell us where the body is and go with us to |
| the king. |
| Ham.: |
| The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. |
| The king is a thing,— |
| Guil.: |
| A thing, my lord! |
| Ham.: |
| Of nothing: bring me to him. Hide fox, and all after. |
| [Exeunt.] |
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