第三幕
第一景: 宫庭内一室
[国王, 皇后, 波隆尼尔, 欧菲利亚, 罗生克兰, 与盖登思邓入]
王: {对罗与盖} 而你们无法在谈话中发现他为何要表现得如此神魂颠倒,
以狂烈及危险的疯癫症搅乱其安宁?
罗: 他也承认他心神恍惚, 但是他不肯说出其中之原因。
盖: 并且他也不愿意接受我们的探讨。
当我们想刺探他之真相时, 他就狡滑的躲避询问。
后: 他有无乐意的会见你们?
罗: 很有礼貌的, 像个绅士。
盖: 但也十分勉强的。
罗: 他很寡言, 可是他也了当的答覆了我们所求。
后: 你们有没有刺探他有何消遣?
罗: 夫人, 我们去会他时才超越了一班伶人。
当我们告诉他此事时, 他好像很高兴听到此消息。
他们现在已在宫中, 并我相信他们已被雇於今夜为他演出。
波: 这些完全正确。 并且他也叫我来邀二位陛下去一同观赏此剧。
王: 吾甚乐意, 并很高兴他有如此之嗜好。
{对罗与盖}
先生们, 请多鼓励他往此娱乐发展。
罗: 我们会的, 主公。
[罗生克兰与盖登思邓出场]
王: 甜蜜的葛簇特, 请你也暂且离我们一下,
因为我们已私下设计唤哈姆雷特来此, 让他能偶然似的撞见欧菲利亚。
那时我可与她父亲藏匿於隐密之处, 作合法的旁听,
不需露面的为此邂逅作个坦白的判断, 观察他的举止,
看他所患的是否真的是相思病。
后: 我将听从您的旨意。
至於欧菲利亚, 我希望你之美貌的确是令哈姆雷特疯狂之原由,
也希望你之美德能令其重获心智, 能共享此二美。
欧: 夫人, 我也同样的祈望。
[皇后出]
波: 欧菲利亚, 你到这儿来。
{对国王, 指著一藏匿处}
陛下, 委屈您了, 我们可藏於此处。
{转向欧菲利亚, 递给她一本诗经}
请念这本诗经, 这样你看起来比较像单独在此。
{再对国王}
我们也经常犯此罪行, 这种例子可多了:
利用神圣的姿态及虔诚的动作来遮掩魔鬼之工。
王: [暗思]
啊, 的确呀! 此话真狠狠的鞭鞑了我的良心!
一个娼妓的抹粉面颊
也不见得会比我这用粉饰语言来遮掩之虚假行为更加丑陋。
啊, 这是个沉重的包袱!
波: 我听到他来了, 我们退下吧, 主公。
[国王与波隆尼尔出]
[哈姆雷特入]
哈: {自言自语}
生存或毁灭, 这是个必答之问题:
是否应默默的忍受坎苛命运之无情打击,
还是应与深如大海之无涯苦难奋然为敌,
并将其克服。
此二抉择, 就竟是哪个较崇高?
死即睡眠, 它不过如此!
倘若一眠能了结心灵之苦楚与肉体之百患,
那么, 此结局是可盼的!
死去, 睡去...
但在睡眠中可能有梦, 啊, 这就是个阻碍:
当我们摆脱了此垂死之皮囊,
在死之长眠中会有何梦来临?
它令我们踌躇,
使我们心甘情愿的承受长年之灾,
否则谁肯容忍人间之百般折磨,
如暴君之政、骄者之傲、失恋之痛、法章之慢、贪官之侮、或庸民之辱,
假如他能简单的一刃了之?
还有谁会肯去做牛做马, 终生疲於操劳,
默默的忍受其苦其难, 而不远走高飞, 飘於渺茫之境,
倘若他不是因恐惧身後之事而使他犹豫不前?
此境乃无人知晓之邦, 自古无返者。
所以,「理智」能使我们成为懦夫,
而「顾虑」能使我们本来辉煌之心志变得黯然无光, 像个病夫。
再之, 这些更能坏大事, 乱大谋, 使它们失去魄力。
{见到欧菲利亚}
哦, 小声。
美丽的欧菲利亚, 可爱的小姐, 在你的祈祷中可别忘了我的罪孽。
欧: 殿下这几天来如何?
哈: 我谦逊的谢谢你; 很好。
欧: 殿下, 这里有些你从前给我之记念品, 我一直想还给你,
希望你把它们收下。
哈: 不, 才不, 我从来没给过你任何东西。
欧: 尊贵的殿下, 你知道你曾经有过,
并且当时还添加了你的香甜蜜语, 使它格外的珍贵。
现在既然此芳已散, 你就收回这些罢。
对有情人来说, 送礼者若无诚, 那此礼就会失去意义。
拿去罢, 殿下。
哈: 哈哈, 你有无贞节? {注意的端详}
欧: {吃惊} 殿下?
哈: 你美吗?
欧: 殿下是什么意思?
哈: 你若有贞节, 并有美貌, 那么, 你的贞节不应和你的美貌有所来往。
欧: 美貌与贞节, 能有比此更完美之结合吗, 殿下?
哈: 当然有的: 美貌能败坏贞节, 使它淫荡;
这比贞节能感化美貌来得容易。
从前这是无法想象的, 但是现在它已得到了时间的证实。
我曾爱过你, 在以前。
欧: 你的确曾令我如此的想过, 殿下。
哈: 当时你不应该相信我:
可把美德之枝接於罪孽之干,
但其果实仍将存有罪恶之苦涩 {注1}。
那不是爱。
欧: 你真的把我给骗了。
哈: 你去进尼姑庵罢!
难道你想做一窝罪人之生母?
我还算是个有点道德的人,
但是我能说出我的许多过失,
使我觉得我的母亲是不应该生了我。
我骄矜、记仇、有野心;
藏匿於我内心之为恶潜能, 庞大的使我无法想象, 繁多的令我无空实践。
像我这种家伙, 存於天地之间有啥用处?
我们都是坏蛋, 千万别相信我们。
你去尼姑庵罢。
你父亲呢?
欧: 在家里, 殿下。
哈: 让他被锁在那儿好了, 这样, 他只能在自己家 当个傻瓜。
再见。
欧: 啊, 老天爷, 请帮助他!
哈: 将来你若会出嫁, 那就让我送句恶言来给你做嫁:
尽管你是守操如冰, 还是贞洁如雪, 你将无法逃离流言的毁谤。
你去进尼姑庵罢! 再见。
倘若你非嫁人不可, 那就嫁个傻瓜好了,
因为聪明人都晓得你会使他们当乌龟。 请赶快进尼姑庵了吧!
再见。
欧: 请上帝之神力使他痊愈。
哈: 我听说过你的那些胭脂饰品,
上帝给了你一张脸, 你却偏要把它打扮成令一个。
你卖弄风情, 你矫文饰字, 你油腔滑调, 你虚情假意。
够了, 不谈了, 我火了。 我说, 我们以後不许再有婚姻。
已婚之人可以继续生活下去, 除了一人之外,
其他的人们均应保持现状, 不许结婚。
你去尼姑庵罢, 走呀!
[哈姆雷特出]
欧: 啊, 这位高贵的灵魂已全失去理智!
朝士的相貌, 军曹的武艺, 学者的口才, 一国之君的辉煌前途,
万人楷模的翩翩风度, 显赫的至高尊严, 这些全毁了, 全毁了!
我是个最伤心, 最不幸的女人。 我曾听过他甜如蜜糖的美言,
但是现在却目睹他丧失其崇高的理智, 就像一串七上八下的铃铛,
失去了它们的和谐。 至上的青春典范, 就如此地在疯症中被摧毁。
啊, 我曾见过的, 与我现在所见到的, 它们令我痛心!
[波隆尼尔与国王入]
王: 痴情? 他的神情看来并无此倾向;
他所说的话, 虽缺条理, 但也不见得表示他是个疯子。
他的内心深处正在为某事困扰, 而我观此事将涉及凶险。
为了要防此事, 我已决定此策: 立即把他送往英格兰,
让他去收领欠於我国之贡金,
也希望此海旅、新环境与新事务能使他排除此令其古怪之忧扰。
你觉得呢?
波: 这是个好主意。 不过, 我还是认为,
他的悲哀原因还是因为他未尝得到爱。
好了, 欧菲利亚, 你无需告诉我们哈姆雷特殿下说了些什么,
我们全听到了。
陛下, 您可随意行事; 不过, 您若同意,
看完戏後可让他去与其母后单独谈话, 要求他表露其悲哀之原因。
让她坦率的与他面谈, 那时, 您若准许, 我可藏在一处窃听他们的话。
倘若她找不出其中原因, 那就把他遣送去英国,
或随意把他监禁在您想要之处。
王: 就这么办。 贵人之狂, 决不可轻视!
[全人出]
______________________________________________________________________
译者注:
(1). 劣根性难改之意。
第二景: 城堡中一室
[哈姆雷特与三位演员入]
{哈姆雷特正在指导他们如何演戏}
哈: 你朗诵此台词时, 应照我所指示, 一字字打舌跟里清晰的吐出。
假如你只会大声嘶喊--我们某些演员的确有这毛病--
那我宁可让城里的宣令公差来扮演此角色。
你的手也别在空中穷挥舞--好似如此{作手势}--但要含蓄,
因为当你的情绪激昂得如狂流, 如暴风雨, 如旋风时,
你一定要有相当的自制能力, 此出戏才能得到平稳及流畅的表达。
我最痛恨的, 就是见到一个头披假发, 尖声刺耳的拙劣演员在台上
把一段抒情台词撕成碎片, 直像块烂布,
去讨好那多半只有水准看莫明哑剧、荒唐闹剧的站票群众。 {注1}
我应把这此等家伙好好的痛鞭一顿, 当他过火的饰演特马根{注2}时,
使希律王{注3}之残暴, 相形之下反见温和。
我希望你们能避免这些。
演员一: 一定会的, 殿下。
哈: 但也别太温顺。 可谨慎的自己去照著办,
让行动符合台词, 台词也符合行动, 千万不可过火的饰演,
因为任何如此的演出都将违反了戏剧的宗旨: 那由古迄今都是模彷事实,
展示道德, 揭发丑陋, 及忠实的反映社会生活。
太过份或不足够之演出, 也许能令无办识能力之观众捧腹,
但也会令行家们呻吟叫苦。 他们之评语, 你该承认,
相比之下是远加的有份量。
唉, 我见过许多空有虚名的演员--我不是在故意不恭--
他们演得人不像人, 鬼不像鬼。 他们在台上大摇大摆,
叽哇喊叫之模样, 令我怀疑人类是否创物者的学徒所造之烂货,
因为他们把人类饰演得如此卑劣。
演员一: 我希望我们在此方面已有相当的改进, 先生。
哈: 啊, 要彻底的改进。
还有, 请限制你们的丑角们只念所给他们的台词。
有些小丑在台上会加油加醋的嘻笑, 逗引台下的一群无知观众随之傻笑,
而忽略了重要的情节。 这种行为是不可原谅的,
它显示了此丑角之可鄙野心。
你们好好的去准备罢。
[演员们出]
[波隆尼尔, 罗生克兰, 及盖登思邓入]
怎样, 阁下, 国王会来观此出戏吗?
波: 皇后也会, 并且他们马上驾到。
哈: 请叫演员们快点。
[波隆尼尔出]
你们二人也能不能去叫他们赶快?
罗: 是的, 殿下。
[罗生克兰与盖登思邓出]
哈: 喂, 赫瑞修!
[赫瑞修入]
赫: 在此! 好殿下, 为您服务。
哈: 你是我所交往过最稳重之人。
赫: {不好意思} 哦, 亲爱的殿下。
哈: 不, 别以为我在恭维你,
你拥有的唯一财富, 仅是你的一颗善良之心, 我能得到些什么好处?
有啥理由要来巴结一个穷光蛋?
算了, 还是把献媚者的那套甜言蜜语留给那些爱好虚荣之士罢,
因为在他们那儿屈膝奉承还有希望得到些甜头呢。
你听著了吗? 自我懂事并能辨别人之善恶以来,
你就是我心灵所选中之人。
你曾历尽沧桑, 也尝遍人生甘苦。
但愿老天保佑如此之士, 因为他们的血气与理智已被调整得和谐淑均,
他们不会忍气吞声的默默接受命运之玩弄与摆布,
也不会轻举妄动, 意气用事。
给我如此一人, 他不做感情的奴隶,
而我将把他牢牢的系束於心坎, 是的, 系束於心内之心,
就如我对你一般...
好了, 此话说得太多了。
今晚有一出戏将在国王御前上演,
其中有一幕将涉及我所告诉你之吾父死因。
我恳求你, 当你见到此幕演出时, 你得仔细的观察我的叔父。
如果他所藏匿之罪恶没在一片台词中被揭穿的话,
那么, 我们所见到的的确是个恶鬼,
而我的多疑之心真的是比火神之铁砧还更污秽。
把他留意好。 我的眼睛也会钉在他的脸上。
事後我们可以比较一下我们对他表现的评语。
赫: 好的, 殿下, 如果他在此剧中干了什偷鸡摸狗之勾当而未被发现,
那我甘赔所失。
{鼓号声渐近}
哈: 他们来看戏了, 我该装傻, 你去找个位子坐吧。
[国王、皇后、波隆尼尔、欧菲莉亚、罗生克兰、盖登思邓、与众贵族及侍从入。
国王之卫士手持熊熊火炬。]
王: 贤侄哈姆雷特可好?
哈: 好极了, 就像变色蜥蜴一般, 吸食空气与空诺(注4),
你可不能喂阉鸡此种饲料哟。
王: 我不懂你在回答些些什么, 哈姆雷特; 此非我语。
哈: 是的, 此刻它也非我语。
[对波隆尼尔]
阁下, 听说你在大学时曾演过戏?
波: 曾演过, 殿下, 并且还算是个好演员呢。
哈: 你饰演了谁?
波: 我饰演了朱里士．凯撒; 我在议院里被刺, 布鲁塔士把我给杀了。
哈: 他真『鲁』莽, 杀死如此一个大笨蛋。
演员们准备好了吗?
罗: 是的, 殿下, 他们在等候您的旨示。
后: 来这里, 亲爱的哈姆雷特, 来坐在我身边。
哈: 不, 娘, 这里有更吸引我之磁铁。 [转向欧菲莉亚]
波: [私下与国王] 喔, 呵, 您瞧著了吗?
哈: [躺在欧菲莉亚脚旁] 小姐, 我可不可以卧在你的怀里?
欧: 不可以, 殿下。
哈: 我的意思是:『我的头可不可以枕在你的膝上。』
欧: 嗯, 殿下。
哈: 你以为我在讲那村野之事?
欧: 我没这个念头。
哈: 那是个多么美妙的念头呀, 在少女腿中的。
欧: 什么, 殿下?。
哈: 没什么。
欧: 您快乐吗, 殿下?
哈: 谁, 我?
欧: 是的, 殿下。
哈: 天哪, 我是你的唯一滑稽角色! 怎能不快乐?
你瞧, 我的母亲是多么的快乐,
而我的父亲是两小时前才去世的呢。
欧: 不, 已是两月的双倍了, 殿下。
哈: 这么久啦?
既是如此, 那就让魔鬼去穿那黑色孝服罢,
我可要去穿那貂皮大衣了!
老天爷, 二月前去世, 还没被遗忘!
那么, 这样说, 当一个伟人死後,
他的回忆有希望多留存他於半年啦。
不过, 圣母呀, 那他可要多建造些庙宇,
要不然, 他可能得到与那道具木马相同之遭遇。
它的墓碑上刻的是: 『呜呼, 呜呼, 木马儿, 已被遗忘...』
[号声响起, 哑剧开始]
[伶王与伶后登场。 他们先亲蜜的相拥, 然後皇后跪下,
表示她对国王之爱。 国王把她扶起, 先把头靠紧於她颈上,
然後再躺入一簇花丛中。 皇后见他熟睡後方离去。
须臾, 一人入。 他先把国王的皇冠摘下来吻了吻,
之後倾注一瓶毒液於眠者的耳内, 然後离去。
皇后归来, 发现国王已死, 大为哀恸。
下毒者与三、四位亲随再入, 也一起作哀恸状。
国王尸体被抬走後, 下毒者拿出礼物来向皇后求爱。
皇后起初做不愿意状, 可是最後终於答应。]
[众演员出]
欧: 这是什么意思, 殿下?
哈: 这叫『造孽』, 恶行也!
欧: 这好像已表明了此剧之大纲。
[致开场白者入]
哈: 此家伙会让我们明白; 演员们无法保密, 他们会统统道出。
欧: 他会不会告诉我们刚才所演出之意思?
哈: 会的, 或任何的演出--
只要你不害羞的演出, 他就会不害羞的告诉你其意思。
欧: 你真坏, 你真坏。 我看戏了。
致词者: 为咱今夜之悲剧,
鞠躬并求多包含,
尚乞诸位耐心听。
[出]
哈: 这是开场白还是指环上所铭之箴言?
欧: 它真短, 殿下。
哈: 就如女人之爱。
[伶王与伶后入]
伶王:『炎阳绕地三十载,
横掠平原跨过海。
月儿借光照黑夜,
数十年来无更改。
念卿与朕结鸳盟,
一晃已过三十载。』
伶后:『只愿此情未了期,
日可如旧月如昔。
但今妾心深惶恐,
全因夫君体缠疾。
忧郁寡欢非昔比,
身驱渐弱更莫提。
关怀之心出自爱,
望君切勿空猜疑。
妇人之忧如其爱,
若不足够便多馀。
对君之爱早成证,
无微不至此非谜。
恋之愈深念更深,
此事古来不为奇。』
伶王:『朕将永别爱卿去,
此驱已失生命力。
享尽荣华在世者,
仅留佳人守红尘。
但愿苍天能有幸,
助卿再求好夫君。』
伶后:『君切勿言如此话,
妾决无此叛夫心。
妾若再嫁当受谴,
万世唾骂杀夫嫌。』
哈: [私下] 苦哉, 苦哉。
伶后:『再嫁通常非为爱,
全为贪慕荣华心。
那日共枕後夫榻,
好比重杀先夫灵。』
伶王:『无疑当前真心话,
怎奈人常悔诺言。
志愿本乃记忆奴,
随之清淡是常情。
恰如青果挂枝梢,
果熟蒂落莫须摇。
到时前言忘了顾,
昔日热情早冲凉。
悲喜两情激动时,
均能捣毁理智行。
喜乐悲哀常无端,
悲恸顿可成狂欢。
世间人事本无久,
随命移爱何足怪?
当今谁能解此谜,
爱与命运哪个先?
破落富豪失亲友,
走运穷酸敌自消。
由此观之爱随运:
朱门不乏酒肉客,
待助饥民友难交。
让我此言归正传:
意志与命常相反,
成果难与目的同,
计划往往被推翻。
你誓不嫁二任夫,
只恐夫死立食言。』
伶后:『地可尽绝我食粮,
天可使我永无光,
白昼带予我烦恼,
夜可令我无平安。
毁我信心与希望,
令我生涯苦如囚,
上天可挫我野心,
罚我永远失欢欣,
今世休能得安宁。
有朝若成孤寡妇,
永誓不再为人妻!』
哈: 倘若她违反此誓!
伶王: 『不愧铭心肺腑言!
爱卿此刻我已倦,
暂请夫人离我去,
待我小憩立复原。』
伶后: 『夫君尽管安心眠,
厄运难致双仳离。』
[出。 伶王睡]
哈: 娘呀, 您觉得此剧如何?
后: 我觉得那女子宣誓得过重。
哈: 喔, 但是她会守诺的。
王: 你听过此剧之情节吗, 它有无令人不悦之处?
哈: 没有, 没有, 他们只不过是在开玩笑--那毒药是好玩的,
全无触犯之意。
王: 戏名叫什么?
哈: 叫做『捕鼠器』--这的确是个上好的隐喻!
这出戏影射了曾在维也纳发生的一宗谋杀案。
公爵之名叫巩查哥, 他的夫人叫芭蒂丝塔。
您马上就会明白, 这是个挑拨恶毒之作; 不过, 谁管它去?
