_P. King._ 'Tis deeply sworn. Sweet, leave me here awhile;[1271] 215 My spirits grow dull, and fain I would beguile The tedious day with sleep. [_Sleeps._[1272] _P. Queen._ Sleep rock thy brain; And never come mischance between us twain! [_Exit._[1273] _Ham._ Madam, how like you this play?[1274] _Queen._ The lady doth protest too much, methinks.[1275] 220 _Ham._ O, but she'll keep her word. _King._ Have you heard the argument? Is there no offence in't? _Ham._ No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest; no offence i' the world.[1276] 225 _King._ What do you call the play? _Ham._ The Mouse-trap. Marry, how? Tropically.[1277] This play is the image of a murder done in Vienna: Gonzago[1278] is the duke's name; his wife, Baptista: you shall see[1279] anon; 'tis a knavish piece of work: but what o' that? your[1280] 230 majesty, and we that have free souls, it touches us not: let[1281] the galled jade wince, our withers are unwrung.[1282] _Enter_ LUCIANUS.[1283] This is one Lucianus, nephew to the king.[1284] _Oph._ You are as good as a chorus, my lord.[1285] _Ham._ I could interpret between you and your love, if 235 I could see the puppets dallying. _Oph._ You are keen, my lord, you are keen. _Ham._ It would cost you a groaning to take off my edge.[1286] _Oph._ Still better, and worse.[1287] _Ham._ So you must take your husbands. Begin, murderer;[1288][1289] 240 pox, leave thy damnable faces, and begin. Come:[1289][1290] the croaking raven doth bellow for revenge.[1291] _Luc._ Thoughts black, hands apt, drugs fit, and time agreeing;[1292] Confederate season, else no creature seeing;[1293] Thou mixture rank, of midnight weeds collected, 245 With Hecate's ban thrice blasted, thrice infected,[1294] Thy natural magic and dire property,[1295] On wholesome life usurp immediately. [_Pours the poison into the sleeper's ear._[1296] _Ham._ He poisons him i' the garden for his estate. His[1297] name's Gonzago: the story is extant, and written in very[1298] 250 choice Italian: you shall see anon how the murderer gets the love of Gonzago's wife. _Oph._ The king rises. _Ham._ What, frighted with false fire![1299] _Queen._ How fares my lord? 255 _Pol._ Give o'er the play. _King._ Give me some light. Away! _Pol._ Lights, lights, lights! [_Exeunt all but Hamlet and Horatio._[1300] _Ham._ Why, let the stricken deer go weep,[1301] The hart ungalled play;[1302] 260 For some must watch, while some must sleep:[1303] Thus runs the world away.[1304]