_Hor._ Two nights together, had these Gentlemen (_Marcellus_ and _Barnardo_) on their Watch In the dead wast and middle of the night[8]
Beene thus encountred. A figure like your Father,[9]
Arm"d at all points exactly, _Cap a Pe_,[10] [Sidenote: Armed at poynt]
Appeares before them, and with sollemne march Goes slow and stately: By them thrice he walkt, [Sidenote: stately by them; thrice]
By their opprest and feare-surprized eyes, Within his Truncheons length; whilst they bestil"d [Sidenote: they distill"d[11]]
Almost to Ielly with the Act of feare,[12]
Stand dumbe and speake not to him. This to me In dreadfull[13] secrecie impart they did, And I with them the third Night kept the Watch, Whereas[14] they had deliuer"d both in time,
[Footnote 1: _Dear_ is not unfrequently used as an intensive; but "my dearest foe" is not "the man who hates me most," but "the man whom most I regard as my foe."]
[Footnote 2: Note Hamlet"s trouble: the marriage, not the death, nor the supplantation.]
[Footnote 3: --with a little surprise at Horatio"s question.]
[Footnote 4: Said as if he must have misheard. Astonishment comes only with the next speech.]
[Footnote 5: _1st Q_. "Ha, ha, the King my father ke you."]
[Footnote 6: Qualify.]
[Footnote 7: _1st Q_. "an attentiue eare,".]
[Footnote 8: Possibly, _dead vast_, as in _1st Q_.; but _waste_ as good, leaving also room to suppose a play in the word.]
[Footnote 9: Note the careful uncertainty.]
[Footnote 10: _1st Q. "Capapea_."]
[Footnote 11: Either word would do: the _distilling_ off of the animal spirits would leave the man a jelly; the cold of fear would _bestil_ them and him to a jelly. _1st Q. distilled_. But I judge _bestil"d_ the better, as the truer to the operation of fear. Compare _The Winter"s Tale_, act v. sc. 3:--
There"s magic in thy majesty, which has
From thy admiring daughter took the spirits, Standing like stone with thee.]
[Footnote 12: Act: present influence.]
[Footnote 13: a secrecy more than solemn.]
[Footnote 14: "Where, as".]
[Page 30]
Forme of the thing; each word made true and good, The Apparition comes. I knew your Father: These hands are not more like.
_Ham_. But where was this?
_Mar_. My Lord, vpon the platforme where we watcht. [Sidenote: watch]
_Ham_. Did you not speake to it?
_Her_. My Lord, I did; But answere made it none: yet once me thought It lifted vp it head, and did addresse It selfe to motion, like as it would speake: But euen then, the Morning c.o.c.ke crew lowd; And at the sound it shrunke in hast away, And vanisht from our sight.
_Ham_. Tis very strange.
_Hor_. As I doe liue my honourd Lord "tis true; [Sidenote: 14] And we did thinke it writ downe in our duty To let you know of it.
[Sidenote: 32,52] _Ham_. Indeed, indeed Sirs; but this troubles me.
[Sidenote: Indeede Sirs but]
Hold you the watch to Night?
_Both_. We doe my Lord. [Sidenote: _All_.]
_Ham_. Arm"d, say you?
_Both_. Arm"d, my Lord. [Sidenote: _All_.]
_Ham_. From top to toe?
_Both_. My Lord, from head to foote. [Sidenote: _All_.]
_Ham_. Then saw you not his face?
_Hor_. O yes, my Lord, he wore his Beauer vp.
_Ham_. What, lookt he frowningly?
[Sidenote: 54,174] _Hor_. A countenance more in sorrow then in anger.[1]
[Sidenote: 120] _Ham_. Pale, or red?
_Hor_. Nay very pale.
[Footnote 1: The mood of the Ghost thus represented, remains the same towards his wife throughout the play.]
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_Ham._ And fixt his eyes vpon you?
_Hor._ Most constantly.
_Ham._ I would I had beene there.
_Hor._ It would haue much amaz"d you.
_Ham._ Very like, very like: staid it long? [Sidenote: Very like, stayd]
_Hor._ While one with moderate hast might tell a hundred.
[Sidenote: hundreth]