陛下与我们都有清白之心, 它不会影响到我们的。
让带罪者不安, 它与咱们无关。
[伴演陆西亚诺之演员登场]
此人是陆西亚诺, 国王之侄。
欧: 您就像个剧情之解说人, 殿下。
哈: 如果我见到傀儡演出你与你爱人间之那回事, 我也可以为之作个解说。
欧: 您真锐利(注5), 殿下, 您真锐利。
哈: 若要我变钝, 那可要教你呻吟一阵子的。
欧: 您变本加厉, 由好至坏...
哈: 好比虚情嫁丈夫(注6)...
{向剧台上喊}
开始罢, 凶手, 别再贼头贼脑的显露你那可恶的嘴脸了!
动手罢! 嘎嘎啼叫之乌鸦早已在为复仇怒吼!(注7)
陆: {口中念念有词}
『心黑手辣施毒去,
无人瞧见好时机,
剧毒链自深夜草,
巫神三咒并添疾,
发出魔力展功效,
触之立刻把命殛!』
[倒毒液於眠者耳内]
哈: {在台下大喊}
他因觊觎他的产业而把他在花园内毒死。
{指著死者} 他的名字叫巩查哥, 这是个最近的案子,
有义大利文记载为证。
你们马上就能见到凶手如何得到巩查哥遗孀之爱!
欧: 国王站起来了。
哈: 怎么, 被空枪惊吓?
后: {对国王} 陛下怎么啦?
波: 别演下去了!
王: 拿火炬来, 走!
波: 火炬! 火炬! 火炬!
[众人均出, 仅留哈姆雷特与赫瑞修]
哈: {高声歌唱}
『受创牝鹿去哭啼,
无伤雄鹿游如昔,
有人酣眠有人醒,
世世轮回无足奇。』
先生, 倘若以後我的命运转恶,
你觉得我可否在帽上插些羽毛, 鞋上绑缀两个大花结地来戏班里充当一员?
赫: 可领个半薪。
哈: 我可要领个全薪。
{再唱}
『亲爱达蒙你应知, (注8)
此邦君主非天尊,
宝座上头是支--孔雀(注9)。』
赫: 你应该把它押个韵才是(注10)。
哈: 啊, 善良的赫瑞修, 为鬼魂之言, 我可掷注千镑, 你瞧著了么?
赫: 瞧得很清楚, 殿下。
哈: 当演至下毒时?
赫: 我很仔细的观察了他。
哈: 啊, 哈! 来, 奏乐! 吹箫者, 来呀!
『倘若陛下不爱喜剧,
那他确是无能欣赏!』
来呀, 奏乐!
[罗生克兰与盖登思邓入]
盖: 好殿下, 请允许我与您谈句话。
哈: 想谈整篇历史都可以。
盖: 先生, 王上他...
哈: 是的, 先生, 他怎么了?
盖: 他回寝室後非常的不舒服。
哈: 喝得太多啦, 先生?
盖: 不, 殿下, 他发脾气。
哈: 如果你聪明, 你就应把这些话去告诉他的御医,
因为假如你要我去净他的肠胃(注 11), 恐怕那只会使他更发脾气。
盖: 好殿下, 您能否理智点, 别信口胡扯?
哈: 我没事了。 你继续说罢。
盖: 您的母亲--皇后陛下--在极焦虑中遣送我至此。
哈: 我很欢迎你来。
盖: 不, 好殿下, 这种礼貌是错误的。
假如您肯好好的回答我, 那我就把她的意旨向您传达;
否则, 您的宽恕加上我的归返就算此事已了。
哈: 先生, 我不能。
罗: 不能什么, 殿下?
哈: 给你一个好好的答覆; 我的脑子有毛病。 不过, 先生,
我所能答覆的, 即是你所将得到的, 也即是我母亲所将得到的。
不谈这些了, 言归正传罢。 我的母亲, 你说...
罗: 她说了这些: 您近来之行为令她惊愕与懊恼。
哈: 好个儿子能够令其母亲如此的惊愕。
不过, 难道除了母亲惊愕之外就无其它事了吗? 请道来罢。
罗: 她希望您在安睡前能与她在她寝室里谈话。
哈: 本王子将服从她, 即使她是十倍我母。
你还有何事须禀告本王子? {摆出王子的驾子}
罗: 殿下, 我曾一度蒙您错爱...
哈: 现在仍是, 凭我这好扒好偷的双手发誓。 {抬起双手}
罗: 我的好殿下, 是何事令您发疯?
您若不愿和您友人商讨您之心事, 那您无疑将自我禁锢。
哈: 先生, 我缺擢升。
罗: 那怎么可能? 您也听到国王亲口提出你将继承王位之事。
哈: 是的, 先生啊, 套句老谚语:『草正长时...』(注12)
[演员们持箫入]
啊, 木箫, 让我看看。 {一演员递箫给哈姆雷特}
{对罗生克兰} 我们来私下谈谈:
为何你们老匍伏於我的下风, 好像想逐我於罗网?
盖: 喔, 我的殿下, 我们的举止若有过唐突, 那是因我们爱您太甚。
哈: 我可不懂这些。
你可不可以吹吹这支箫?
盖: 殿下, 我不会。
哈: 我求你。
盖: 请相信我, 我不会。
哈: 我诚心的恳求你。
盖: 我不懂它的指法。
哈: 它就像说谎一般的容易:
你先用指头来控制这些孔洞, 然後用嘴吹之,
它就会自然的发出美妙的音乐。
你瞧, 它的指孔就在这儿。
盖: 可是我无法让它发出协调之音乐, 因我缺此技能。
哈: 怎么啦, 你看, 你是如何的小觑了我!
你想玩弄我, 彷佛你早已熟悉了我的指孔;
你想挖掘我心灵深处之奥密, 想教我奏出我的整幅音阶;
可是, 在此区区一支小木箫, 虽然它拥有著无限的音乐、美妙之歌喉,
你却无法使它发言。 混账! 难道你觉得我比一根木管还容易玩弄吗?
你可把我当作任何乐器, 不过, 你是玩弄不了我的!
[波隆尼尔入]
{对波隆尼尔} 上帝祝福你, 先生。
波: 殿下, 皇后想和您说话--马上。
哈: 你有没有见到天边那片云? 它看起来像支骆驼。 {手指天上的一朵云}
波: 老天, 它的确像支骆驼。
哈: 我觉得它倒颇像支黄鼠狼。
波: 它弓著背像支黄鼠狼。
哈: 或像条鲸鱼。
波: 也像条鲸鱼。
哈: 那么, 我马上就会去见我娘。
[私下] 他们把我搞得忍无可忍。
[对波隆尼尔] 我马上就来。
波: 我就如此的传告。
[波隆尼尔出]
哈: 『马上就来』讲得容易。
{对罗与盖} 出去罢, 朋友们。
[全体出, 仅留哈姆雷特]
此刻已是众巫出游的深夜,
墓园里的枯坟均已敞开, 地狱也在吐散瘟疫於人间。
现在我可痛饮热血, 可去执行那能令白昼战栗之骇人工作。
且慢, 让我先去见我的母亲...
呵, 我的心呀, 别让我丧失天良,
别让尼罗王之亡魂(注13)潜入此胸怀。
我可残酷, 但不可无良心。
我可用语言的利剑来刺戳她, 但决不用真刃。
我的舌头与灵魂此时应效仿那伪君子:
无论我用多么严厉的语言来谴责她,
我的心灵将不容允我把它们履现成真。
[出]
____________________________________________________________________
译者注:
(1). 剧院的站票较便宜, 而观众的一般水准较低。
(2). 特马根(Termagant): 陧造的回教神明。 在早期戏剧里是个大声、
无拘束之角色。
(3). 希律王(Herod): 犹太的有名暴君。
(4). 有人认为变色蜥蜴(chameleon)吞空气为食。
(5). 锐利(keen), 也带性欲激发之意。
(6). 西方人婚嫁时之誓言:『可好可坏永相随...』
在此哈姆雷特强调女人之虚伪。
(7). 此句出於与莎士比亚同年代剧中之一词。
(8). 达蒙(Damon): 罗马神话中之人, 以重友情出名。
(9). 孔雀在莎士比亚的时代有淫乱及残酷的恶名。
(10). 押过韵後,『孔雀』即成『驴』。
(11). 『净肠』 的另 ㄧ解释就是『涤清罪恶』， 哈姆雷特在此故意
用此双重意思。
(12). 在当时所流传之谚语:『草正长时, 马儿饿死』。
(13). 尼罗王: 古罗马之暴君, 鸩杀其母。
第三景: 宫中
[国王、罗生克兰、与盖登思邓入。]
王: 朕不喜欢他之模样; 坐视他之疯态也不安全;
所以, 你们要有准备; 朕将命令他立即随你们一起赴往英格兰。
朕不能让他所带来之威胁继续坐大。
盖: 在下自会准备。
无数庶民既食宿於陛下,
维护吾邦万民生计乃吾等之神圣职责也!
罗: 任何有生之物都会按本能的去全力自保,
关键万民福利之国君更应如此。
君王之殁, 通常不只是个人之灭亡,
它却好似个庞大的旋涡, 能殃及百性, 能把他们并同卷入。
这就好像高山顶上之一巨轮, 轮辐上悬挂著无数的小物件;
当此巨轮轰然的滚下山时, 那些小物件也将同归於尽。
因此, 国君从来不独自叹息;
当他如此时, 全国也将一并的与其呻吟。
王: 你们就准备立刻启程罢。
我们应早点把那正逍遥於外之威胁禁锢起来。
罗: 我们会尽快行动。
[罗与盖出]
[波隆尼尔入]
波: 主公, 他现在正在往他母后寝室那儿去,
我可躲在帐幕後偷听他们之交谈,
我想她一定会把此事追究到底的。
就如您之明智说法, 让第三者来听此会谈是没错的,
因为母亲总会偏护儿子。
再会, 主公, 我会在您就寝之前回来报告我所发现。
王: 谢谢你, 贤卿。
[波隆尼尔出]
啊, 我的罪行之恶臭, 已贯冲云霄。
它负带著元古最初之诅咒(注1): 一桩杀害兄弟之暴行。
我无法祈祷, 虽然我真心的想如此去做;
我的强烈罪恶感已击溃了此心愿,
就如一人面临两方抉择而犹豫, 不知应先去做那个较好,
而忽略了双方。
倘若我这可憎的双手已沾满了厚厚的一层弟兄之鲜血, 那么,
难道那甜美的天堂里就无足够的甘霖能够把它洗得雪白?
难道老天的慈悲不是用来宽恕人之罪恶?
也难道人们祈祷并不是为了它的双重力量:
防止世人陷於罪恶, 并赦免已犯之罪人?
我可向天堂仰望,
我的罪行既犯, 那我应如何的去祈祷才能获得赦免?
『请求赦免我狠毒之杀人罪』吗? 那是不可能的,
因为我现在仍拥有著我杀人之所得:
我的皇冠、我的地位、与我的皇后。
假如一罪人仍拥有著他犯罪所得之赃物, 那他还能被赦免吗?
在这腐败的世界里, 一个富有的犯人往往能用不名之财来贿赂官方,
获得宽赦。 在天堂里可是不能这样的, 因为那里无贪污这回事;
在那里, 仅有真相才是事实。 到那时, 我们将被迫为我们的一切过失作证,
那怎么办? 我还能有什么别的选择呢?
试试忏悔的力量罢--有何事不能用忏悔来化解呢?
但是对一个无法忏悔之人来说, 它又有何用?
唉, 这真是个糟糕的情况! 啊, 我的心黑如死!
我的灵魂已被绑缚, 它愈挣扎, 被绑缚的愈紧。
救我呀, 天使们, 请尽您们的力量!
屈跪罢, 我这顽固的双膝;
让我这铁石心肠柔软得如新生婴儿之肌肤。
我还是有希望获得善果的。
[国王开始跪祷]
[哈姆雷特入]
哈: 现在容易动手了, 当他在祈祷时; 我现在就下手杀了他...
[拔出佩剑]
... 然後他就直接上天堂; 这就算是复了仇? 这还需三思:
一个恶徒杀了我的父亲,
而我--父亲的独子--却保送此恶徒登上天堂(注2);
什么, 这等於是成全了他; 这不算是复仇。
他在我父亲未经悔过、罪恶贯盈时把他杀害;
上帝对他的这笔账此时是如何的看法, 除了神之外, 有谁晓得?
依凡人之推理, 这应算是个重罪; 但是,
假如我正当他在忏悔时把他杀死,
那他为此旅程已作了充份的准备工作;
我能算是复了仇吗? 不!
回鞘去罢, 宝剑呀, 让我寻个更好的机会:
当他烂醉如泥、大发雷挺、淫榻寻欢、赌博渎神、
或做其他毫无拯救可言之事时, 那时我再颠他於我的足下,
教他双脚朝天, 一条地狱般黑恶之灵魂直归阴曹府。
我的母亲正在等候我,
这就算是你的救命符罢;
让你暂延你的狗命!
[出]
王: [站起] 我的祷言已在飞升,
但我的心志仍留滞於地。
无心之祷, 永远无法升天。
[出]
______________________________________________________________________
译者注:
(1). 圣经里亚当与夏娃之长子该隐(Cain)杀害其弟亚伯(Abel)
後被放逐流浪, 此为元古之第一诅咒。
(2). 人在死前若忏悔, 灵魂可直上天堂。
第四景: 皇后寝室
[皇后与波隆尼尔入]
波: 他马上就要到了。 您得好好的教训他一顿,
告诉他他所耍的这些把戏已令人忍无可忍, 并且您已过分的坦护他了。
{拉开挂於墙前之帐幕} 我就匿声的躲在此後。
对他, 您千万可别含糊!
后: 这些你勿须害怕; 你可信任我。 赶快去躲罢, 我听到他来了。
[波隆尼尔躲入帐後]
[哈姆雷特入]
哈: 娘, 有何事?
后: 哈姆雷特, 你深深的触犯了你的父亲{指其叔}。
哈: 娘, 你深深的触犯了我的父亲{指其父}。
后: 来, 来, 别用那胡扯的口气来回答我。
哈: 去, 去, 别用那邪恶的口气来问我话。
后: 你怎么搞的, 哈姆雷特?
哈: 怎么啦?
后: 难道你忘了我是谁?
哈: 没有啊! 以十字架发誓:
你是一国之后, 你丈夫弟弟之妻;
若非这些, 你也是我的母亲。
后: 好, 既然你要如此, 那我就去找能和你说话之人来。
{生气得站起来想走}
哈: {用力的阻挠她} 过来, 过来, 坐下! 不许动!
待我取一面镜子来让你瞧瞧你内心之真面目。
在那之前, 我不许你走开!
{推她回椅子上}
后: 你干嘛? 想杀人? 救命呀! 哇!
波: [在帐幕後] 什么事, 喂, 救命!
哈: {转过身来} 什么? 有老鼠? 一块钱便偿命, 去死罢!
[拔出佩剑, 猛然的刺入帐幕]
波: [在帐幕後] 唉哟, 我死也!
后: 天哪! 你做出了什么事?
哈: 我不晓得; 那是国王吗?
[掀开帐幕, 发现波隆尼尔已死]
后: 哎呀, 这是个多么卤莽与血腥之行为啊!
哈: 一个血腥行为, 我的好母亲呀,
几乎与谋杀一国君,
然後与其弟结婚同样的邪恶。
后: 谋杀一国君?
哈: 对, 母亲, 就如我所说。
{对波隆尼尔之尸体}
你这个该死、轻率、好管闲事的傻瓜, 再会罢。
我认错了人, 那你只好接受你的命运啦。
你现在知道管闲事之危险了吧!
{对皇后}
别再扭你的双手了, 静下来, 坐著! 让我来扭你的心。
我要如此, 除非你的那颗心已僵如铁石, 已邪恶及无耻成性,
并已至无法穿透、无法听理之地步。
后: 我做了什么事, 你胆敢用此等之放肆口舌来对我?
哈: 你的行为能使清白蒙羞辱、美德成虚伪、真情成娼淫、婚盟成赌诺。
啊, 它能废掉天下之所有盛重誓言, 把虔诚的祝祷贬为一串疯话。
连苍天见到都会为之变色、为之心痛、为之焦虑审判日之即将来临。
后: 唉, 我犯了什么穷凶恶极之涛天大罪?
哈: 你看这幅画像 {掏出颈上项链所挂之小画像},
也看这幅 {揪住皇后颈上项链所挂之另一幅小画像},
这是两兄弟之肖像。
这一幅所绘的, 他的相貌庄严如天神, 有著太阳神之发髻、
天王之前额、叱吒风云之战神双目、和天使降落山巅之英姿。
这些之组成, 就是神明们所认同之人类楷模, 也就是你的前夫。
请看这下一幅: 这就是你的现任丈夫。
他就像颗霉烂的禾穗, 败坏了他的健硕弟兄。
难道你没长眼睛吗?
难道你愿意走离这座丰裕美好的高山{指著其父之绘像},
而觅食於如此贫脊之不毛之地? {指著叔父之绘像}
哈, 你瞎了眼吗?
你不能说那是为了爱情, 因为依你之年纪,
情欲应已被减弱, 应已被驯服, 应已被理智取代,
但是, 什么样的理智会使你由此{指其父}转至此{指其叔}?
当然你也有知觉, 否则你怎能行动?
不过, 你的这些知觉一定早已中风麻痹,
因为连个疯子都不会犯如此的大错,
理智也不会如此的被情欲驾驭, 无能作所抉择。
你是中了什么邪, 它能使你如此的被蒙骗,
你的视、触、听、嗅觉如此的被混淆?
天晓得, 只要有半个健全的感官存在, 它都足够使你恍悟的。
羞耻啊! 你的赧颜在那里呢?
如果地狱之孽火尚能使年长妇人由骨髓内煽起淫念,
那么在青春的狂焰里, 贞操岂不是块蜡, 它将瞬间熔化?
别再指责少年人之冲动是可耻的了,
当白发人自己的欲火也燃烧得同样猛烈,
而理智亦被贬黜为情欲的淫媒时。
后: 啊, 哈姆雷特, 别再说下去了,
你已让我看清了我的灵魂深处, 看见在那里有洗涤不清之污点。
哈: 哼, 生活在一张汗臭冲鼻, 充满油垢的温床里; 只知道在腐堕里翻腾,
在龌龊的猪窝里寻欢做爱。
后: 啊, 别再对我说这些了, 这些字句就像利刃般的刺入我的耳内,
请别再说下去了, 甜蜜的哈姆雷特!
哈: 一个凶手、恶徒, 一个不如你前夫二百分之一之佣奴,
一个王者中之丑角, 一个篡夺江山、王位之贼子;
他把那珍贵的王冠由架上窃去, 放入他的口袋中。
后: 请别再说下去了!
哈: 他是个破烂、褴褛之王。
[鬼魂入]
拯救我, 神圣的天使呀, 用您的翅膀来遮护我;
陛下有何指示?
后: {看不见鬼魂} 唉, 他疯了。
哈: 您是不是来责骂您那怠惰的儿子,
因他对您尊旨之执行有所耽误, 有所缺诚, 而乱了大事?
请说呀!
鬼: 记住, 我这次的造访只是来磨利你那已钝的心志。
且看, 你的母亲心神已乱, 你应为她内心之争扎给与帮助;
弱者特别容易受到幻念激动。 和她说话罢, 哈姆雷特。
哈: 您还好吧, 娘?
后: 唉, 你自己还好吧?
何事会使你如此地眼望虚无, 对无形的空气喃喃有语?
你的双眼放射出狂乱的光芒, 就像个刚被警报惊醒的士兵;
你本来整齐的头发也一根根的直竖起来, 就像活过来般。
我的好儿子啊, 请在扰乱你心神的烈焰中浇与清凉的镇静剂罢!
你究竟在看些什么呢?
哈: 看他! 看他! 看他惨淡的目光;
看他之模样, 看他之冤情, 连顽石都会为之打动。
[对鬼魂]
别望著我了, 否则您那可怜的模样会使我失去我的狠酷决心,
使我对我必做之事失去心志--由复仇转至流泪。
后: 你在向谁说这些话?
