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Hamlet - Act 4, scene 6
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Hamlet - Act 4, scene 6Act 4, scene 6
⌜Scene 6⌝
Synopsis:
Horatio is given a letter from Hamlet telling of the prince’s boarding of a pirate ship and his subsequent return to Denmark.
Enter Horatio and others.HORATIO 3145 What are they that would speak with me?
GENTLEMAN 3146 Seafaring men, sir. They say they have
3147 letters for you.
HORATIO 3148 Let them come in. ⌜Gentleman exits.⌝ I do not
3149 5 know from what part of the world I should be
3150 greeted, if not from Lord Hamlet.
Enter Sailors.
SAILOR 3151 God bless you, sir.
HORATIO 3152 Let Him bless thee too.
SAILOR 3153 He shall, sir, ⟨an ’t⟩ please Him. There’s a letter
3154 10 for you, sir. It came from th’ ambassador that was
3155 bound for England—if your name be Horatio, as I
3156 am let to know it is.⌜He hands Horatio a letter.⌝
HORATIO ⟨reads the letter⟩ 3157 Horatio, when thou shalt have
3158 overlooked this, give these fellows some means to the
3159 15 King. They have letters for him. Ere we were two days
3160 old at sea, a pirate of very warlike appointment gave
3161 us chase. Finding ourselves too slow of sail, we put on
3162 a compelled valor, and in the grapple I boarded them.
3163 On the instant, they got clear of our ship; so I alone
3164 20 became their prisoner. They have dealt with me like
3165 thieves of mercy, but they knew what they did: I am to
3166 do a ⟨good⟩ turn for them. Let the King have the letters
3167 I have sent, and repair thou to me with as much speed
3168 as thou wouldst fly death. I have words to speak in
3169 25 thine ear will make thee dumb; yet are they much too
3170 light for the ⟨bore⟩ of the matter. These good fellows
3171 will bring thee where I am. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
3172 hold their course for England; of them I have
3173 much to tell thee. Farewell.
3174 30 ⟨He⟩ that thou knowest thine,
3175 Hamlet.
p.
223
3176
Come, I will ⟨give⟩ you way for these your letters3177 And do ’t the speedier that you may direct me
3178 To him from whom you brought them.
They exit.