Page:Hamlet (1917) Yale.djvu/75
Play something like the murder of my father 632
Before mine uncle; I'll observe his looks;
I'll tent him to the quick: if he but blench
I know my course. The spirit that I have seen
May be the devil: and the devil hath power 636
To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps
Out of my weakness and my melancholy—
As he is very potent with such spirits—
Abuses me to damn me. I'll have grounds 640
More relative than this: the play's the thing
Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king. Exit.
ACT THIRD
Scene One
[A Room in the Castle]
Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Lords.
King. And can you, by no drift of circumstance,
Get from him why he puts on this confusion,
Grating so harshly all his days of quiet
With turbulent and dangerous lunacy? 4
Ros. He does confess he feels himself distracted;
But from what cause he will by no means speak.
Guil. Nor do we find him forward to be sounded,
But, with a crafty madness, keeps aloof, 8
When we would bring him on to some confession
Of his true state.
Queen. Did he receive you well?
634 tent: probe
blench: start aside
639 spirits: mental moods
641 relative: relevant, to the purpose
1 drift of circumstance: roundabout method
2 confusion: mental agitation
3 Grating: harassing
7 forward: ready, disposed