哈: 难道您看不见吗?
后: 什么都没有呀! 能看到的, 我都看到了。
哈: 您也听不到任何声音?
后: 除了我们之外无其它声音。
哈: 看呀, 您看, 在那里, 我的父亲, 穿著他在世时的衣裳。
看, 他浮走了, 他马上就要出门去了。
[鬼魂出]
后: 这完全是你脑子所虚构之物, 疯症所善造之无体幻觉。
哈: 疯症? 我的心脉也跳动得和您同样平稳, 相同的奏出健康之音乐;
我所说的这些不是疯言狂呓,
不信您可以考验我: 我能把这些话一字不漏的重复一遍,
我若是真疯了, 那我必然无法如此办到。
娘呀, 为了老天爷之慈悲, 别在您的良心上自敷安慰的膏药了;
别只怪是我口出狂言, 而不承认是自己的过错。
您这样做, 只能暂时在那溃烂的毒疮上盖层皮膜,
但是, 在您看不见之深处, 腐败恶臭将依然如旧。
向天忏悔罢, 反悔了昔日之过错, 以避来日之报应。
别再往杂草丛上浇粪, 继续的加深您罪恶之臭了。
请原谅我这些正义的申求, 因为在此放纵无羁的时代,
连美德都需要和罪恶求恕;
是的, 它需俯首屈膝的去恳求罪恶采纳它的忠言。
后: 唉, 哈姆雷特, 你已把我的心剖为两半。
哈: 啊, 把那腐坏的一半扔掉, 去用另一半来过纯洁的生活罢。
晚安...可是别去我叔父的寝床那儿。
就算您已毫无贞操, 但是您也可以装个样子。
习性是个可畏的魔鬼: 它能把人类反抗邪恶之良知 食净罄;
但它亦能作个神圣的天使: 它能使善行习以为常。
您今夜之抑制, 能使明夜之节禁来之稍为容易, 後天的更加容易。
反复的行事能改变一人之天性:
它能让恶魔留宿於人们心内,
但是也能坚决的把它从人们的心灵中驱逐出去。
让我再度的向您道个晚安。 当您有心忏悔时, 我也会来向您求个祝福的。
{对著波隆泥尔之尸首}
对他, 我深感懊悔。 这是上帝给我之惩罚, 就像我也是上帝给他之惩罚;
我只不过是个上天的鞭子、判官。
我应去处理这具尸首, 为他之死做个交代。
再一次的, 晚安。
为了要行善, 我必须狠毒。
这是个不好的开始, 更坏的还在後头呢。
还有一句话, 母亲。
后: 你要我怎样?
哈: 无论如何, 别做这件事情:
别让那脑满肠肥的国王再度勾引您上床, 然後淫秽的捏您的面颊,
称呼您为他的宝贝儿。
更勿在他的几个污秽的亲吻或一阵爱抚後, 把事情的真相全盘招出,
说我不是真正的发狂, 而只是装疯而已。
{讥讽的} 您是有责任告诉他这些的,
一个这么美丽、清醒、聪明的皇后怎能把这么重要的一件事藏匿起来,
而不去告诉给那支蛤蟆、蝙蝠、公猫听呢? 有谁会去干这种傻事?
不, 您可以学那寓言里的猴子,
您可以不顾情理、毫不谨慎的把屋顶上的鸟笼打开, 把鸟儿都放走,
然後为了想学飞, 一头钻进鸟笼里,
最後连笼子一起把脖子给摔断{注1}。
后: 你可以放心, 如果语言乃气息之呵出, 而气息乃出自生命,
那么, 我无足够的生命来呵出你刚才所说的那些话。
哈: 我即将被遣送至英格兰, 您晓得吗?
后: 唉, 我都忘了, 此事是如此决定的。
哈: 我的两位同学们携有一封密函;
我信任他们, 就像我信任两条长有利牙的毒蛇一般:
他们心怀鬼胎的想把我送进一个圈套里。
这也罢, 见到一个炮手被自己的炮轰, 倒也是挺有趣的。
他们会埋藏地雷, 但是我能埋得比他们更深一尺, 把他们给炸到月亮上去。
以计攻计, 才真妙哉!
{对著波隆尼尔的尸首}
此人会使我提早我的行程; 我把他抬至隔壁的房间罢。
娘呀, 我再度的向您请安。
这位大臣生前是个愚蠢、饶舌的家伙,
现在他却变得多么的安静、谨慎、与庄重。
来呀, 先生, 把咱们的事情办完罢。
晚安, 母亲。
[哈姆雷特拖著波隆尼尔的尸首出场; 留皇后於室]
{第三幕完}
______________________________________________________________________
译者注:
(1). 欧洲中古时代之寓言, 详细情节现已失传。
Elsinore. A room in the Castle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern,
and Lords.
Claudius. 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 1685
With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?
Rosencrantz. He does confess he feels himself distracted,
But from what cause he will by no means speak.
Guildenstern. Nor do we find him forward to be sounded,
But with a crafty madness keeps aloof 1690
When we would bring him on to some confession
Of his true state.
Gertrude. Did he receive you well?
Rosencrantz. Most like a gentleman.
Guildenstern. But with much forcing of his disposition. 1695Rosencrantz. Niggard of question, but of our demands
Most free in his reply.
Gertrude. Did you assay him
To any pastime?
Rosencrantz. Madam, it so fell out that certain players 1700
We o'erraught on the way. Of these we told him,
And there did seem in him a kind of joy
To hear of it. They are here about the court,
And, as I think, they have already order
This night to play before him. 1705Polonius. 'Tis most true;
And he beseech'd me to entreat your Majesties
To hear and see the matter.
Claudius. With all my heart, and it doth much content me
To hear him so inclin'd. 1710
Good gentlemen, give him a further edge
And drive his purpose on to these delights.
Rosencrantz. We shall, my lord.
Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Claudius. Sweet Gertrude, leave us too; 1715
For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither,
That he, as 'twere by accident, may here
Affront Ophelia.
Her father and myself (lawful espials)
Will so bestow ourselves that, seeing unseen, 1720
We may of their encounter frankly judge
And gather by him, as he is behav'd,
If't be th' affliction of his love, or no,
That thus he suffers for.
Gertrude. I shall obey you; 1725
And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish
That your good beauties be the happy cause
Of Hamlet's wildness. So shall I hope your virtues
Will bring him to his wonted way again,
To both your honours. 1730Ophelia. Madam, I wish it may.
[Exit Queen.]
Polonius. Ophelia, walk you here.- Gracious, so please you,
We will bestow ourselves.- [To Ophelia] Read on this book,
That show of such an exercise may colour 1735
Your loneliness.- We are oft to blame in this,
'Tis too much prov'd, that with devotion's visage
And pious action we do sugar o'er
The Devil himself.
Claudius. [aside] O, 'tis too true! 1740
How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience!
The harlot's cheek, beautied with plast'ring art,
Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it
Than is my deed to my most painted word.
O heavy burthen! 1745Polonius. I hear him coming. Let's withdraw, my lord.
Exeunt King and Polonius].
Enter Hamlet.
Hamlet. To be, or not to be- that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer 1750
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them. To die- to sleep-
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks 1755
That flesh is heir to. 'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die- to sleep.
To sleep- perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub!
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, 1760
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despis'd love, the law's delay, 1765
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would these fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life, 1770
But that the dread of something after death-
The undiscover'd country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns- puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of? 1775
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry 1780
And lose the name of action.- Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia!- Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins rememb'red.
Ophelia. Good my lord,
How does your honour for this many a day? 1785Hamlet. I humbly thank you; well, well, well.
Ophelia. My lord, I have remembrances of yours
That I have longed long to re-deliver.
I pray you, now receive them.
Hamlet. No, not I! 1790
I never gave you aught.
Ophelia. My honour'd lord, you know right well you did,
And with them words of so sweet breath compos'd
As made the things more rich. Their perfume lost,
Take these again; for to the noble mind 1795
Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.
There, my lord.
Hamlet. Ha, ha! Are you honest?
Ophelia. My lord?
Hamlet. Are you fair? 1800Ophelia. What means your lordship?
Hamlet. That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no
discourse to your beauty.
Ophelia. Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than with honesty?
Hamlet. Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner transform 1805
honesty from what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty can
translate beauty into his likeness. This was sometime a paradox,
but now the time gives it proof. I did love you once.
Ophelia. Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.
Hamlet. You should not have believ'd me; for virtue cannot so 1810
inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you
not.
Ophelia. I was the more deceived.
Hamlet. Get thee to a nunnery! Why wouldst thou be a breeder of
sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse 1815
me of such things that it were better my mother had not borne me.
I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious; with more offences at my
beck than I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to give
them shape, or time to act them in. What should such fellows as I
do, crawling between earth and heaven? We are arrant knaves all; 1820
believe none of us. Go thy ways to a nunnery. Where's your
father?
Ophelia. At home, my lord.
Hamlet. Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool
nowhere but in's own house. Farewell. 1825Ophelia. O, help him, you sweet heavens!
Hamlet. If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for thy dowry:
be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape
calumny. Get thee to a nunnery. Go, farewell. Or if thou wilt
needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what 1830
monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go; and quickly too.
Farewell.
Ophelia. O heavenly powers, restore him!
Hamlet. I have heard of your paintings too, well enough. God hath
given you one face, and you make yourselves another. You jig, you 1835
amble, and you lisp; you nickname God's creatures and make your
wantonness your ignorance. Go to, I'll no more on't! it hath made
me mad. I say, we will have no moe marriages. Those that are
married already- all but one- shall live; the rest shall keep as
they are. To a nunnery, go. Exit. 1840Ophelia. O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!
The courtier's, scholar's, soldier's, eye, tongue, sword,
Th' expectancy and rose of the fair state,
The glass of fashion and the mould of form,
Th' observ'd of all observers- quite, quite down! 1845
And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,
That suck'd the honey of his music vows,
Now see that noble and most sovereign reason,
Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh;
That unmatch'd form and feature of blown youth 1850
Blasted with ecstasy. O, woe is me
T' have seen what I have seen, see what I see!
Enter King and Polonius.
Claudius. Love? his affections do not that way tend;
Nor what he spake, though it lack'd form a little, 1855
Was not like madness. There's something in his soul
O'er which his melancholy sits on brood;
And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose
Will be some danger; which for to prevent,
I have in quick determination 1860
Thus set it down: he shall with speed to England
For the demand of our neglected tribute.
Haply the seas, and countries different,
With variable objects, shall expel
This something-settled matter in his heart, 1865
Whereon his brains still beating puts him thus
From fashion of himself. What think you on't?
Polonius. It shall do well. But yet do I believe
The origin and commencement of his grief
Sprung from neglected love.- How now, Ophelia? 1870
You need not tell us what Lord Hamlet said.
We heard it all.- My lord, do as you please;
But if you hold it fit, after the play
Let his queen mother all alone entreat him
To show his grief. Let her be round with him; 1875
And I'll be plac'd so please you, in the ear
Of all their conference. If she find him not,
To England send him; or confine him where
Your wisdom best shall think.
Claudius. It shall be so. 1880
Madness in great ones must not unwatch'd go. Exeunt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Act III, Scene 2
Elsinore. hall in the Castle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enter Hamlet and three of the Players.
Hamlet. Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounc'd it to you,
trippingly on the tongue. But if you mouth it, as many of our
players do, I had as live the town crier spoke my lines. Nor do 1885
not saw the air too much with your hand, thus, but use all
gently; for in the very torrent, tempest, and (as I may say)
whirlwind of your passion, you must acquire and beget a
temperance that may give it smoothness. O, it offends me to the
soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to 1890
tatters, to very rags, to split the cars of the groundlings, who
(for the most part) are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb
shows and noise. I would have such a fellow whipp'd for o'erdoing
Termagant. It out-herods Herod. Pray you avoid it.
First Player. I warrant your honour. 1895Hamlet. Be not too tame neither; but let your own discretion be your
tutor. Suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with
this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of
nature: for anything so overdone is from the purpose of playing,
whose end, both at the first and now, was and is, to hold, as 1900
'twere, the mirror up to nature; to show Virtue her own feature,
scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his
form and pressure. Now this overdone, or come tardy off, though
it make the unskilful laugh, cannot but make the judicious
grieve; the censure of the which one must in your allowance 1905
o'erweigh a whole theatre of others. O, there be players that I
have seen play, and heard others praise, and that highly (not to
speak it profanely), that, neither having the accent of
Christians, nor the gait of Christian, pagan, nor man, have so
strutted and bellowed that I have thought some of Nature's 1910
journeymen had made men, and not made them well, they imitated
humanity so abominably.
First Player. I hope we have reform'd that indifferently with us, sir.
Hamlet. O, reform it altogether! And let those that play your clowns
speak no more than is set down for them. For there be of them 1915
that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren
spectators to laugh too, though in the mean time some necessary
question of the play be then to be considered. That's villanous
and shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it. Go
make you ready. 1920
[Exeunt Players.]
[Enter Polonius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern.]
How now, my lord? Will the King hear this piece of work?
Polonius. And the Queen too, and that presently.
Hamlet. Bid the players make haste, [Exit Polonius.] Will you two 1925
help to hasten them?
Rosencrantz. [with Guildenstern] We will, my lord.
Exeunt they two.
Hamlet. What, ho, Horatio!
Enter Horatio.
Horatio. Here, sweet lord, at your service.
Hamlet. Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man
As e'er my conversation cop'd withal.
Horatio. O, my dear lord!
Hamlet. Nay, do not think I flatter; 1935
For what advancement may I hope from thee,
That no revenue hast but thy good spirits
To feed and clothe thee? Why should the poor be flatter'd?
No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp,
And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee 1940
Where thrift may follow fawning. Dost thou hear?
Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice
And could of men distinguish, her election
Hath seal'd thee for herself. For thou hast been
As one, in suff'ring all, that suffers nothing; 1945
A man that Fortune's buffets and rewards
Hast ta'en with equal thanks; and blest are those
Whose blood and judgment are so well commingled
That they are not a pipe for Fortune's finger
To sound what stop she please. Give me that man 1950
That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him
In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart,
As I do thee. Something too much of this I
There is a play to-night before the King.
One scene of it comes near the circumstance, 1955
Which I have told thee, of my father's death.
I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot,
Even with the very comment of thy soul
Observe my uncle. If his occulted guilt
Do not itself unkennel in one speech, 1960
It is a damned ghost that we have seen,
And my imaginations are as foul
As Vulcan's stithy. Give him heedful note;
For I mine eyes will rivet to his face,
And after we will both our judgments join 1965
In censure of his seeming.
Horatio. Well, my lord.
If he steal aught the whilst this play is playing,
And scape detecting, I will pay the theft.
Sound a flourish. [Enter Trumpets and Kettledrums. Danish 1970
march. [Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern,
and other Lords attendant, with the Guard carrying torches.]
Hamlet. They are coming to the play. I must be idle.
Get you a place.
Claudius. How fares our cousin Hamlet? 1975Hamlet. Excellent, i' faith; of the chameleon's dish. I eat the air,
promise-cramm'd. You cannot feed capons so.
Claudius. I have nothing with this answer, Hamlet. These words are not
mine.
Hamlet. No, nor mine now. [To Polonius] My lord, you play'd once 1980
i' th' university, you say?
Polonius. That did I, my lord, and was accounted a good actor.
Hamlet. What did you enact?
Polonius. I did enact Julius Caesar; I was kill'd i' th' Capitol; Brutus
kill'd me. 1985Hamlet. It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a calf there. Be
the players ready.
Rosencrantz. Ay, my lord. They stay upon your patience.
Gertrude. Come hither, my dear Hamlet, sit by me.
Hamlet. No, good mother. Here's metal more attractive. 1990Polonius. [to the King] O, ho! do you mark that?
Hamlet. Lady, shall I lie in your lap?
[Sits down at Ophelia's feet.]
Ophelia. No, my lord.
Hamlet. I mean, my head upon your lap? 1995Ophelia. Ay, my lord.
Hamlet. Do you think I meant country matters?
Ophelia. I think nothing, my lord.
Hamlet. That's a fair thought to lie between maids' legs.
Ophelia. What is, my lord? 2000Hamlet. Nothing.
Ophelia. You are merry, my lord.
Hamlet. Who, I?
Ophelia. Ay, my lord.
Hamlet. O God, your only jig-maker! What should a man do but be merry? 2005
For look you how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died
within 's two hours.
Ophelia. Nay 'tis twice two months, my lord.
Hamlet. So long? Nay then, let the devil wear black, for I'll have a
suit of sables. O heavens! die two months ago, and not forgotten 2010
yet? Then there's hope a great man's memory may outlive his life
half a year. But, by'r Lady, he must build churches then; or else
shall he suffer not thinking on, with the hobby-horse, whose
epitaph is 'For O, for O, the hobby-horse is forgot!'
[Hautboys play. The dumb show enters.] 2015
Enter a King and a Queen very lovingly; the Queen embracing
him and he her. She kneels, and makes show of protestation
unto him. He takes her up, and declines his head upon her
neck. He lays him down upon a bank of flowers. She, seeing
him asleep, leaves him. Anon comes in a fellow, takes off his 2020
crown, kisses it, pours poison in the sleeper's ears, and
leaves him. The Queen returns, finds the King dead, and makes
passionate action. The Poisoner with some three or four Mutes,
comes in again, seem to condole with her. The dead body is
carried away. The Poisoner wooes the Queen with gifts; she 2025
seems harsh and unwilling awhile, but in the end accepts
his love.
Exeunt.
Ophelia. What means this, my lord?
Hamlet. Marry, this is miching malhecho; it means mischief. 2030Ophelia. Belike this show imports the argument of the play.
Enter Prologue.
Hamlet. We shall know by this fellow. The players cannot keep counsel;
they'll tell all.
Ophelia. Will he tell us what this show meant? 2035Hamlet. Ay, or any show that you'll show him. Be not you asham'd to
show, he'll not shame to tell you what it means.
Ophelia. You are naught, you are naught! I'll mark the play.
Pro. For us, and for our tragedy,
Here stooping to your clemency, 2040
We beg your hearing patiently. [Exit.]
Hamlet. Is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring?
Ophelia. 'Tis brief, my lord.
Hamlet. As woman's love.
Enter [two Players as] King and Queen.
Player King. Full thirty times hath Phoebus' cart gone round
Neptune's salt wash and Tellus' orbed ground,
And thirty dozen moons with borrowed sheen
About the world have times twelve thirties been,
Since love our hearts, and Hymen did our hands, 2050
Unite comutual in most sacred bands.
Gertrude. So many journeys may the sun and moon
Make us again count o'er ere love be done!
But woe is me! you are so sick of late,
So far from cheer and from your former state. 2055
That I distrust you. Yet, though I distrust,
Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing must;
For women's fear and love holds quantity,
In neither aught, or in extremity.
Now what my love is, proof hath made you know; 2060
And as my love is siz'd, my fear is so.
Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear;
Where little fears grow great, great love grows there.
Player King. Faith, I must leave thee, love, and shortly too;
My operant powers their functions leave to do. 2065
And thou shalt live in this fair world behind,
Honour'd, belov'd, and haply one as kind
For husband shalt thou-
Player Queen. O, confound the rest!
Such love must needs be treason in my breast. 2070
When second husband let me be accurst!
None wed the second but who killed the first.
Hamlet. [aside] Wormwood, wormwood!
Queen. The instances that second marriage move
Are base respects of thrift, but none of love. 2075
A second time I kill my husband dead
When second husband kisses me in bed.
Player King. I do believe you think what now you speak;
But what we do determine oft we break.
Purpose is but the slave to memory, 2080
Of violent birth, but poor validity;
Which now, like fruit unripe, sticks on the tree,
But fall unshaken when they mellow be.
Most necessary 'tis that we forget
To pay ourselves what to ourselves is debt. 2085
What to ourselves in passion we propose,
The passion ending, doth the purpose lose.
