O, forbear! For other talk for us far fitter were; But if you be importunate[211] to know The way to him, and where to find him out, Then list to me, and I'll resolve your doubt. There is a path upon your left-hand side, That leadeth from a guilty conscience Unto a forest of distrust and fear-- A darksome place, and dangerous to pass; There shall you meet with melancholy thoughts, Whose baleful humours if you but uphold,[212] It will conduct you to despair and death; Whose rocky cliffs when you have once beheld, Within a hugy dale of lasting night, That,[213] kindled with the world's iniquities, Doth cast up filthy and detested fumes: Not far from thence, where murderers have built An habitation for their cursed souls, There is a brazen cauldron, fix'd by Jove, In his fell wrath, upon a sulphur flame, Yourselves shall find Lorenzo bathing him In boiling lead and blood of innocents. 1 PORTINGAL. Ha, ha, ha! HIERONIMO. Ha, ha, ha! Why, ha, ha, ha! Farewell, good Ha, ha, ha! [_Exit._ 2 PORTINGAL. Doubtless this man is passing lunatic, Or imperfection of his age doth make him doat. Come, let's away to seek my lord the duke. [_Exeunt._ _Enter_ HIERONIMO, _with a poniard in one hand and_ _a rope in the other_. HIERONIMO. Now, sir, perhaps I come and see the king; The king sees me, and fain would hear my suit. Why, is not this a strange and seld-seen thing, That standers-by with toys should strike me mute? Go to, I see their shifts, and say no more. Hieronimo, 'tis time for thee to trudge: Down by the dale that flows with purple gore, Standeth a fiery tower; there sits a judge Upon a seat of steel and molten brass, And 'twixt his teeth he holds a firebrand, That leads unto the lake where hell doth stand: Away, Hieronimo! to him be gone; He'll do thee justice for Horatio's death. Turn down this path, and thou shalt be with him straight; Or this, and then thou needst not take thy breath, This way or that way: soft and fair, not so; For if I hang or kill myself, let's know, Who will revenge Horatio's murder then? No, no: fie, no; pardon me, I'll none of that. [_He flings away the dagger and halter._ This way I'll take, and this way comes the king. [_He takes them up again._ And here I'll have a fling at him, that's flat; And, Balthazar, I'll be with thee to bring, And thee, Lorenzo, here's the king--nay, stay; And here--ay here--there goes the hare away.[214]