45
KINGCLAUDIUS
Come,Hamlet,come,andtakethishandfromme.
KINGCLAUDIUSputsLAERTES'handintoHAMLET's
HAMLET
Givemeyourpardon,sir:I'vedoneyouwrong;
Butpardon't,asyouareagentleman.
Thispresenceknows,
Andyoumustneedshaveheard,howIampunish'd
Withsoredistraction.WhatIhavedone,
Thatmightyournature,honourandexception
Roughlyawake,Ihereproclaimwasmadness.
Was'tHamletwrong'dLaertes?NeverHamlet:
IfHamletfromhimselfbeta'enaway,
Andwhenhe'snothimselfdoeswrongLaertes,
ThenHamletdoesitnot,Hamletdeniesit.
Whodoesit,then?Hismadness:if'tbeso,
Hamletisofthefactionthatiswrong'd;
HismadnessispoorHamlet'senemy.
Sir,inthisaudience,
Letmydisclaimingfromapurposedevil
Freemesofarinyourmostgenerousthoughts,
ThatIhaveshotminearrowo'erthehouse,
Andhurtmybrother.
LAERTES
Iamsatisfiedinnature,
Whosemotive,inthiscase,shouldstirmemost
Tomyrevenge:butinmytermsofhonour
Istandaloof;andwillnoreconcilement,
Tillbysomeeldermasters,ofknownhonour,
Ihaveavoiceandprecedentofpeace,
Tokeepmynameungored.Buttillthattime,
Idoreceiveyouroffer'dlovelikelove,
Andwillnotwrongit.
HAMLET
Iembraceitfreely;
Andwillthisbrother'swagerfranklyplay.
Giveusthefoils.Comeon.
LAERTES
Come,oneforme.
HAMLET
I'llbeyourfoil,Laertes:inmineignorance
Yourskillshall,likeastari'thedarkestnight,
Stickfieryoffindeed.
HAMLET-ActV
135