The violence of either grief or joy
Their own enactures with themselves destroy.
Where joy most revels, grief doth most lament; 2090
Grief joys, joy grieves, on slender accident.
This world is not for aye, nor 'tis not strange
That even our loves should with our fortunes change;
For 'tis a question left us yet to prove,
Whether love lead fortune, or else fortune love. 2095
The great man down, you mark his favourite flies,
The poor advanc'd makes friends of enemies;
And hitherto doth love on fortune tend,
For who not needs shall never lack a friend,
And who in want a hollow friend doth try, 2100
Directly seasons him his enemy.
But, orderly to end where I begun,
Our wills and fates do so contrary run
That our devices still are overthrown;
Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own. 2105
So think thou wilt no second husband wed;
But die thy thoughts when thy first lord is dead.
Player Queen. Nor earth to me give food, nor heaven light,
Sport and repose lock from me day and night,
To desperation turn my trust and hope, 2110
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! 2115Hamlet. 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.
Player Queen. Sleep rock thy brain, 2120He sleeps.]
Player Queen. And never come mischance between us twain!
Exit.
Hamlet. Madam, how like you this play?
Gertrude. The lady doth protest too much, methinks. 2125Hamlet. O, but she'll keep her word.
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' th'
world.
Claudius. What do you call the play? 2130Hamlet. 'The Mousetrap.' Marry, how? Tropically. This play is the
image of a murther 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 gall'd jade winch; our withers 2135
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. 2140Ophelia. 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, murtherer. Pox, leave
thy damnable faces, and begin! Come, the croaking raven doth 2145
bellow for revenge.
Luc. 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 in his ears.
Hamlet. He poisons him i' th' garden for's estate. His name's Gonzago.
The story is extant, and written in very choice Italian. You 2150
shall see anon how the murtherer gets the love of Gonzago's wife.
Ophelia. The King rises.
Hamlet. What, frighted with false fire?
Gertrude. How fares my lord?
Polonius. Give o'er the play. 2155Claudius. Give me some light! Away!
All. Lights, lights, lights!
Exeunt all but Hamlet and Horatio.
Hamlet. Why, let the strucken deer go weep,
The hart ungalled play; 2160
For some must watch, while some must sleep:
Thus runs the world away.
Would not this, sir, and a forest of feathers- if the rest of my
fortunes turn Turk with me-with two Provincial roses on my raz'd
shoes, get me a fellowship in a cry of players, sir? 2165Horatio. Half a share.
Hamlet. A whole one I!
For thou dost know, O Damon dear,
This realm dismantled was
Of Jove himself; and now reigns here 2170
A very, very- pajock.
Horatio. You might have rhym'd.
Hamlet. O good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand
pound! Didst perceive?
Horatio. Very well, my lord. 2175Hamlet. Upon the talk of the poisoning?
Horatio. I did very well note him.
Hamlet. Aha! Come, some music! Come, the recorders!
For if the King like not the comedy,
Why then, belike he likes it not, perdy. 2180
Come, some music!
Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Guildenstern. Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you.
Hamlet. Sir, a whole history.
Guildenstern. The King, sir- 2185Hamlet. Ay, sir, what of him?
Guildenstern. Is in his retirement, marvellous distemper'd.
Hamlet. With drink, sir?
Guildenstern. No, my lord; rather with choler.
Hamlet. Your wisdom should show itself more richer to signify this to 2190
the doctor; for me to put him to his purgation would perhaps
plunge him into far more choler.
Guildenstern. Good my lord, put your discourse into some frame, and start
not so wildly from my affair.
Hamlet. I am tame, sir; pronounce. 2195Guildenstern. The Queen, your mother, in most great affliction of spirit
hath sent me to you.
Hamlet. You are welcome.
Guildenstern. Nay, good my lord, this courtesy is not of the right breed.
If it shall please you to make me a wholesome answer, I will do 2200
your mother's commandment; if not, your pardon and my return
shall be the end of my business.
Hamlet. Sir, I cannot.
Guildenstern. What, my lord?
Hamlet. Make you a wholesome answer; my wit's diseas'd. But, sir, such 2205
answer as I can make, you shall command; or rather, as you say,
my mother. Therefore no more, but to the matter! My mother, you
say-
Rosencrantz. Then thus she says: your behaviour hath struck her into
amazement and admiration. 2210Hamlet. O wonderful son, that can so stonish a mother! But is there no
sequel at the heels of this mother's admiration? Impart.
Rosencrantz. She desires to speak with you in her closet ere you go to bed.
Hamlet. We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any
further trade with us? 2215Rosencrantz. My lord, you once did love me.
Hamlet. And do still, by these pickers and stealers!
Rosencrantz. Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? You do surely
bar the door upon your own liberty, if you deny your griefs to
your friend. 2220Hamlet. Sir, I lack advancement.
Rosencrantz. How can that be, when you have the voice of the King himself
for your succession in Denmark?
Hamlet. Ay, sir, but 'while the grass grows'- the proverb is something
musty. 2225
[Enter the Players with recorders. ]
O, the recorders! Let me see one. To withdraw with you- why do
you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive me
into a toil?
Guildenstern. O my lord, if my duty be too bold, my love is too unmannerly. 2230Hamlet. I do not well understand that. Will you play upon this pipe?
Guildenstern. My lord, I cannot.
Hamlet. I pray you.
Guildenstern. Believe me, I cannot.
Hamlet. I do beseech you. 2235Guildenstern. I know, no touch of it, my lord.
Hamlet. It is as easy as lying. Govern these ventages with your
fingers and thumbs, give it breath with your mouth, and it will
discourse most eloquent music. Look you, these are the stops.
Guildenstern. But these cannot I command to any utt'rance of harmony. I 2240
have not the skill.
Hamlet. Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me! You
would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would
pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my
lowest note to the top of my compass; and there is much music, 2245
excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot you make it
speak. 'Sblood, do you think I am easier to be play'd on than a
pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me,
you cannot play upon me.
[Enter Polonius.] 2250
God bless you, sir!
Polonius. My lord, the Queen would speak with you, and presently.
Hamlet. Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel?
Polonius. By th' mass, and 'tis like a camel indeed.
Hamlet. Methinks it is like a weasel. 2255Polonius. It is back'd like a weasel.
Hamlet. Or like a whale.
Polonius. Very like a whale.
Hamlet. Then will I come to my mother by-and-by.- They fool me to the
top of my bent.- I will come by-and-by. 2260Polonius. I will say so. Exit.
Hamlet. 'By-and-by' is easily said.- Leave me, friends.
[Exeunt all but Hamlet.]
'Tis now the very witching time of night,
When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out 2265
Contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot blood
And do such bitter business as the day
Would quake to look on. Soft! now to my mother!
O heart, lose not thy nature; let not ever
The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom. 2270
Let me be cruel, not unnatural;
I will speak daggers to her, but use none.
My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites-
How in my words somever she be shent,
To give them seals never, my soul, consent! Exit. 2275
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Act III, Scene 3
A room in the Castle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enter King, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern.
Claudius. I like him not, nor stands it safe with us
To let his madness range. Therefore prepare you;
I your commission will forthwith dispatch,
And he to England shall along with you. 2280
The terms of our estate may not endure
Hazard so near us as doth hourly grow
Out of his lunacies.
Guildenstern. We will ourselves provide.
Most holy and religious fear it is 2285
To keep those many many bodies safe
That live and feed upon your Majesty.
Rosencrantz. The single and peculiar life is bound
With all the strength and armour of the mind
To keep itself from noyance; but much more 2290
That spirit upon whose weal depends and rests
The lives of many. The cesse of majesty
Dies not alone, but like a gulf doth draw
What's near it with it. It is a massy wheel,
Fix'd on the summit of the highest mount, 2295
To whose huge spokes ten thousand lesser things
Are mortis'd and adjoin'd; which when it falls,
Each small annexment, petty consequence,
Attends the boist'rous ruin. Never alone
Did the king sigh, but with a general groan. 2300Claudius. Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy voyage;
For we will fetters put upon this fear,
Which now goes too free-footed.
Rosencrantz. [with Guildenstern] We will haste us.
Exeunt Gentlemen.
Enter Polonius.
Polonius. My lord, he's going to his mother's closet.
Behind the arras I'll convey myself
To hear the process. I'll warrant she'll tax him home;
And, as you said, and wisely was it said, 2310
'Tis meet that some more audience than a mother,
Since nature makes them partial, should o'erhear
The speech, of vantage. Fare you well, my liege.
I'll call upon you ere you go to bed
And tell you what I know. 2315Claudius. Thanks, dear my lord.
[Exit [Polonius].]
O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven;
It hath the primal eldest curse upon't,
A brother's murther! Pray can I not, 2320
Though inclination be as sharp as will.
My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,
And, like a man to double business bound,
I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
And both neglect. What if this cursed hand 2325
Were thicker than itself with brother's blood,
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy
But to confront the visage of offence?
And what's in prayer but this twofold force, 2330
To be forestalled ere we come to fall,
Or pardon'd being down? Then I'll look up;
My fault is past. But, O, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murther'?
That cannot be; since I am still possess'd 2335
Of those effects for which I did the murther-
My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.
May one be pardon'd and retain th' offence?
In the corrupted currents of this world
Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice, 2340
And oft 'tis seen the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law; but 'tis not so above.
There is no shuffling; there the action lies
In his true nature, and we ourselves compell'd,
Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults, 2345
To give in evidence. What then? What rests?
Try what repentance can. What can it not?
Yet what can it when one cannot repent?
O wretched state! O bosom black as death!
O limed soul, that, struggling to be free, 2350
Art more engag'd! Help, angels! Make assay.
Bow, stubborn knees; and heart with strings of steel,
Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe!
All may be well. He kneels.
Enter Hamlet.
Hamlet. Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;
And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven,
And so am I reveng'd. That would be scann'd.
A villain kills my father; and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send 2360
To heaven.
Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge!
He took my father grossly, full of bread,
With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May;
And how his audit stands, who knows save heaven? 2365
But in our circumstance and course of thought,
'Tis heavy with him; and am I then reveng'd,
To take him in the purging of his soul,
When he is fit and seasoned for his passage?
No. 2370
Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent.
When he is drunk asleep; or in his rage;
Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed;
At gaming, swearing, or about some act
That has no relish of salvation in't- 2375
Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven,
And that his soul may be as damn'd and black
As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays.
This physic but prolongs thy sickly days. Exit.
Claudius. [rises] My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. 2380
Words without thoughts never to heaven go. Exit.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Act III, Scene 4
The Queen’s closet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enter Queen and Polonius.
Polonius. He will come straight. Look you lay home to him.
Tell him his pranks have been too broad to bear with,
And that your Grace hath screen'd and stood between 2385
Much heat and him. I'll silence me even here.
Pray you be round with him.
Hamlet. [within] Mother, mother, mother!
Gertrude. I'll warrant you; fear me not. Withdraw; I hear him coming.
[Polonius hides behind the arras.]
Enter Hamlet.
Hamlet. Now, mother, what's the matter?
Gertrude. Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.
Hamlet. Mother, you have my father much offended.
Gertrude. Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue. 2395Hamlet. Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue.
Gertrude. Why, how now, Hamlet?
Hamlet. What's the matter now?
Gertrude. Have you forgot me?
Hamlet. No, by the rood, not so! 2400
You are the Queen, your husband's brother's wife,
And (would it were not so!) you are my mother.
Gertrude. Nay, then I'll set those to you that can speak.
Hamlet. Come, come, and sit you down. You shall not budge;
You go not till I set you up a glass 2405
Where you may see the inmost part of you.
Gertrude. What wilt thou do? Thou wilt not murther me?
Help, help, ho!
Polonius. [behind] What, ho! help, help, help!
Hamlet. [draws] How now? a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead! 2410[Makes a pass through the arras and] kills Polonius.
Polonius. [behind] O, I am slain!
Gertrude. O me, what hast thou done?
Hamlet. Nay, I know not. Is it the King?
Gertrude. O, what a rash and bloody deed is this! 2415Hamlet. A bloody deed- almost as bad, good mother,
As kill a king, and marry with his brother.
Gertrude. As kill a king?
Hamlet. Ay, lady, it was my word.
[Lifts up the arras and sees Polonius.] 2420
Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell!
I took thee for thy better. Take thy fortune.
Thou find'st to be too busy is some danger.
Leave wringing of your hands. Peace! sit you down
And let me wring your heart; for so I shall 2425
If it be made of penetrable stuff;
If damned custom have not braz'd it so
That it is proof and bulwark against sense.
Gertrude. What have I done that thou dar'st wag thy tongue
In noise so rude against me? 2430Hamlet. Such an act
That blurs the grace and blush of modesty;
Calls virtue hypocrite; takes off the rose
From the fair forehead of an innocent love,
And sets a blister there; makes marriage vows 2435
As false as dicers' oaths. O, such a deed
As from the body of contraction plucks
The very soul, and sweet religion makes
A rhapsody of words! Heaven's face doth glow;
Yea, this solidity and compound mass, 2440
With tristful visage, as against the doom,
Is thought-sick at the act.
Gertrude. Ah me, what act,
That roars so loud and thunders in the index?
Hamlet. Look here upon th's picture, and on this, 2445
The counterfeit presentment of two brothers.
See what a grace was seated on this brow;
Hyperion's curls; the front of Jove himself;
An eye like Mars, to threaten and command;
A station like the herald Mercury 2450
New lighted on a heaven-kissing hill:
A combination and a form indeed
Where every god did seem to set his seal
To give the world assurance of a man.
This was your husband. Look you now what follows. 2455
Here is your husband, like a mildew'd ear
Blasting his wholesome brother. Have you eyes?
Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed,
And batten on this moor? Ha! have you eyes
You cannot call it love; for at your age 2460
The heyday in the blood is tame, it's humble,
And waits upon the judgment; and what judgment
Would step from this to this? Sense sure you have,
Else could you not have motion; but sure that sense
Is apoplex'd; for madness would not err, 2465
Nor sense to ecstacy was ne'er so thrall'd
But it reserv'd some quantity of choice
To serve in such a difference. What devil was't
That thus hath cozen'd you at hoodman-blind?
Eyes without feeling, feeling without sight, 2470
Ears without hands or eyes, smelling sans all,
Or but a sickly part of one true sense
Could not so mope.
O shame! where is thy blush? Rebellious hell,
If thou canst mutine in a matron's bones, 2475
To flaming youth let virtue be as wax
And melt in her own fire. Proclaim no shame
When the compulsive ardour gives the charge,
Since frost itself as actively doth burn,
And reason panders will. 2480Gertrude. O Hamlet, speak no more!
Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul,
And there I see such black and grained spots
As will not leave their tinct.
Hamlet. Nay, but to live 2485
In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed,
Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love
Over the nasty sty!
Gertrude. O, speak to me no more!
These words like daggers enter in mine ears. 2490
No more, sweet Hamlet!
Hamlet. A murtherer and a villain!
A slave that is not twentieth part the tithe
Of your precedent lord; a vice of kings;
A cutpurse of the empire and the rule, 2495
That from a shelf the precious diadem stole
And put it in his pocket!
Gertrude. No more!
Enter the Ghost in his nightgown.
Hamlet. A king of shreds and patches!- 2500
Save me and hover o'er me with your wings,
You heavenly guards! What would your gracious figure?
Gertrude. Alas, he's mad!
Hamlet. Do you not come your tardy son to chide,
That, laps'd in time and passion, lets go by 2505
Th' important acting of your dread command?
O, say!
Father's Ghost. Do not forget. This visitation
Is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose.
But look, amazement on thy mother sits. 2510
O, step between her and her fighting soul
Conceit in weakest bodies strongest works.
Speak to her, Hamlet.
Hamlet. How is it with you, lady?
Gertrude. Alas, how is't with you, 2515
That you do bend your eye on vacancy,
And with th' encorporal air do hold discourse?
Forth at your eyes your spirits wildly peep;
And, as the sleeping soldiers in th' alarm,
Your bedded hairs, like life in excrements, 2520
Start up and stand an end. O gentle son,
Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper
Sprinkle cool patience! Whereon do you look?
Hamlet. On him, on him! Look you how pale he glares!
His form and cause conjoin'd, preaching to stones, 2525
Would make them capable.- Do not look upon me,
Lest with this piteous action you convert
My stern effects. Then what I have to do
Will want true colour- tears perchance for blood.
Gertrude. To whom do you speak this? 2530Hamlet. Do you see nothing there?
Gertrude. Nothing at all; yet all that is I see.
Hamlet. Nor did you nothing hear?
Gertrude. No, nothing but ourselves.
Hamlet. Why, look you there! Look how it steals away! 2535
My father, in his habit as he liv'd!
Look where he goes even now out at the portal!
Exit Ghost.
Gertrude. This is the very coinage of your brain.
This bodiless creation ecstasy 2540
Is very cunning in.
Hamlet. Ecstasy?
My pulse as yours doth temperately keep time
And makes as healthful music. It is not madness
That I have utt'red. Bring me to the test, 2545
And I the matter will reword; which madness
Would gambol from. Mother, for love of grace,
Lay not that flattering unction to your soul
That not your trespass but my madness speaks.
It will but skin and film the ulcerous place, 2550
Whiles rank corruption, mining all within,
Infects unseen. Confess yourself to heaven;
Repent what's past; avoid what is to come;
And do not spread the compost on the weeds
To make them ranker. Forgive me this my virtue; 2555
For in the fatness of these pursy times
Virtue itself of vice must pardon beg-
Yea, curb and woo for leave to do him good.
Gertrude. O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain.
Hamlet. O, throw away the worser part of it, 2560
And live the purer with the other half,
Good night- but go not to my uncle's bed.
Assume a virtue, if you have it not.
That monster, custom, who all sense doth eat
Of habits evil, is angel yet in this, 2565
That to the use of actions fair and good
He likewise gives a frock or livery,
That aptly is put on. Refrain to-night,
And that shall lend a kind of easiness
To the next abstinence; the next more easy; 2570
For use almost can change the stamp of nature,
And either [master] the devil, or throw him out
With wondrous potency. Once more, good night;
And when you are desirous to be blest,
I'll blessing beg of you.- For this same lord, 2575
I do repent; but heaven hath pleas'd it so,
To punish me with this, and this with me,
That I must be their scourge and minister.
I will bestow him, and will answer well
The death I gave him. So again, good night. 2580
I must be cruel, only to be kind;
Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.
One word more, good lady.
Gertrude. What shall I do?
Hamlet. Not this, by no means, that I bid you do: 2585
Let the bloat King tempt you again to bed;
Pinch wanton on your cheek; call you his mouse;
And let him, for a pair of reechy kisses,
Or paddling in your neck with his damn'd fingers,
Make you to ravel all this matter out, 2590
That I essentially am not in madness,
But mad in craft. 'Twere good you let him know;
For who that's but a queen, fair, sober, wise,
Would from a paddock, from a bat, a gib
Such dear concernings hide? Who would do so? 2595
No, in despite of sense and secrecy,
Unpeg the basket on the house's top,
Let the birds fly, and like the famous ape,
To try conclusions, in the basket creep
And break your own neck down. 2600Gertrude. Be thou assur'd, if words be made of breath,
And breath of life, I have no life to breathe
What thou hast said to me.
Hamlet. I must to England; you know that?
Gertrude. Alack, 2605
I had forgot! 'Tis so concluded on.
Hamlet. There's letters seal'd; and my two schoolfellows,
Whom I will trust as I will adders fang'd,
They bear the mandate; they must sweep my way
And marshal me to knavery. Let it work; 2610
For 'tis the sport to have the enginer
Hoist with his own petar; and 't shall go hard
But I will delve one yard below their mines
And blow them at the moon. O, 'tis most sweet
When in one line two crafts directly meet. 2615
This man shall set me packing.
I'll lug the guts into the neighbour room.-
Mother, good night.- Indeed, this counsellor
Is now most still, most secret, and most grave,
Who was in life a foolish peating knave. 2620
Come, sir, to draw toward an end with you.
Good night, mother.
[Exit the Queen. Then] Exit Hamlet, tugging in
Polonius.
