It's always a pleasant thought, to lie between a maiden's
legs.
OPHELIA
You certainly are playful, my lord.
HAMLET
What else should a man be but playful? I say, have you
noticed how cheerful my mother is? Yet my father has been
dead for only a few hours?
OPHELIA
It's been four months, my lord.
So long? In that case let the devil wear black, and I'll
have a suit of sables. Months now, and not yet forgotten!
Then there's hope a great man will still be remembered half a
year after he dies?!
(TRUMPETS sound.)
HAMLET (CONT'D)
Ah--the play!
(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, declines his head upon her neck,
and then lays down upon a bank of
flowers.
She, seeing him asleep, leaves. A
fellow enters, takes off crown, kisses
it, pours poison in King's ears, and
exits. The Queen returns; finds the
King dead, and makes passionate action.
The Poisoner, with some two or three
Mutes, comes in again, seeming to
lament with her. The dead body is
carried away. The Poisoner woos the
Queen with gifts: she seems loath and
unwilling, but in the end accepts his
love.)
(The players exit.)
OPHELIA
What does this mean, my lord?
HAMLET
It means mischief.
OPHELIA
Perhaps it depicts the plot.
(Enter PROLOGUE.)
HAMLET
This fellow will tell us. The players can't keep a secret;
they'll reveal all.
OPHELIA
He'll tell us what the mime meant?
HAMLET
Or anything else--if you don't mind showing him, he'll show
you what it's for.
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