第一景: 宫庭内一室
[国王, 皇后, 波隆尼尔, 欧菲利亚, 罗生克兰, 与盖登思邓入]
王: {对罗与盖} 而你们无法在谈话中发现他为何要表现得如此神魂颠倒,
以狂烈及危险的疯癫症搅乱其安宁?
罗: 他也承认他心神恍惚, 但是他不肯说出其中之原因。
盖: 并且他也不愿意接受我们的探讨。
当我们想刺探他之真相时, 他就狡滑的躲避询问。
后: 他有无乐意的会见你们?
罗: 很有礼貌的, 像个绅士。
盖: 但也十分勉强的。
罗: 他很寡言, 可是他也了当的答覆了我们所求。
后: 你们有没有刺探他有何消遣?
罗: 夫人, 我们去会他时才超越了一班伶人。
当我们告诉他此事时, 他好像很高兴听到此消息。
他们现在已在宫中, 并我相信他们已被雇於今夜为他演出。
波: 这些完全正确。 并且他也叫我来邀二位陛下去一同观赏此剧。
王: 吾甚乐意, 并很高兴他有如此之嗜好。
{对罗与盖}
先生们, 请多鼓励他往此娱乐发展。
罗: 我们会的, 主公。
[罗生克兰与盖登思邓出场]
王: 甜蜜的葛簇特, 请你也暂且离我们一下,
因为我们已私下设计唤哈姆雷特来此, 让他能偶然似的撞见欧菲利亚。
那时我可与她父亲藏匿於隐密之处, 作合法的旁听,
不需露面的为此邂逅作个坦白的判断, 观察他的举止,
看他所患的是否真的是相思病。
后: 我将听从您的旨意。
至於欧菲利亚, 我希望你之美貌的确是令哈姆雷特疯狂之原由,
也希望你之美德能令其重获心智, 能共享此二美。
欧: 夫人, 我也同样的祈望。
[皇后出]
波: 欧菲利亚, 你到这儿来。
{对国王, 指著一藏匿处}
陛下, 委屈您了, 我们可藏於此处。
{转向欧菲利亚, 递给她一本诗经}
请念这本诗经, 这样你看起来比较像单独在此。
{再对国王}
我们也经常犯此罪行, 这种例子可多了:
利用神圣的姿态及虔诚的动作来遮掩魔鬼之工。
王: [暗思]
啊, 的确呀! 此话真狠狠的鞭鞑了我的良心!
一个娼妓的抹粉面颊
也不见得会比我这用粉饰语言来遮掩之虚假行为更加丑陋。
啊, 这是个沉重的包袱!
波: 我听到他来了, 我们退下吧, 主公。
[国王与波隆尼尔出]
[哈姆雷特入]
哈: {自言自语}
生存或毁灭, 这是个必答之问题:
是否应默默的忍受坎苛命运之无情打击,
还是应与深如大海之无涯苦难奋然为敌,
并将其克服。
此二抉择, 就竟是哪个较崇高?
死即睡眠, 它不过如此!
倘若一眠能了结心灵之苦楚与肉体之百患,
那么, 此结局是可盼的!
死去, 睡去...
但在睡眠中可能有梦, 啊, 这就是个阻碍:
当我们摆脱了此垂死之皮囊,
在死之长眠中会有何梦来临?
它令我们踌躇,
使我们心甘情愿的承受长年之灾,
否则谁肯容忍人间之百般折磨,
如暴君之政、骄者之傲、失恋之痛、法章之慢、贪官之侮、或庸民之辱,
假如他能简单的一刃了之?
还有谁会肯去做牛做马, 终生疲於操劳,
默默的忍受其苦其难, 而不远走高飞, 飘於渺茫之境,
倘若他不是因恐惧身後之事而使他犹豫不前?
此境乃无人知晓之邦, 自古无返者。
所以,「理智」能使我们成为懦夫,
而「顾虑」能使我们本来辉煌之心志变得黯然无光, 像个病夫。
再之, 这些更能坏大事, 乱大谋, 使它们失去魄力。
{见到欧菲利亚}
哦, 小声。
美丽的欧菲利亚, 可爱的小姐, 在你的祈祷中可别忘了我的罪孽。
欧: 殿下这几天来如何?
哈: 我谦逊的谢谢你; 很好。
欧: 殿下, 这里有些你从前给我之记念品, 我一直想还给你,
希望你把它们收下。
哈: 不, 才不, 我从来没给过你任何东西。
欧: 尊贵的殿下, 你知道你曾经有过,
并且当时还添加了你的香甜蜜语, 使它格外的珍贵。
现在既然此芳已散, 你就收回这些罢。
对有情人来说, 送礼者若无诚, 那此礼就会失去意义。
拿去罢, 殿下。
哈: 哈哈, 你有无贞节? {注意的端详}
欧: {吃惊} 殿下?
哈: 你美吗?
欧: 殿下是什么意思?
哈: 你若有贞节, 并有美貌, 那么, 你的贞节不应和你的美貌有所来往。
欧: 美貌与贞节, 能有比此更完美之结合吗, 殿下?
哈: 当然有的: 美貌能败坏贞节, 使它淫荡;
这比贞节能感化美貌来得容易。
从前这是无法想象的, 但是现在它已得到了时间的证实。
我曾爱过你, 在以前。
欧: 你的确曾令我如此的想过, 殿下。
哈: 当时你不应该相信我:
可把美德之枝接於罪孽之干,
但其果实仍将存有罪恶之苦涩 {注1}。
那不是爱。
欧: 你真的把我给骗了。
哈: 你去进尼姑庵罢!
难道你想做一窝罪人之生母?
我还算是个有点道德的人,
但是我能说出我的许多过失,
使我觉得我的母亲是不应该生了我。
我骄矜、记仇、有野心;
藏匿於我内心之为恶潜能, 庞大的使我无法想象, 繁多的令我无空实践。
像我这种家伙, 存於天地之间有啥用处?
我们都是坏蛋, 千万别相信我们。
你去尼姑庵罢。
你父亲呢?
欧: 在家里, 殿下。
哈: 让他被锁在那儿好了, 这样, 他只能在自己家 当个傻瓜。
再见。
欧: 啊, 老天爷, 请帮助他!
哈: 将来你若会出嫁, 那就让我送句恶言来给你做嫁:
尽管你是守操如冰, 还是贞洁如雪, 你将无法逃离流言的毁谤。
你去进尼姑庵罢! 再见。
倘若你非嫁人不可, 那就嫁个傻瓜好了,
因为聪明人都晓得你会使他们当乌龟。 请赶快进尼姑庵了吧!
再见。
欧: 请上帝之神力使他痊愈。
哈: 我听说过你的那些胭脂饰品,
上帝给了你一张脸, 你却偏要把它打扮成令一个。
你卖弄风情, 你矫文饰字, 你油腔滑调, 你虚情假意。
够了, 不谈了, 我火了。 我说, 我们以後不许再有婚姻。
已婚之人可以继续生活下去, 除了一人之外,
其他的人们均应保持现状, 不许结婚。
你去尼姑庵罢, 走呀!
[哈姆雷特出]
欧: 啊, 这位高贵的灵魂已全失去理智!
朝士的相貌, 军曹的武艺, 学者的口才, 一国之君的辉煌前途,
万人楷模的翩翩风度, 显赫的至高尊严, 这些全毁了, 全毁了!
我是个最伤心, 最不幸的女人。 我曾听过他甜如蜜糖的美言,
但是现在却目睹他丧失其崇高的理智, 就像一串七上八下的铃铛,
失去了它们的和谐。 至上的青春典范, 就如此地在疯症中被摧毁。
啊, 我曾见过的, 与我现在所见到的, 它们令我痛心!
[波隆尼尔与国王入]
王: 痴情? 他的神情看来并无此倾向;
他所说的话, 虽缺条理, 但也不见得表示他是个疯子。
他的内心深处正在为某事困扰, 而我观此事将涉及凶险。
为了要防此事, 我已决定此策: 立即把他送往英格兰,
让他去收领欠於我国之贡金,
也希望此海旅、新环境与新事务能使他排除此令其古怪之忧扰。
你觉得呢?
波: 这是个好主意。 不过, 我还是认为,
他的悲哀原因还是因为他未尝得到爱。
好了, 欧菲利亚, 你无需告诉我们哈姆雷特殿下说了些什么,
我们全听到了。
陛下, 您可随意行事; 不过, 您若同意,
看完戏後可让他去与其母后单独谈话, 要求他表露其悲哀之原因。
让她坦率的与他面谈, 那时, 您若准许, 我可藏在一处窃听他们的话。
倘若她找不出其中原因, 那就把他遣送去英国,
或随意把他监禁在您想要之处。
王: 就这么办。 贵人之狂, 决不可轻视!
[全人出]
______________________________________________________________________
译者注:
(1). 劣根性难改之意。
第二景: 城堡中一室
[哈姆雷特与三位演员入]
{哈姆雷特正在指导他们如何演戏}
哈: 你朗诵此台词时, 应照我所指示, 一字字打舌跟里清晰的吐出。
假如你只会大声嘶喊--我们某些演员的确有这毛病--
那我宁可让城里的宣令公差来扮演此角色。
你的手也别在空中穷挥舞--好似如此{作手势}--但要含蓄,
因为当你的情绪激昂得如狂流, 如暴风雨, 如旋风时,
你一定要有相当的自制能力, 此出戏才能得到平稳及流畅的表达。
我最痛恨的, 就是见到一个头披假发, 尖声刺耳的拙劣演员在台上
把一段抒情台词撕成碎片, 直像块烂布,
去讨好那多半只有水准看莫明哑剧、荒唐闹剧的站票群众。 {注1}
我应把这此等家伙好好的痛鞭一顿, 当他过火的饰演特马根{注2}时,
使希律王{注3}之残暴, 相形之下反见温和。
我希望你们能避免这些。
演员一: 一定会的, 殿下。
哈: 但也别太温顺。 可谨慎的自己去照著办,
让行动符合台词, 台词也符合行动, 千万不可过火的饰演,
因为任何如此的演出都将违反了戏剧的宗旨: 那由古迄今都是模彷事实,
展示道德, 揭发丑陋, 及忠实的反映社会生活。
太过份或不足够之演出, 也许能令无办识能力之观众捧腹,
但也会令行家们呻吟叫苦。 他们之评语, 你该承认,
相比之下是远加的有份量。
唉, 我见过许多空有虚名的演员--我不是在故意不恭--
他们演得人不像人, 鬼不像鬼。 他们在台上大摇大摆,
叽哇喊叫之模样, 令我怀疑人类是否创物者的学徒所造之烂货,
因为他们把人类饰演得如此卑劣。
演员一: 我希望我们在此方面已有相当的改进, 先生。
哈: 啊, 要彻底的改进。
还有, 请限制你们的丑角们只念所给他们的台词。
有些小丑在台上会加油加醋的嘻笑, 逗引台下的一群无知观众随之傻笑,
而忽略了重要的情节。 这种行为是不可原谅的,
它显示了此丑角之可鄙野心。
你们好好的去准备罢。
[演员们出]
[波隆尼尔, 罗生克兰, 及盖登思邓入]
怎样, 阁下, 国王会来观此出戏吗?
波: 皇后也会, 并且他们马上驾到。
哈: 请叫演员们快点。
[波隆尼尔出]
你们二人也能不能去叫他们赶快?
罗: 是的, 殿下。
[罗生克兰与盖登思邓出]
哈: 喂, 赫瑞修!
[赫瑞修入]
赫: 在此! 好殿下, 为您服务。
哈: 你是我所交往过最稳重之人。
赫: {不好意思} 哦, 亲爱的殿下。
哈: 不, 别以为我在恭维你,
你拥有的唯一财富, 仅是你的一颗善良之心, 我能得到些什么好处?
有啥理由要来巴结一个穷光蛋?
算了, 还是把献媚者的那套甜言蜜语留给那些爱好虚荣之士罢,
因为在他们那儿屈膝奉承还有希望得到些甜头呢。
你听著了吗? 自我懂事并能辨别人之善恶以来,
你就是我心灵所选中之人。
你曾历尽沧桑, 也尝遍人生甘苦。
但愿老天保佑如此之士, 因为他们的血气与理智已被调整得和谐淑均,
他们不会忍气吞声的默默接受命运之玩弄与摆布,
也不会轻举妄动, 意气用事。
给我如此一人, 他不做感情的奴隶,
而我将把他牢牢的系束於心坎, 是的, 系束於心内之心,
就如我对你一般...
好了, 此话说得太多了。
今晚有一出戏将在国王御前上演,
其中有一幕将涉及我所告诉你之吾父死因。
我恳求你, 当你见到此幕演出时, 你得仔细的观察我的叔父。
如果他所藏匿之罪恶没在一片台词中被揭穿的话,
那么, 我们所见到的的确是个恶鬼,
而我的多疑之心真的是比火神之铁砧还更污秽。
把他留意好。 我的眼睛也会钉在他的脸上。
事後我们可以比较一下我们对他表现的评语。
赫: 好的, 殿下, 如果他在此剧中干了什偷鸡摸狗之勾当而未被发现,
那我甘赔所失。
{鼓号声渐近}
哈: 他们来看戏了, 我该装傻, 你去找个位子坐吧。
[国王、皇后、波隆尼尔、欧菲莉亚、罗生克兰、盖登思邓、与众贵族及侍从入。
国王之卫士手持熊熊火炬。]
王: 贤侄哈姆雷特可好?
哈: 好极了, 就像变色蜥蜴一般, 吸食空气与空诺(注4),
你可不能喂阉鸡此种饲料哟。
王: 我不懂你在回答些些什么, 哈姆雷特; 此非我语。
哈: 是的, 此刻它也非我语。
[对波隆尼尔]
阁下, 听说你在大学时曾演过戏?
波: 曾演过, 殿下, 并且还算是个好演员呢。
哈: 你饰演了谁?
波: 我饰演了朱里士．凯撒; 我在议院里被刺, 布鲁塔士把我给杀了。
哈: 他真『鲁』莽, 杀死如此一个大笨蛋。
演员们准备好了吗?
罗: 是的, 殿下, 他们在等候您的旨示。
后: 来这里, 亲爱的哈姆雷特, 来坐在我身边。
哈: 不, 娘, 这里有更吸引我之磁铁。 [转向欧菲莉亚]
波: [私下与国王] 喔, 呵, 您瞧著了吗?
哈: [躺在欧菲莉亚脚旁] 小姐, 我可不可以卧在你的怀里?
欧: 不可以, 殿下。
哈: 我的意思是:『我的头可不可以枕在你的膝上。』
欧: 嗯, 殿下。
哈: 你以为我在讲那村野之事?
欧: 我没这个念头。
哈: 那是个多么美妙的念头呀, 在少女腿中的。
欧: 什么, 殿下?。
哈: 没什么。
欧: 您快乐吗, 殿下?
哈: 谁, 我?
欧: 是的, 殿下。
哈: 天哪, 我是你的唯一滑稽角色! 怎能不快乐?
你瞧, 我的母亲是多么的快乐,
而我的父亲是两小时前才去世的呢。
欧: 不, 已是两月的双倍了, 殿下。
哈: 这么久啦?
既是如此, 那就让魔鬼去穿那黑色孝服罢,
我可要去穿那貂皮大衣了!
老天爷, 二月前去世, 还没被遗忘!
那么, 这样说, 当一个伟人死後,
他的回忆有希望多留存他於半年啦。
不过, 圣母呀, 那他可要多建造些庙宇,
要不然, 他可能得到与那道具木马相同之遭遇。
它的墓碑上刻的是: 『呜呼, 呜呼, 木马儿, 已被遗忘...』
[号声响起, 哑剧开始]
[伶王与伶后登场。 他们先亲蜜的相拥, 然後皇后跪下,
表示她对国王之爱。 国王把她扶起, 先把头靠紧於她颈上,
然後再躺入一簇花丛中。 皇后见他熟睡後方离去。
须臾, 一人入。 他先把国王的皇冠摘下来吻了吻,
之後倾注一瓶毒液於眠者的耳内, 然後离去。
皇后归来, 发现国王已死, 大为哀恸。
下毒者与三、四位亲随再入, 也一起作哀恸状。
国王尸体被抬走後, 下毒者拿出礼物来向皇后求爱。
皇后起初做不愿意状, 可是最後终於答应。]
[众演员出]
欧: 这是什么意思, 殿下?
哈: 这叫『造孽』, 恶行也!
欧: 这好像已表明了此剧之大纲。
[致开场白者入]
哈: 此家伙会让我们明白; 演员们无法保密, 他们会统统道出。
欧: 他会不会告诉我们刚才所演出之意思?
哈: 会的, 或任何的演出--
只要你不害羞的演出, 他就会不害羞的告诉你其意思。
欧: 你真坏, 你真坏。 我看戏了。
致词者: 为咱今夜之悲剧,
鞠躬并求多包含,
尚乞诸位耐心听。
[出]
哈: 这是开场白还是指环上所铭之箴言?
欧: 它真短, 殿下。
哈: 就如女人之爱。
[伶王与伶后入]
伶王:『炎阳绕地三十载,
横掠平原跨过海。
月儿借光照黑夜,
数十年来无更改。
念卿与朕结鸳盟,
一晃已过三十载。』
伶后:『只愿此情未了期,
日可如旧月如昔。
但今妾心深惶恐,
全因夫君体缠疾。
忧郁寡欢非昔比,
身驱渐弱更莫提。
关怀之心出自爱,
望君切勿空猜疑。
妇人之忧如其爱,
若不足够便多馀。
对君之爱早成证,
无微不至此非谜。
恋之愈深念更深,
此事古来不为奇。』
伶王:『朕将永别爱卿去,
此驱已失生命力。
享尽荣华在世者,
仅留佳人守红尘。
但愿苍天能有幸,
助卿再求好夫君。』
伶后:『君切勿言如此话,
妾决无此叛夫心。
妾若再嫁当受谴,
万世唾骂杀夫嫌。』
哈: [私下] 苦哉, 苦哉。
伶后:『再嫁通常非为爱,
全为贪慕荣华心。
那日共枕後夫榻,
好比重杀先夫灵。』
伶王:『无疑当前真心话,
怎奈人常悔诺言。
志愿本乃记忆奴,
随之清淡是常情。
恰如青果挂枝梢,
果熟蒂落莫须摇。
到时前言忘了顾,
昔日热情早冲凉。
悲喜两情激动时,
均能捣毁理智行。
喜乐悲哀常无端,
悲恸顿可成狂欢。
世间人事本无久,
随命移爱何足怪?
当今谁能解此谜,
爱与命运哪个先?
破落富豪失亲友,
走运穷酸敌自消。
由此观之爱随运:
朱门不乏酒肉客,
待助饥民友难交。
让我此言归正传:
意志与命常相反,
成果难与目的同,
计划往往被推翻。
你誓不嫁二任夫,
只恐夫死立食言。』
伶后:『地可尽绝我食粮,
天可使我永无光,
白昼带予我烦恼,
夜可令我无平安。
毁我信心与希望,
令我生涯苦如囚,
上天可挫我野心,
罚我永远失欢欣,
今世休能得安宁。
有朝若成孤寡妇,
永誓不再为人妻!』
哈: 倘若她违反此誓!
伶王: 『不愧铭心肺腑言!
爱卿此刻我已倦,
暂请夫人离我去,
待我小憩立复原。』
伶后: 『夫君尽管安心眠,
厄运难致双仳离。』
[出。 伶王睡]
哈: 娘呀, 您觉得此剧如何?
后: 我觉得那女子宣誓得过重。
哈: 喔, 但是她会守诺的。
王: 你听过此剧之情节吗, 它有无令人不悦之处?
哈: 没有, 没有, 他们只不过是在开玩笑--那毒药是好玩的,
全无触犯之意。
王: 戏名叫什么?
哈: 叫做『捕鼠器』--这的确是个上好的隐喻!
这出戏影射了曾在维也纳发生的一宗谋杀案。
公爵之名叫巩查哥, 他的夫人叫芭蒂丝塔。
您马上就会明白, 这是个挑拨恶毒之作; 不过, 谁管它去?
陛下与我们都有清白之心, 它不会影响到我们的。
让带罪者不安, 它与咱们无关。
[伴演陆西亚诺之演员登场]
此人是陆西亚诺, 国王之侄。
欧: 您就像个剧情之解说人, 殿下。
哈: 如果我见到傀儡演出你与你爱人间之那回事, 我也可以为之作个解说。
欧: 您真锐利(注5), 殿下, 您真锐利。
哈: 若要我变钝, 那可要教你呻吟一阵子的。
欧: 您变本加厉, 由好至坏...
哈: 好比虚情嫁丈夫(注6)...
{向剧台上喊}
开始罢, 凶手, 别再贼头贼脑的显露你那可恶的嘴脸了!
动手罢! 嘎嘎啼叫之乌鸦早已在为复仇怒吼!(注7)
陆: {口中念念有词}
『心黑手辣施毒去,
无人瞧见好时机,
剧毒链自深夜草,
巫神三咒并添疾,
发出魔力展功效,
触之立刻把命殛!』
[倒毒液於眠者耳内]
哈: {在台下大喊}
他因觊觎他的产业而把他在花园内毒死。
{指著死者} 他的名字叫巩查哥, 这是个最近的案子,
有义大利文记载为证。
你们马上就能见到凶手如何得到巩查哥遗孀之爱!
欧: 国王站起来了。
哈: 怎么, 被空枪惊吓?
后: {对国王} 陛下怎么啦?
波: 别演下去了!
王: 拿火炬来, 走!
波: 火炬! 火炬! 火炬!
[众人均出, 仅留哈姆雷特与赫瑞修]
哈: {高声歌唱}
『受创牝鹿去哭啼,
无伤雄鹿游如昔,
有人酣眠有人醒,
世世轮回无足奇。』
先生, 倘若以後我的命运转恶,
你觉得我可否在帽上插些羽毛, 鞋上绑缀两个大花结地来戏班里充当一员?
赫: 可领个半薪。
哈: 我可要领个全薪。
{再唱}
『亲爱达蒙你应知, (注8)
此邦君主非天尊,
宝座上头是支--孔雀(注9)。』
赫: 你应该把它押个韵才是(注10)。
哈: 啊, 善良的赫瑞修, 为鬼魂之言, 我可掷注千镑, 你瞧著了么?
赫: 瞧得很清楚, 殿下。
哈: 当演至下毒时?
赫: 我很仔细的观察了他。
哈: 啊, 哈! 来, 奏乐! 吹箫者, 来呀!
『倘若陛下不爱喜剧,
那他确是无能欣赏!』
来呀, 奏乐!
[罗生克兰与盖登思邓入]
盖: 好殿下, 请允许我与您谈句话。
哈: 想谈整篇历史都可以。
盖: 先生, 王上他...
哈: 是的, 先生, 他怎么了?
盖: 他回寝室後非常的不舒服。
哈: 喝得太多啦, 先生?
盖: 不, 殿下, 他发脾气。
哈: 如果你聪明, 你就应把这些话去告诉他的御医,
因为假如你要我去净他的肠胃(注 11), 恐怕那只会使他更发脾气。
盖: 好殿下, 您能否理智点, 别信口胡扯?
哈: 我没事了。 你继续说罢。
盖: 您的母亲--皇后陛下--在极焦虑中遣送我至此。
哈: 我很欢迎你来。
盖: 不, 好殿下, 这种礼貌是错误的。
假如您肯好好的回答我, 那我就把她的意旨向您传达;
否则, 您的宽恕加上我的归返就算此事已了。
哈: 先生, 我不能。
罗: 不能什么, 殿下?
哈: 给你一个好好的答覆; 我的脑子有毛病。 不过, 先生,
我所能答覆的, 即是你所将得到的, 也即是我母亲所将得到的。
不谈这些了, 言归正传罢。 我的母亲, 你说...
罗: 她说了这些: 您近来之行为令她惊愕与懊恼。
哈: 好个儿子能够令其母亲如此的惊愕。
不过, 难道除了母亲惊愕之外就无其它事了吗? 请道来罢。
罗: 她希望您在安睡前能与她在她寝室里谈话。
哈: 本王子将服从她, 即使她是十倍我母。
你还有何事须禀告本王子? {摆出王子的驾子}
罗: 殿下, 我曾一度蒙您错爱...
哈: 现在仍是, 凭我这好扒好偷的双手发誓。 {抬起双手}
罗: 我的好殿下, 是何事令您发疯?
您若不愿和您友人商讨您之心事, 那您无疑将自我禁锢。
哈: 先生, 我缺擢升。
罗: 那怎么可能? 您也听到国王亲口提出你将继承王位之事。
哈: 是的, 先生啊, 套句老谚语:『草正长时...』(注12)
[演员们持箫入]
啊, 木箫, 让我看看。 {一演员递箫给哈姆雷特}
{对罗生克兰} 我们来私下谈谈:
为何你们老匍伏於我的下风, 好像想逐我於罗网?
盖: 喔, 我的殿下, 我们的举止若有过唐突, 那是因我们爱您太甚。
哈: 我可不懂这些。
你可不可以吹吹这支箫?
盖: 殿下, 我不会。
哈: 我求你。
盖: 请相信我, 我不会。
哈: 我诚心的恳求你。
盖: 我不懂它的指法。
哈: 它就像说谎一般的容易:
你先用指头来控制这些孔洞, 然後用嘴吹之,
它就会自然的发出美妙的音乐。
你瞧, 它的指孔就在这儿。
盖: 可是我无法让它发出协调之音乐, 因我缺此技能。
哈: 怎么啦, 你看, 你是如何的小觑了我!
你想玩弄我, 彷佛你早已熟悉了我的指孔;
你想挖掘我心灵深处之奥密, 想教我奏出我的整幅音阶;
可是, 在此区区一支小木箫, 虽然它拥有著无限的音乐、美妙之歌喉,
你却无法使它发言。 混账! 难道你觉得我比一根木管还容易玩弄吗?
你可把我当作任何乐器, 不过, 你是玩弄不了我的!
[波隆尼尔入]
{对波隆尼尔} 上帝祝福你, 先生。
波: 殿下, 皇后想和您说话--马上。
哈: 你有没有见到天边那片云? 它看起来像支骆驼。 {手指天上的一朵云}
波: 老天, 它的确像支骆驼。
哈: 我觉得它倒颇像支黄鼠狼。
波: 它弓著背像支黄鼠狼。
哈: 或像条鲸鱼。
波: 也像条鲸鱼。
哈: 那么, 我马上就会去见我娘。
[私下] 他们把我搞得忍无可忍。
[对波隆尼尔] 我马上就来。
波: 我就如此的传告。
[波隆尼尔出]
哈: 『马上就来』讲得容易。
{对罗与盖} 出去罢, 朋友们。
[全体出, 仅留哈姆雷特]
此刻已是众巫出游的深夜,
墓园里的枯坟均已敞开, 地狱也在吐散瘟疫於人间。
现在我可痛饮热血, 可去执行那能令白昼战栗之骇人工作。
且慢, 让我先去见我的母亲...
呵, 我的心呀, 别让我丧失天良,
别让尼罗王之亡魂(注13)潜入此胸怀。
我可残酷, 但不可无良心。
我可用语言的利剑来刺戳她, 但决不用真刃。
我的舌头与灵魂此时应效仿那伪君子:
无论我用多么严厉的语言来谴责她,
我的心灵将不容允我把它们履现成真。
[出]
____________________________________________________________________
译者注:
(1). 剧院的站票较便宜, 而观众的一般水准较低。
(2). 特马根(Termagant): 陧造的回教神明。 在早期戏剧里是个大声、
无拘束之角色。
(3). 希律王(Herod): 犹太的有名暴君。
(4). 有人认为变色蜥蜴(chameleon)吞空气为食。
(5). 锐利(keen), 也带性欲激发之意。
(6). 西方人婚嫁时之誓言:『可好可坏永相随...』
在此哈姆雷特强调女人之虚伪。
(7). 此句出於与莎士比亚同年代剧中之一词。
(8). 达蒙(Damon): 罗马神话中之人, 以重友情出名。
(9). 孔雀在莎士比亚的时代有淫乱及残酷的恶名。
(10). 押过韵後,『孔雀』即成『驴』。
(11). 『净肠』 的另 ㄧ解释就是『涤清罪恶』， 哈姆雷特在此故意
用此双重意思。
(12). 在当时所流传之谚语:『草正长时, 马儿饿死』。
(13). 尼罗王: 古罗马之暴君, 鸩杀其母。
第三景: 宫中
[国王、罗生克兰、与盖登思邓入。]
王: 朕不喜欢他之模样; 坐视他之疯态也不安全;
所以, 你们要有准备; 朕将命令他立即随你们一起赴往英格兰。
朕不能让他所带来之威胁继续坐大。
盖: 在下自会准备。
无数庶民既食宿於陛下,
维护吾邦万民生计乃吾等之神圣职责也!
罗: 任何有生之物都会按本能的去全力自保,
关键万民福利之国君更应如此。
君王之殁, 通常不只是个人之灭亡,
它却好似个庞大的旋涡, 能殃及百性, 能把他们并同卷入。
这就好像高山顶上之一巨轮, 轮辐上悬挂著无数的小物件;
当此巨轮轰然的滚下山时, 那些小物件也将同归於尽。
因此, 国君从来不独自叹息;
当他如此时, 全国也将一并的与其呻吟。
王: 你们就准备立刻启程罢。
我们应早点把那正逍遥於外之威胁禁锢起来。
罗: 我们会尽快行动。
[罗与盖出]
[波隆尼尔入]
波: 主公, 他现在正在往他母后寝室那儿去,
我可躲在帐幕後偷听他们之交谈,
我想她一定会把此事追究到底的。
就如您之明智说法, 让第三者来听此会谈是没错的,
因为母亲总会偏护儿子。
再会, 主公, 我会在您就寝之前回来报告我所发现。
王: 谢谢你, 贤卿。
[波隆尼尔出]
啊, 我的罪行之恶臭, 已贯冲云霄。
它负带著元古最初之诅咒(注1): 一桩杀害兄弟之暴行。
我无法祈祷, 虽然我真心的想如此去做;
我的强烈罪恶感已击溃了此心愿,
就如一人面临两方抉择而犹豫, 不知应先去做那个较好,
而忽略了双方。
倘若我这可憎的双手已沾满了厚厚的一层弟兄之鲜血, 那么,
难道那甜美的天堂里就无足够的甘霖能够把它洗得雪白?
难道老天的慈悲不是用来宽恕人之罪恶?
也难道人们祈祷并不是为了它的双重力量:
防止世人陷於罪恶, 并赦免已犯之罪人?
我可向天堂仰望,
我的罪行既犯, 那我应如何的去祈祷才能获得赦免?
『请求赦免我狠毒之杀人罪』吗? 那是不可能的,
因为我现在仍拥有著我杀人之所得:
我的皇冠、我的地位、与我的皇后。
假如一罪人仍拥有著他犯罪所得之赃物, 那他还能被赦免吗?
在这腐败的世界里, 一个富有的犯人往往能用不名之财来贿赂官方,
获得宽赦。 在天堂里可是不能这样的, 因为那里无贪污这回事;
在那里, 仅有真相才是事实。 到那时, 我们将被迫为我们的一切过失作证,
那怎么办? 我还能有什么别的选择呢?
试试忏悔的力量罢--有何事不能用忏悔来化解呢?
但是对一个无法忏悔之人来说, 它又有何用?
唉, 这真是个糟糕的情况! 啊, 我的心黑如死!
我的灵魂已被绑缚, 它愈挣扎, 被绑缚的愈紧。
救我呀, 天使们, 请尽您们的力量!
屈跪罢, 我这顽固的双膝;
让我这铁石心肠柔软得如新生婴儿之肌肤。
我还是有希望获得善果的。
[国王开始跪祷]
[哈姆雷特入]
哈: 现在容易动手了, 当他在祈祷时; 我现在就下手杀了他...
[拔出佩剑]
... 然後他就直接上天堂; 这就算是复了仇? 这还需三思:
一个恶徒杀了我的父亲,
而我--父亲的独子--却保送此恶徒登上天堂(注2);
什么, 这等於是成全了他; 这不算是复仇。
他在我父亲未经悔过、罪恶贯盈时把他杀害;
上帝对他的这笔账此时是如何的看法, 除了神之外, 有谁晓得?
依凡人之推理, 这应算是个重罪; 但是,
假如我正当他在忏悔时把他杀死,
那他为此旅程已作了充份的准备工作;
我能算是复了仇吗? 不!
回鞘去罢, 宝剑呀, 让我寻个更好的机会:
当他烂醉如泥、大发雷挺、淫榻寻欢、赌博渎神、
或做其他毫无拯救可言之事时, 那时我再颠他於我的足下,
教他双脚朝天, 一条地狱般黑恶之灵魂直归阴曹府。
我的母亲正在等候我,
这就算是你的救命符罢;
让你暂延你的狗命!
[出]
王: [站起] 我的祷言已在飞升,
但我的心志仍留滞於地。
无心之祷, 永远无法升天。
[出]
______________________________________________________________________
译者注:
(1). 圣经里亚当与夏娃之长子该隐(Cain)杀害其弟亚伯(Abel)
後被放逐流浪, 此为元古之第一诅咒。
(2). 人在死前若忏悔, 灵魂可直上天堂。
第四景: 皇后寝室
[皇后与波隆尼尔入]
波: 他马上就要到了。 您得好好的教训他一顿,
告诉他他所耍的这些把戏已令人忍无可忍, 并且您已过分的坦护他了。
{拉开挂於墙前之帐幕} 我就匿声的躲在此後。
对他, 您千万可别含糊!
后: 这些你勿须害怕; 你可信任我。 赶快去躲罢, 我听到他来了。
[波隆尼尔躲入帐後]
[哈姆雷特入]
哈: 娘, 有何事?
后: 哈姆雷特, 你深深的触犯了你的父亲{指其叔}。
哈: 娘, 你深深的触犯了我的父亲{指其父}。
后: 来, 来, 别用那胡扯的口气来回答我。
哈: 去, 去, 别用那邪恶的口气来问我话。
后: 你怎么搞的, 哈姆雷特?
哈: 怎么啦?
后: 难道你忘了我是谁?
哈: 没有啊! 以十字架发誓:
你是一国之后, 你丈夫弟弟之妻;
若非这些, 你也是我的母亲。
后: 好, 既然你要如此, 那我就去找能和你说话之人来。
{生气得站起来想走}
哈: {用力的阻挠她} 过来, 过来, 坐下! 不许动!
待我取一面镜子来让你瞧瞧你内心之真面目。
在那之前, 我不许你走开!
{推她回椅子上}
后: 你干嘛? 想杀人? 救命呀! 哇!
波: [在帐幕後] 什么事, 喂, 救命!
哈: {转过身来} 什么? 有老鼠? 一块钱便偿命, 去死罢!
[拔出佩剑, 猛然的刺入帐幕]
波: [在帐幕後] 唉哟, 我死也!
后: 天哪! 你做出了什么事?
哈: 我不晓得; 那是国王吗?
[掀开帐幕, 发现波隆尼尔已死]
后: 哎呀, 这是个多么卤莽与血腥之行为啊!
哈: 一个血腥行为, 我的好母亲呀,
几乎与谋杀一国君,
然後与其弟结婚同样的邪恶。
后: 谋杀一国君?
哈: 对, 母亲, 就如我所说。
{对波隆尼尔之尸体}
你这个该死、轻率、好管闲事的傻瓜, 再会罢。
我认错了人, 那你只好接受你的命运啦。
你现在知道管闲事之危险了吧!
{对皇后}
别再扭你的双手了, 静下来, 坐著! 让我来扭你的心。
我要如此, 除非你的那颗心已僵如铁石, 已邪恶及无耻成性,
并已至无法穿透、无法听理之地步。
后: 我做了什么事, 你胆敢用此等之放肆口舌来对我?
哈: 你的行为能使清白蒙羞辱、美德成虚伪、真情成娼淫、婚盟成赌诺。
啊, 它能废掉天下之所有盛重誓言, 把虔诚的祝祷贬为一串疯话。
连苍天见到都会为之变色、为之心痛、为之焦虑审判日之即将来临。
后: 唉, 我犯了什么穷凶恶极之涛天大罪?
哈: 你看这幅画像 {掏出颈上项链所挂之小画像},
也看这幅 {揪住皇后颈上项链所挂之另一幅小画像},
这是两兄弟之肖像。
这一幅所绘的, 他的相貌庄严如天神, 有著太阳神之发髻、
天王之前额、叱吒风云之战神双目、和天使降落山巅之英姿。
这些之组成, 就是神明们所认同之人类楷模, 也就是你的前夫。
请看这下一幅: 这就是你的现任丈夫。
他就像颗霉烂的禾穗, 败坏了他的健硕弟兄。
难道你没长眼睛吗?
难道你愿意走离这座丰裕美好的高山{指著其父之绘像},
而觅食於如此贫脊之不毛之地? {指著叔父之绘像}
哈, 你瞎了眼吗?
你不能说那是为了爱情, 因为依你之年纪,
情欲应已被减弱, 应已被驯服, 应已被理智取代,
但是, 什么样的理智会使你由此{指其父}转至此{指其叔}?
当然你也有知觉, 否则你怎能行动?
不过, 你的这些知觉一定早已中风麻痹,
因为连个疯子都不会犯如此的大错,
理智也不会如此的被情欲驾驭, 无能作所抉择。
你是中了什么邪, 它能使你如此的被蒙骗,
你的视、触、听、嗅觉如此的被混淆?
天晓得, 只要有半个健全的感官存在, 它都足够使你恍悟的。
羞耻啊! 你的赧颜在那里呢?
如果地狱之孽火尚能使年长妇人由骨髓内煽起淫念,
那么在青春的狂焰里, 贞操岂不是块蜡, 它将瞬间熔化?
别再指责少年人之冲动是可耻的了,
当白发人自己的欲火也燃烧得同样猛烈,
而理智亦被贬黜为情欲的淫媒时。
后: 啊, 哈姆雷特, 别再说下去了,
你已让我看清了我的灵魂深处, 看见在那里有洗涤不清之污点。
哈: 哼, 生活在一张汗臭冲鼻, 充满油垢的温床里; 只知道在腐堕里翻腾,
在龌龊的猪窝里寻欢做爱。
后: 啊, 别再对我说这些了, 这些字句就像利刃般的刺入我的耳内,
请别再说下去了, 甜蜜的哈姆雷特!
哈: 一个凶手、恶徒, 一个不如你前夫二百分之一之佣奴,
一个王者中之丑角, 一个篡夺江山、王位之贼子;
他把那珍贵的王冠由架上窃去, 放入他的口袋中。
后: 请别再说下去了!
哈: 他是个破烂、褴褛之王。
[鬼魂入]
拯救我, 神圣的天使呀, 用您的翅膀来遮护我;
陛下有何指示?
后: {看不见鬼魂} 唉, 他疯了。
哈: 您是不是来责骂您那怠惰的儿子,
因他对您尊旨之执行有所耽误, 有所缺诚, 而乱了大事?
请说呀!
鬼: 记住, 我这次的造访只是来磨利你那已钝的心志。
且看, 你的母亲心神已乱, 你应为她内心之争扎给与帮助;
弱者特别容易受到幻念激动。 和她说话罢, 哈姆雷特。
哈: 您还好吧, 娘?
后: 唉, 你自己还好吧?
何事会使你如此地眼望虚无, 对无形的空气喃喃有语?
你的双眼放射出狂乱的光芒, 就像个刚被警报惊醒的士兵;
你本来整齐的头发也一根根的直竖起来, 就像活过来般。
我的好儿子啊, 请在扰乱你心神的烈焰中浇与清凉的镇静剂罢!
你究竟在看些什么呢?
哈: 看他! 看他! 看他惨淡的目光;
看他之模样, 看他之冤情, 连顽石都会为之打动。
[对鬼魂]
别望著我了, 否则您那可怜的模样会使我失去我的狠酷决心,
使我对我必做之事失去心志--由复仇转至流泪。
后: 你在向谁说这些话?
哈: 难道您看不见吗?
后: 什么都没有呀! 能看到的, 我都看到了。
哈: 您也听不到任何声音?
后: 除了我们之外无其它声音。
哈: 看呀, 您看, 在那里, 我的父亲, 穿著他在世时的衣裳。
看, 他浮走了, 他马上就要出门去了。
[鬼魂出]
后: 这完全是你脑子所虚构之物, 疯症所善造之无体幻觉。
哈: 疯症? 我的心脉也跳动得和您同样平稳, 相同的奏出健康之音乐;
我所说的这些不是疯言狂呓,
不信您可以考验我: 我能把这些话一字不漏的重复一遍,
我若是真疯了, 那我必然无法如此办到。
娘呀, 为了老天爷之慈悲, 别在您的良心上自敷安慰的膏药了;
别只怪是我口出狂言, 而不承认是自己的过错。
您这样做, 只能暂时在那溃烂的毒疮上盖层皮膜,
但是, 在您看不见之深处, 腐败恶臭将依然如旧。
向天忏悔罢, 反悔了昔日之过错, 以避来日之报应。
别再往杂草丛上浇粪, 继续的加深您罪恶之臭了。
请原谅我这些正义的申求, 因为在此放纵无羁的时代,
连美德都需要和罪恶求恕;
是的, 它需俯首屈膝的去恳求罪恶采纳它的忠言。
后: 唉, 哈姆雷特, 你已把我的心剖为两半。
哈: 啊, 把那腐坏的一半扔掉, 去用另一半来过纯洁的生活罢。
晚安...可是别去我叔父的寝床那儿。
就算您已毫无贞操, 但是您也可以装个样子。
习性是个可畏的魔鬼: 它能把人类反抗邪恶之良知 食净罄;
但它亦能作个神圣的天使: 它能使善行习以为常。
您今夜之抑制, 能使明夜之节禁来之稍为容易, 後天的更加容易。
反复的行事能改变一人之天性:
它能让恶魔留宿於人们心内,
但是也能坚决的把它从人们的心灵中驱逐出去。
让我再度的向您道个晚安。 当您有心忏悔时, 我也会来向您求个祝福的。
{对著波隆泥尔之尸首}
对他, 我深感懊悔。 这是上帝给我之惩罚, 就像我也是上帝给他之惩罚;
我只不过是个上天的鞭子、判官。
我应去处理这具尸首, 为他之死做个交代。
再一次的, 晚安。
为了要行善, 我必须狠毒。
这是个不好的开始, 更坏的还在後头呢。
还有一句话, 母亲。
后: 你要我怎样?
哈: 无论如何, 别做这件事情:
别让那脑满肠肥的国王再度勾引您上床, 然後淫秽的捏您的面颊,
称呼您为他的宝贝儿。
更勿在他的几个污秽的亲吻或一阵爱抚後, 把事情的真相全盘招出,
说我不是真正的发狂, 而只是装疯而已。
{讥讽的} 您是有责任告诉他这些的,
一个这么美丽、清醒、聪明的皇后怎能把这么重要的一件事藏匿起来,
而不去告诉给那支蛤蟆、蝙蝠、公猫听呢? 有谁会去干这种傻事?
不, 您可以学那寓言里的猴子,
您可以不顾情理、毫不谨慎的把屋顶上的鸟笼打开, 把鸟儿都放走,
然後为了想学飞, 一头钻进鸟笼里,
最後连笼子一起把脖子给摔断{注1}。
后: 你可以放心, 如果语言乃气息之呵出, 而气息乃出自生命,
那么, 我无足够的生命来呵出你刚才所说的那些话。
哈: 我即将被遣送至英格兰, 您晓得吗?
后: 唉, 我都忘了, 此事是如此决定的。
哈: 我的两位同学们携有一封密函;
我信任他们, 就像我信任两条长有利牙的毒蛇一般:
他们心怀鬼胎的想把我送进一个圈套里。
这也罢, 见到一个炮手被自己的炮轰, 倒也是挺有趣的。
他们会埋藏地雷, 但是我能埋得比他们更深一尺, 把他们给炸到月亮上去。
以计攻计, 才真妙哉!
{对著波隆尼尔的尸首}
此人会使我提早我的行程; 我把他抬至隔壁的房间罢。
娘呀, 我再度的向您请安。
这位大臣生前是个愚蠢、饶舌的家伙,
现在他却变得多么的安静、谨慎、与庄重。
来呀, 先生, 把咱们的事情办完罢。
晚安, 母亲。
[哈姆雷特拖著波隆尼尔的尸首出场; 留皇后於室]
{第三幕完}
______________________________________________________________________
译者注:
(1). 欧洲中古时代之寓言, 详细情节现已失传。
Elsinore. A room in the Castle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern,
and Lords.
Claudius. 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 1685
With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?
Rosencrantz. He does confess he feels himself distracted,
But from what cause he will by no means speak.
Guildenstern. Nor do we find him forward to be sounded,
But with a crafty madness keeps aloof 1690
When we would bring him on to some confession
Of his true state.
Gertrude. Did he receive you well?
Rosencrantz. Most like a gentleman.
Guildenstern. But with much forcing of his disposition. 1695Rosencrantz. Niggard of question, but of our demands
Most free in his reply.
Gertrude. Did you assay him
To any pastime?
Rosencrantz. Madam, it so fell out that certain players 1700
We o'erraught on the way. Of these we told him,
And there did seem in him a kind of joy
To hear of it. They are here about the court,
And, as I think, they have already order
This night to play before him. 1705Polonius. 'Tis most true;
And he beseech'd me to entreat your Majesties
To hear and see the matter.
Claudius. With all my heart, and it doth much content me
To hear him so inclin'd. 1710
Good gentlemen, give him a further edge
And drive his purpose on to these delights.
Rosencrantz. We shall, my lord.
Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Claudius. Sweet Gertrude, leave us too; 1715
For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither,
That he, as 'twere by accident, may here
Affront Ophelia.
Her father and myself (lawful espials)
Will so bestow ourselves that, seeing unseen, 1720
We may of their encounter frankly judge
And gather by him, as he is behav'd,
If't be th' affliction of his love, or no,
That thus he suffers for.
Gertrude. I shall obey you; 1725
And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish
That your good beauties be the happy cause
Of Hamlet's wildness. So shall I hope your virtues
Will bring him to his wonted way again,
To both your honours. 1730Ophelia. Madam, I wish it may.
[Exit Queen.]
Polonius. Ophelia, walk you here.- Gracious, so please you,
We will bestow ourselves.- [To Ophelia] Read on this book,
That show of such an exercise may colour 1735
Your loneliness.- We are oft to blame in this,
'Tis too much prov'd, that with devotion's visage
And pious action we do sugar o'er
The Devil himself.
Claudius. [aside] O, 'tis too true! 1740
How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience!
The harlot's cheek, beautied with plast'ring art,
Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it
Than is my deed to my most painted word.
O heavy burthen! 1745Polonius. I hear him coming. Let's withdraw, my lord.
Exeunt King and Polonius].
Enter Hamlet.
Hamlet. To be, or not to be- that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer 1750
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them. To die- to sleep-
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks 1755
That flesh is heir to. 'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die- to sleep.
To sleep- perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub!
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, 1760
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despis'd love, the law's delay, 1765
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would these fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life, 1770
But that the dread of something after death-
The undiscover'd country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns- puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of? 1775
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry 1780
And lose the name of action.- Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia!- Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins rememb'red.
Ophelia. Good my lord,
How does your honour for this many a day? 1785Hamlet. I humbly thank you; well, well, well.
Ophelia. My lord, I have remembrances of yours
That I have longed long to re-deliver.
I pray you, now receive them.
Hamlet. No, not I! 1790
I never gave you aught.
Ophelia. My honour'd lord, you know right well you did,
And with them words of so sweet breath compos'd
As made the things more rich. Their perfume lost,
Take these again; for to the noble mind 1795
Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.
There, my lord.
Hamlet. Ha, ha! Are you honest?
Ophelia. My lord?
Hamlet. Are you fair? 1800Ophelia. What means your lordship?
Hamlet. That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no
discourse to your beauty.
Ophelia. Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than with honesty?
Hamlet. Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner transform 1805
honesty from what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty can
translate beauty into his likeness. This was sometime a paradox,
but now the time gives it proof. I did love you once.
Ophelia. Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.
Hamlet. You should not have believ'd me; for virtue cannot so 1810
inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you
not.
Ophelia. I was the more deceived.
Hamlet. Get thee to a nunnery! Why wouldst thou be a breeder of
sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse 1815
me of such things that it were better my mother had not borne me.
I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious; with more offences at my
beck than I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to give
them shape, or time to act them in. What should such fellows as I
do, crawling between earth and heaven? We are arrant knaves all; 1820
believe none of us. Go thy ways to a nunnery. Where's your
father?
Ophelia. At home, my lord.
Hamlet. Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool
nowhere but in's own house. Farewell. 1825Ophelia. O, help him, you sweet heavens!
Hamlet. If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for thy dowry:
be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape
calumny. Get thee to a nunnery. Go, farewell. Or if thou wilt
needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what 1830
monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go; and quickly too.
Farewell.
Ophelia. O heavenly powers, restore him!
Hamlet. I have heard of your paintings too, well enough. God hath
given you one face, and you make yourselves another. You jig, you 1835
amble, and you lisp; you nickname God's creatures and make your
wantonness your ignorance. Go to, I'll no more on't! it hath made
me mad. I say, we will have no moe marriages. Those that are
married already- all but one- shall live; the rest shall keep as
they are. To a nunnery, go. Exit. 1840Ophelia. O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!
The courtier's, scholar's, soldier's, eye, tongue, sword,
Th' expectancy and rose of the fair state,
The glass of fashion and the mould of form,
Th' observ'd of all observers- quite, quite down! 1845
And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,
That suck'd the honey of his music vows,
Now see that noble and most sovereign reason,
Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh;
That unmatch'd form and feature of blown youth 1850
Blasted with ecstasy. O, woe is me
T' have seen what I have seen, see what I see!
Enter King and Polonius.
Claudius. Love? his affections do not that way tend;
Nor what he spake, though it lack'd form a little, 1855
Was not like madness. There's something in his soul
O'er which his melancholy sits on brood;
And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose
Will be some danger; which for to prevent,
I have in quick determination 1860
Thus set it down: he shall with speed to England
For the demand of our neglected tribute.
Haply the seas, and countries different,
With variable objects, shall expel
This something-settled matter in his heart, 1865
Whereon his brains still beating puts him thus
From fashion of himself. What think you on't?
Polonius. It shall do well. But yet do I believe
The origin and commencement of his grief
Sprung from neglected love.- How now, Ophelia? 1870
You need not tell us what Lord Hamlet said.
We heard it all.- My lord, do as you please;
But if you hold it fit, after the play
Let his queen mother all alone entreat him
To show his grief. Let her be round with him; 1875
And I'll be plac'd so please you, in the ear
Of all their conference. If she find him not,
To England send him; or confine him where
Your wisdom best shall think.
Claudius. It shall be so. 1880
Madness in great ones must not unwatch'd go. Exeunt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Act III, Scene 2
Elsinore. hall in the Castle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enter Hamlet and three of the Players.
Hamlet. Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounc'd it to you,
trippingly on the tongue. But if you mouth it, as many of our
players do, I had as live the town crier spoke my lines. Nor do 1885
not saw the air too much with your hand, thus, but use all
gently; for in the very torrent, tempest, and (as I may say)
whirlwind of your passion, you must acquire and beget a
temperance that may give it smoothness. O, it offends me to the
soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to 1890
tatters, to very rags, to split the cars of the groundlings, who
(for the most part) are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb
shows and noise. I would have such a fellow whipp'd for o'erdoing
Termagant. It out-herods Herod. Pray you avoid it.
First Player. I warrant your honour. 1895Hamlet. Be not too tame neither; but let your own discretion be your
tutor. Suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with
this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of
nature: for anything so overdone is from the purpose of playing,
whose end, both at the first and now, was and is, to hold, as 1900
'twere, the mirror up to nature; to show Virtue her own feature,
scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his
form and pressure. Now this overdone, or come tardy off, though
it make the unskilful laugh, cannot but make the judicious
grieve; the censure of the which one must in your allowance 1905
o'erweigh a whole theatre of others. O, there be players that I
have seen play, and heard others praise, and that highly (not to
speak it profanely), that, neither having the accent of
Christians, nor the gait of Christian, pagan, nor man, have so
strutted and bellowed that I have thought some of Nature's 1910
journeymen had made men, and not made them well, they imitated
humanity so abominably.
First Player. I hope we have reform'd that indifferently with us, sir.
Hamlet. O, reform it altogether! And let those that play your clowns
speak no more than is set down for them. For there be of them 1915
that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren
spectators to laugh too, though in the mean time some necessary
question of the play be then to be considered. That's villanous
and shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it. Go
make you ready. 1920
[Exeunt Players.]
[Enter Polonius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern.]
How now, my lord? Will the King hear this piece of work?
Polonius. And the Queen too, and that presently.
Hamlet. Bid the players make haste, [Exit Polonius.] Will you two 1925
help to hasten them?
Rosencrantz. [with Guildenstern] We will, my lord.
Exeunt they two.
Hamlet. What, ho, Horatio!
Enter Horatio.
Horatio. Here, sweet lord, at your service.
Hamlet. Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man
As e'er my conversation cop'd withal.
Horatio. O, my dear lord!
Hamlet. Nay, do not think I flatter; 1935
For what advancement may I hope from thee,
That no revenue hast but thy good spirits
To feed and clothe thee? Why should the poor be flatter'd?
No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp,
And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee 1940
Where thrift may follow fawning. Dost thou hear?
Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice
And could of men distinguish, her election
Hath seal'd thee for herself. For thou hast been
As one, in suff'ring all, that suffers nothing; 1945
A man that Fortune's buffets and rewards
Hast ta'en with equal thanks; and blest are those
Whose blood and judgment are so well commingled
That they are not a pipe for Fortune's finger
To sound what stop she please. Give me that man 1950
That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him
In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart,
As I do thee. Something too much of this I
There is a play to-night before the King.
One scene of it comes near the circumstance, 1955
Which I have told thee, of my father's death.
I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot,
Even with the very comment of thy soul
Observe my uncle. If his occulted guilt
Do not itself unkennel in one speech, 1960
It is a damned ghost that we have seen,
And my imaginations are as foul
As Vulcan's stithy. Give him heedful note;
For I mine eyes will rivet to his face,
And after we will both our judgments join 1965
In censure of his seeming.
Horatio. Well, my lord.
If he steal aught the whilst this play is playing,
And scape detecting, I will pay the theft.
Sound a flourish. [Enter Trumpets and Kettledrums. Danish 1970
march. [Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern,
and other Lords attendant, with the Guard carrying torches.]
Hamlet. They are coming to the play. I must be idle.
Get you a place.
Claudius. How fares our cousin Hamlet? 1975Hamlet. Excellent, i' faith; of the chameleon's dish. I eat the air,
promise-cramm'd. You cannot feed capons so.
Claudius. I have nothing with this answer, Hamlet. These words are not
mine.
Hamlet. No, nor mine now. [To Polonius] My lord, you play'd once 1980
i' th' university, you say?
Polonius. That did I, my lord, and was accounted a good actor.
Hamlet. What did you enact?
Polonius. I did enact Julius Caesar; I was kill'd i' th' Capitol; Brutus
kill'd me. 1985Hamlet. It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a calf there. Be
the players ready.
Rosencrantz. Ay, my lord. They stay upon your patience.
Gertrude. Come hither, my dear Hamlet, sit by me.
Hamlet. No, good mother. Here's metal more attractive. 1990Polonius. [to the King] O, ho! do you mark that?
Hamlet. Lady, shall I lie in your lap?
[Sits down at Ophelia's feet.]
Ophelia. No, my lord.
Hamlet. I mean, my head upon your lap? 1995Ophelia. Ay, my lord.
Hamlet. Do you think I meant country matters?
Ophelia. I think nothing, my lord.
Hamlet. That's a fair thought to lie between maids' legs.
Ophelia. What is, my lord? 2000Hamlet. Nothing.
Ophelia. You are merry, my lord.
Hamlet. Who, I?
Ophelia. Ay, my lord.
Hamlet. O God, your only jig-maker! What should a man do but be merry? 2005
For look you how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died
within 's two hours.
Ophelia. Nay 'tis twice two months, my lord.
Hamlet. So long? Nay then, let the devil wear black, for I'll have a
suit of sables. O heavens! die two months ago, and not forgotten 2010
yet? Then there's hope a great man's memory may outlive his life
half a year. But, by'r Lady, he must build churches then; or else
shall he suffer not thinking on, with the hobby-horse, whose
epitaph is 'For O, for O, the hobby-horse is forgot!'
[Hautboys play. The dumb show enters.] 2015
Enter a King and a Queen very lovingly; the Queen embracing
him and he her. She kneels, and makes show of protestation
unto him. He takes her up, and declines his head upon her
neck. He lays him down upon a bank of flowers. She, seeing
him asleep, leaves him. Anon comes in a fellow, takes off his 2020
crown, kisses it, pours poison in the sleeper's ears, and
leaves him. The Queen returns, finds the King dead, and makes
passionate action. The Poisoner with some three or four Mutes,
comes in again, seem to condole with her. The dead body is
carried away. The Poisoner wooes the Queen with gifts; she 2025
seems harsh and unwilling awhile, but in the end accepts
his love.
Exeunt.
Ophelia. What means this, my lord?
Hamlet. Marry, this is miching malhecho; it means mischief. 2030Ophelia. Belike this show imports the argument of the play.
Enter Prologue.
Hamlet. We shall know by this fellow. The players cannot keep counsel;
they'll tell all.
Ophelia. Will he tell us what this show meant? 2035Hamlet. Ay, or any show that you'll show him. Be not you asham'd to
show, he'll not shame to tell you what it means.
Ophelia. You are naught, you are naught! I'll mark the play.
Pro. For us, and for our tragedy,
Here stooping to your clemency, 2040
We beg your hearing patiently. [Exit.]
Hamlet. Is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring?
Ophelia. 'Tis brief, my lord.
Hamlet. As woman's love.
Enter [two Players as] King and Queen.
Player King. Full thirty times hath Phoebus' cart gone round
Neptune's salt wash and Tellus' orbed ground,
And thirty dozen moons with borrowed sheen
About the world have times twelve thirties been,
Since love our hearts, and Hymen did our hands, 2050
Unite comutual in most sacred bands.
Gertrude. So many journeys may the sun and moon
Make us again count o'er ere love be done!
But woe is me! you are so sick of late,
So far from cheer and from your former state. 2055
That I distrust you. Yet, though I distrust,
Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing must;
For women's fear and love holds quantity,
In neither aught, or in extremity.
Now what my love is, proof hath made you know; 2060
And as my love is siz'd, my fear is so.
Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear;
Where little fears grow great, great love grows there.
Player King. Faith, I must leave thee, love, and shortly too;
My operant powers their functions leave to do. 2065
And thou shalt live in this fair world behind,
Honour'd, belov'd, and haply one as kind
For husband shalt thou-
Player Queen. O, confound the rest!
Such love must needs be treason in my breast. 2070
When second husband let me be accurst!
None wed the second but who killed the first.
Hamlet. [aside] Wormwood, wormwood!
Queen. The instances that second marriage move
Are base respects of thrift, but none of love. 2075
A second time I kill my husband dead
When second husband kisses me in bed.
Player King. I do believe you think what now you speak;
But what we do determine oft we break.
Purpose is but the slave to memory, 2080
Of violent birth, but poor validity;
Which now, like fruit unripe, sticks on the tree,
But fall unshaken when they mellow be.
Most necessary 'tis that we forget
To pay ourselves what to ourselves is debt. 2085
What to ourselves in passion we propose,
The passion ending, doth the purpose lose.
The violence of either grief or joy
Their own enactures with themselves destroy.
Where joy most revels, grief doth most lament; 2090
Grief joys, joy grieves, on slender accident.
This world is not for aye, nor 'tis not strange
That even our loves should with our fortunes change;
For 'tis a question left us yet to prove,
Whether love lead fortune, or else fortune love. 2095
The great man down, you mark his favourite flies,
The poor advanc'd makes friends of enemies;
And hitherto doth love on fortune tend,
For who not needs shall never lack a friend,
And who in want a hollow friend doth try, 2100
Directly seasons him his enemy.
But, orderly to end where I begun,
Our wills and fates do so contrary run
That our devices still are overthrown;
Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own. 2105
So think thou wilt no second husband wed;
But die thy thoughts when thy first lord is dead.
Player Queen. Nor earth to me give food, nor heaven light,
Sport and repose lock from me day and night,
To desperation turn my trust and hope, 2110
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! 2115Hamlet. 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.
Player Queen. Sleep rock thy brain, 2120He sleeps.]
Player Queen. And never come mischance between us twain!
Exit.
Hamlet. Madam, how like you this play?
Gertrude. The lady doth protest too much, methinks. 2125Hamlet. O, but she'll keep her word.
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' th'
world.
Claudius. What do you call the play? 2130Hamlet. 'The Mousetrap.' Marry, how? Tropically. This play is the
image of a murther 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 gall'd jade winch; our withers 2135
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. 2140Ophelia. 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, murtherer. Pox, leave
thy damnable faces, and begin! Come, the croaking raven doth 2145
bellow for revenge.
Luc. 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 in his ears.
Hamlet. He poisons him i' th' garden for's estate. His name's Gonzago.
The story is extant, and written in very choice Italian. You 2150
shall see anon how the murtherer gets the love of Gonzago's wife.
Ophelia. The King rises.
Hamlet. What, frighted with false fire?
Gertrude. How fares my lord?
Polonius. Give o'er the play. 2155Claudius. Give me some light! Away!
All. Lights, lights, lights!
Exeunt all but Hamlet and Horatio.
Hamlet. Why, let the strucken deer go weep,
The hart ungalled play; 2160
For some must watch, while some must sleep:
Thus runs the world away.
Would not this, sir, and a forest of feathers- if the rest of my
fortunes turn Turk with me-with two Provincial roses on my raz'd
shoes, get me a fellowship in a cry of players, sir? 2165Horatio. Half a share.
Hamlet. A whole one I!
For thou dost know, O Damon dear,
This realm dismantled was
Of Jove himself; and now reigns here 2170
A very, very- pajock.
Horatio. You might have rhym'd.
Hamlet. O good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand
pound! Didst perceive?
Horatio. Very well, my lord. 2175Hamlet. Upon the talk of the poisoning?
Horatio. I did very well note him.
Hamlet. Aha! Come, some music! Come, the recorders!
For if the King like not the comedy,
Why then, belike he likes it not, perdy. 2180
Come, some music!
Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Guildenstern. Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you.
Hamlet. Sir, a whole history.
Guildenstern. The King, sir- 2185Hamlet. Ay, sir, what of him?
Guildenstern. Is in his retirement, marvellous distemper'd.
Hamlet. With drink, sir?
Guildenstern. No, my lord; rather with choler.
Hamlet. Your wisdom should show itself more richer to signify this to 2190
the doctor; for me to put him to his purgation would perhaps
plunge him into far more choler.
Guildenstern. Good my lord, put your discourse into some frame, and start
not so wildly from my affair.
Hamlet. I am tame, sir; pronounce. 2195Guildenstern. The Queen, your mother, in most great affliction of spirit
hath sent me to you.
Hamlet. You are welcome.
Guildenstern. Nay, good my lord, this courtesy is not of the right breed.
If it shall please you to make me a wholesome answer, I will do 2200
your mother's commandment; if not, your pardon and my return
shall be the end of my business.
Hamlet. Sir, I cannot.
Guildenstern. What, my lord?
Hamlet. Make you a wholesome answer; my wit's diseas'd. But, sir, such 2205
answer as I can make, you shall command; or rather, as you say,
my mother. Therefore no more, but to the matter! My mother, you
say-
Rosencrantz. Then thus she says: your behaviour hath struck her into
amazement and admiration. 2210Hamlet. O wonderful son, that can so stonish a mother! But is there no
sequel at the heels of this mother's admiration? Impart.
Rosencrantz. She desires to speak with you in her closet ere you go to bed.
Hamlet. We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any
further trade with us? 2215Rosencrantz. My lord, you once did love me.
Hamlet. And do still, by these pickers and stealers!
Rosencrantz. Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? You do surely
bar the door upon your own liberty, if you deny your griefs to
your friend. 2220Hamlet. Sir, I lack advancement.
Rosencrantz. How can that be, when you have the voice of the King himself
for your succession in Denmark?
Hamlet. Ay, sir, but 'while the grass grows'- the proverb is something
musty. 2225
[Enter the Players with recorders. ]
O, the recorders! Let me see one. To withdraw with you- why do
you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive me
into a toil?
Guildenstern. O my lord, if my duty be too bold, my love is too unmannerly. 2230Hamlet. I do not well understand that. Will you play upon this pipe?
Guildenstern. My lord, I cannot.
Hamlet. I pray you.
Guildenstern. Believe me, I cannot.
Hamlet. I do beseech you. 2235Guildenstern. I know, no touch of it, my lord.
Hamlet. It is as easy as lying. Govern these ventages with your
fingers and thumbs, give it breath with your mouth, and it will
discourse most eloquent music. Look you, these are the stops.
Guildenstern. But these cannot I command to any utt'rance of harmony. I 2240
have not the skill.
Hamlet. Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me! You
would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would
pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my
lowest note to the top of my compass; and there is much music, 2245
excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot you make it
speak. 'Sblood, do you think I am easier to be play'd on than a
pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me,
you cannot play upon me.
[Enter Polonius.] 2250
God bless you, sir!
Polonius. My lord, the Queen would speak with you, and presently.
Hamlet. Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel?
Polonius. By th' mass, and 'tis like a camel indeed.
Hamlet. Methinks it is like a weasel. 2255Polonius. It is back'd like a weasel.
Hamlet. Or like a whale.
Polonius. Very like a whale.
Hamlet. Then will I come to my mother by-and-by.- They fool me to the
top of my bent.- I will come by-and-by. 2260Polonius. I will say so. Exit.
Hamlet. 'By-and-by' is easily said.- Leave me, friends.
[Exeunt all but Hamlet.]
'Tis now the very witching time of night,
When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out 2265
Contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot blood
And do such bitter business as the day
Would quake to look on. Soft! now to my mother!
O heart, lose not thy nature; let not ever
The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom. 2270
Let me be cruel, not unnatural;
I will speak daggers to her, but use none.
My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites-
How in my words somever she be shent,
To give them seals never, my soul, consent! Exit. 2275
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Act III, Scene 3
A room in the Castle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enter King, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern.
Claudius. I like him not, nor stands it safe with us
To let his madness range. Therefore prepare you;
I your commission will forthwith dispatch,
And he to England shall along with you. 2280
The terms of our estate may not endure
Hazard so near us as doth hourly grow
Out of his lunacies.
Guildenstern. We will ourselves provide.
Most holy and religious fear it is 2285
To keep those many many bodies safe
That live and feed upon your Majesty.
Rosencrantz. The single and peculiar life is bound
With all the strength and armour of the mind
To keep itself from noyance; but much more 2290
That spirit upon whose weal depends and rests
The lives of many. The cesse of majesty
Dies not alone, but like a gulf doth draw
What's near it with it. It is a massy wheel,
Fix'd on the summit of the highest mount, 2295
To whose huge spokes ten thousand lesser things
Are mortis'd and adjoin'd; which when it falls,
Each small annexment, petty consequence,
Attends the boist'rous ruin. Never alone
Did the king sigh, but with a general groan. 2300Claudius. Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy voyage;
For we will fetters put upon this fear,
Which now goes too free-footed.
Rosencrantz. [with Guildenstern] We will haste us.
Exeunt Gentlemen.
Enter Polonius.
Polonius. My lord, he's going to his mother's closet.
Behind the arras I'll convey myself
To hear the process. I'll warrant she'll tax him home;
And, as you said, and wisely was it said, 2310
'Tis meet that some more audience than a mother,
Since nature makes them partial, should o'erhear
The speech, of vantage. Fare you well, my liege.
I'll call upon you ere you go to bed
And tell you what I know. 2315Claudius. Thanks, dear my lord.
[Exit [Polonius].]
O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven;
It hath the primal eldest curse upon't,
A brother's murther! Pray can I not, 2320
Though inclination be as sharp as will.
My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,
And, like a man to double business bound,
I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
And both neglect. What if this cursed hand 2325
Were thicker than itself with brother's blood,
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy
But to confront the visage of offence?
And what's in prayer but this twofold force, 2330
To be forestalled ere we come to fall,
Or pardon'd being down? Then I'll look up;
My fault is past. But, O, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murther'?
That cannot be; since I am still possess'd 2335
Of those effects for which I did the murther-
My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.
May one be pardon'd and retain th' offence?
In the corrupted currents of this world
Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice, 2340
And oft 'tis seen the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law; but 'tis not so above.
There is no shuffling; there the action lies
In his true nature, and we ourselves compell'd,
Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults, 2345
To give in evidence. What then? What rests?
Try what repentance can. What can it not?
Yet what can it when one cannot repent?
O wretched state! O bosom black as death!
O limed soul, that, struggling to be free, 2350
Art more engag'd! Help, angels! Make assay.
Bow, stubborn knees; and heart with strings of steel,
Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe!
All may be well. He kneels.
Enter Hamlet.
Hamlet. Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;
And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven,
And so am I reveng'd. That would be scann'd.
A villain kills my father; and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send 2360
To heaven.
Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge!
He took my father grossly, full of bread,
With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May;
And how his audit stands, who knows save heaven? 2365
But in our circumstance and course of thought,
'Tis heavy with him; and am I then reveng'd,
To take him in the purging of his soul,
When he is fit and seasoned for his passage?
No. 2370
Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent.
When he is drunk asleep; or in his rage;
Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed;
At gaming, swearing, or about some act
That has no relish of salvation in't- 2375
Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven,
And that his soul may be as damn'd and black
As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays.
This physic but prolongs thy sickly days. Exit.
Claudius. [rises] My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. 2380
Words without thoughts never to heaven go. Exit.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Act III, Scene 4
The Queen’s closet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enter Queen and Polonius.
Polonius. He will come straight. Look you lay home to him.
Tell him his pranks have been too broad to bear with,
And that your Grace hath screen'd and stood between 2385
Much heat and him. I'll silence me even here.
Pray you be round with him.
Hamlet. [within] Mother, mother, mother!
Gertrude. I'll warrant you; fear me not. Withdraw; I hear him coming.
[Polonius hides behind the arras.]
Enter Hamlet.
Hamlet. Now, mother, what's the matter?
Gertrude. Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.
Hamlet. Mother, you have my father much offended.
Gertrude. Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue. 2395Hamlet. Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue.
Gertrude. Why, how now, Hamlet?
Hamlet. What's the matter now?
Gertrude. Have you forgot me?
Hamlet. No, by the rood, not so! 2400
You are the Queen, your husband's brother's wife,
And (would it were not so!) you are my mother.
Gertrude. Nay, then I'll set those to you that can speak.
Hamlet. Come, come, and sit you down. You shall not budge;
You go not till I set you up a glass 2405
Where you may see the inmost part of you.
Gertrude. What wilt thou do? Thou wilt not murther me?
Help, help, ho!
Polonius. [behind] What, ho! help, help, help!
Hamlet. [draws] How now? a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead! 2410[Makes a pass through the arras and] kills Polonius.
Polonius. [behind] O, I am slain!
Gertrude. O me, what hast thou done?
Hamlet. Nay, I know not. Is it the King?
Gertrude. O, what a rash and bloody deed is this! 2415Hamlet. A bloody deed- almost as bad, good mother,
As kill a king, and marry with his brother.
Gertrude. As kill a king?
Hamlet. Ay, lady, it was my word.
[Lifts up the arras and sees Polonius.] 2420
Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell!
I took thee for thy better. Take thy fortune.
Thou find'st to be too busy is some danger.
Leave wringing of your hands. Peace! sit you down
And let me wring your heart; for so I shall 2425
If it be made of penetrable stuff;
If damned custom have not braz'd it so
That it is proof and bulwark against sense.
Gertrude. What have I done that thou dar'st wag thy tongue
In noise so rude against me? 2430Hamlet. Such an act
That blurs the grace and blush of modesty;
Calls virtue hypocrite; takes off the rose
From the fair forehead of an innocent love,
And sets a blister there; makes marriage vows 2435
As false as dicers' oaths. O, such a deed
As from the body of contraction plucks
The very soul, and sweet religion makes
A rhapsody of words! Heaven's face doth glow;
Yea, this solidity and compound mass, 2440
With tristful visage, as against the doom,
Is thought-sick at the act.
Gertrude. Ah me, what act,
That roars so loud and thunders in the index?
Hamlet. Look here upon th's picture, and on this, 2445
The counterfeit presentment of two brothers.
See what a grace was seated on this brow;
Hyperion's curls; the front of Jove himself;
An eye like Mars, to threaten and command;
A station like the herald Mercury 2450
New lighted on a heaven-kissing hill:
A combination and a form indeed
Where every god did seem to set his seal
To give the world assurance of a man.
This was your husband. Look you now what follows. 2455
Here is your husband, like a mildew'd ear
Blasting his wholesome brother. Have you eyes?
Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed,
And batten on this moor? Ha! have you eyes
You cannot call it love; for at your age 2460
The heyday in the blood is tame, it's humble,
And waits upon the judgment; and what judgment
Would step from this to this? Sense sure you have,
Else could you not have motion; but sure that sense
Is apoplex'd; for madness would not err, 2465
Nor sense to ecstacy was ne'er so thrall'd
But it reserv'd some quantity of choice
To serve in such a difference. What devil was't
That thus hath cozen'd you at hoodman-blind?
Eyes without feeling, feeling without sight, 2470
Ears without hands or eyes, smelling sans all,
Or but a sickly part of one true sense
Could not so mope.
O shame! where is thy blush? Rebellious hell,
If thou canst mutine in a matron's bones, 2475
To flaming youth let virtue be as wax
And melt in her own fire. Proclaim no shame
When the compulsive ardour gives the charge,
Since frost itself as actively doth burn,
And reason panders will. 2480Gertrude. O Hamlet, speak no more!
Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul,
And there I see such black and grained spots
As will not leave their tinct.
Hamlet. Nay, but to live 2485
In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed,
Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love
Over the nasty sty!
Gertrude. O, speak to me no more!
These words like daggers enter in mine ears. 2490
No more, sweet Hamlet!
Hamlet. A murtherer and a villain!
A slave that is not twentieth part the tithe
Of your precedent lord; a vice of kings;
A cutpurse of the empire and the rule, 2495
That from a shelf the precious diadem stole
And put it in his pocket!
Gertrude. No more!
Enter the Ghost in his nightgown.
Hamlet. A king of shreds and patches!- 2500
Save me and hover o'er me with your wings,
You heavenly guards! What would your gracious figure?
Gertrude. Alas, he's mad!
Hamlet. Do you not come your tardy son to chide,
That, laps'd in time and passion, lets go by 2505
Th' important acting of your dread command?
O, say!
Father's Ghost. Do not forget. This visitation
Is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose.
But look, amazement on thy mother sits. 2510
O, step between her and her fighting soul
Conceit in weakest bodies strongest works.
Speak to her, Hamlet.
Hamlet. How is it with you, lady?
Gertrude. Alas, how is't with you, 2515
That you do bend your eye on vacancy,
And with th' encorporal air do hold discourse?
Forth at your eyes your spirits wildly peep;
And, as the sleeping soldiers in th' alarm,
Your bedded hairs, like life in excrements, 2520
Start up and stand an end. O gentle son,
Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper
Sprinkle cool patience! Whereon do you look?
Hamlet. On him, on him! Look you how pale he glares!
His form and cause conjoin'd, preaching to stones, 2525
Would make them capable.- Do not look upon me,
Lest with this piteous action you convert
My stern effects. Then what I have to do
Will want true colour- tears perchance for blood.
Gertrude. To whom do you speak this? 2530Hamlet. Do you see nothing there?
Gertrude. Nothing at all; yet all that is I see.
Hamlet. Nor did you nothing hear?
Gertrude. No, nothing but ourselves.
Hamlet. Why, look you there! Look how it steals away! 2535
My father, in his habit as he liv'd!
Look where he goes even now out at the portal!
Exit Ghost.
Gertrude. This is the very coinage of your brain.
This bodiless creation ecstasy 2540
Is very cunning in.
Hamlet. Ecstasy?
My pulse as yours doth temperately keep time
And makes as healthful music. It is not madness
That I have utt'red. Bring me to the test, 2545
And I the matter will reword; which madness
Would gambol from. Mother, for love of grace,
Lay not that flattering unction to your soul
That not your trespass but my madness speaks.
It will but skin and film the ulcerous place, 2550
Whiles rank corruption, mining all within,
Infects unseen. Confess yourself to heaven;
Repent what's past; avoid what is to come;
And do not spread the compost on the weeds
To make them ranker. Forgive me this my virtue; 2555
For in the fatness of these pursy times
Virtue itself of vice must pardon beg-
Yea, curb and woo for leave to do him good.
Gertrude. O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain.
Hamlet. O, throw away the worser part of it, 2560
And live the purer with the other half,
Good night- but go not to my uncle's bed.
Assume a virtue, if you have it not.
That monster, custom, who all sense doth eat
Of habits evil, is angel yet in this, 2565
That to the use of actions fair and good
He likewise gives a frock or livery,
That aptly is put on. Refrain to-night,
And that shall lend a kind of easiness
To the next abstinence; the next more easy; 2570
For use almost can change the stamp of nature,
And either [master] the devil, or throw him out
With wondrous potency. Once more, good night;
And when you are desirous to be blest,
I'll blessing beg of you.- For this same lord, 2575
I do repent; but heaven hath pleas'd it so,
To punish me with this, and this with me,
That I must be their scourge and minister.
I will bestow him, and will answer well
The death I gave him. So again, good night. 2580
I must be cruel, only to be kind;
Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.
One word more, good lady.
Gertrude. What shall I do?
Hamlet. Not this, by no means, that I bid you do: 2585
Let the bloat King tempt you again to bed;
Pinch wanton on your cheek; call you his mouse;
And let him, for a pair of reechy kisses,
Or paddling in your neck with his damn'd fingers,
Make you to ravel all this matter out, 2590
That I essentially am not in madness,
But mad in craft. 'Twere good you let him know;
For who that's but a queen, fair, sober, wise,
Would from a paddock, from a bat, a gib
Such dear concernings hide? Who would do so? 2595
No, in despite of sense and secrecy,
Unpeg the basket on the house's top,
Let the birds fly, and like the famous ape,
To try conclusions, in the basket creep
And break your own neck down. 2600Gertrude. Be thou assur'd, if words be made of breath,
And breath of life, I have no life to breathe
What thou hast said to me.
Hamlet. I must to England; you know that?
Gertrude. Alack, 2605
I had forgot! 'Tis so concluded on.
Hamlet. There's letters seal'd; and my two schoolfellows,
Whom I will trust as I will adders fang'd,
They bear the mandate; they must sweep my way
And marshal me to knavery. Let it work; 2610
For 'tis the sport to have the enginer
Hoist with his own petar; and 't shall go hard
But I will delve one yard below their mines
And blow them at the moon. O, 'tis most sweet
When in one line two crafts directly meet. 2615
This man shall set me packing.
I'll lug the guts into the neighbour room.-
Mother, good night.- Indeed, this counsellor
Is now most still, most secret, and most grave,
Who was in life a foolish peating knave. 2620
Come, sir, to draw toward an end with you.
Good night, mother.
[Exit the Queen. Then] Exit Hamlet, tugging in
Polonius.