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Modern English
Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.
Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.
I will, my lord.
I will, my lord.
You shall do marvellous wisely, good Reynaldo, Before you visit him, to make inquiry Of his behaviour.
You’ll do very wisely, good Reynaldo, Before you meet him, make sure to find out About his behavior.
My lord, I did intend it.
My lord, I planned to do that.
Marry, well said; very well said. Look you, sir, Enquire me first what Danskers are in Paris; And how, and who, what means, and where they keep, What company, at what expense; and finding By this encompassment and drift of question, That they do know my son, come you more nearer Than your particular demands will touch it. Take you as’twere some distant knowledge of him, As thus,‘I know his father and his friends, And in part him’—do you mark this, Reynaldo?
Good, well said; very well said. Now, look here, First, ask around about any Danes in Paris; And how, and who, what they’re doing, and where they stay, What company they keep, and how they spend their money; and if you find From all this questioning that they know my son, then get closer Than just asking about the details. Take it as if you know him a little bit, Like, ‘I know his father and his friends, And I know a bit about him’—do you understand, Reynaldo?
Ay, very well, my lord.
Yes, very well, my lord.
‘And in part him, but,’you may say,‘not well; But if’t be he I mean, he’s very wild; Addicted so and so;’and there put on him What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank As may dishonour him; take heed of that; But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips As are companions noted and most known To youth and liberty.
‘And I know a bit about him, but,’ you can say, ‘not very well; But if it’s the person I mean, he’s very wild; He does this and that’; and then you can add Whatever lies you want; but don’t make them so bad That they’ll shame him; be careful of that; But, you know, just mention the usual youthful mistakes That are common for young people to make when they have freedom.
As gaming, my lord?
Like gambling, my lord?
Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, Quarrelling, drabbing. You may go so far.
Yes, or drinking, fencing, swearing, Fighting, sleeping around. You can go that far.
My lord, that would dishonour him.
My lord, that would disgrace him.
Faith no, as you may season it in the charge. You must not put another scandal on him, That he is open to incontinency; That’s not my meaning: but breathe his faults so quaintly That they may seem the taints of liberty; The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind, A savageness in unreclaimed blood, Of general assault.
No, no, you can say it in a way that fits the situation. You shouldn’t accuse him of something like being promiscuous; That’s not what I mean: but describe his flaws in a way That makes them seem like normal youthful mistakes; A sudden burst of emotion, a kind of wildness in unrestrained blood, Something everyone has to deal with.
But my good lord—
But my good lord—
Wherefore should you do this?
Why should you do this?
Ay, my lord, I would know that.
Yes, my lord, I want to know that.
Marry, sir, here’s my drift, And I believe it is a fetch of warrant. You laying these slight sullies on my son, As’twere a thing a little soil’d i’th’working, Mark you, Your party in converse, him you would sound, Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes The youth you breathe of guilty, be assur’d He closes with you in this consequence; ‘Good sir,’or so; or‘friend,’or‘gentleman’— According to the phrase or the addition Of man and country.
Well, sir, here’s what I mean, And I believe this is a smart plan. You suggesting these small flaws in my son, Like it’s just something a little messed up in the making, Listen, Your person in conversation, that’s who you’d test, If you’ve ever seen the common crimes Of the young man you’re talking about as guilty, be sure He’ll agree with you on this: "Good sir," or something like that; or "friend," or "gentleman"— According to the usual way of speaking and what fits his background.
Very good, my lord.
Very well, my lord.
And then, sir, does he this,— He does—What was I about to say? By the mass, I was about to say something. Where did I leave?
And then, sir, he does this,— He does—What was I going to say? By the mass, I was going to say something. Where did I stop?
At‘closes in the consequence.’ At‘friend or so,’and‘gentleman.’
At "closes in the consequence." At "friend or so," and "gentleman."
At‘closes in the consequence’ay, marry! He closes with you thus:‘I know the gentleman, I saw him yesterday, or t’other day, Or then, or then, with such and such; and, as you say, There was he gaming, there o’ertook in’s rouse, There falling out at tennis’: or perchance, ‘I saw him enter such a house of sale’—
, a brothel, or something like that. See now; Your lie hooks this truth like a fish; And this is how we use wisdom and trickery, With turns and tests of influence, To find the right path through indirect methods. So, with my previous advice, You’ll do the same with my son. You understand, don’t you?
, a brothel, or so forth. See you now; Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth; And thus do we of wisdom and of reach, With windlasses, and with assays of bias, By indirections find directions out. So by my former lecture and advice Shall you my son. You have me, have you not?
, a brothel, or something like that. See now; Your lie hooks this truth like a fish; And this is how we use wisdom and trickery, With turns and tests of influence, To find the right path through indirect methods. So, with my previous advice, You’ll do the same with my son. You understand, don’t you?
My lord, I have.
Yes, my lord, I understand.
God b’wi’you, fare you well.
God be with you, goodbye.
Good my lord.
Goodbye, my lord.
Observe his inclination in yourself.
Watch his behavior yourself.
I shall, my lord.
I will, my lord.
And let him ply his music.
And let him do his music.
Well, my lord.
Yes, my lord.
Farewell.
Goodbye.
.
.
How now, Ophelia, what’s the matter?
What’s wrong, Ophelia?
Alas, my lord, I have been so affrighted.
Oh, my lord, I’ve been so scared.
With what, in the name of God?
What happened, for God’s sake?
My lord, as I was sewing in my chamber, Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbrac’d, No hat upon his head, his stockings foul’d, Ungart’red, and down-gyved to his ankle, Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other, And with a look so piteous in purport As if he had been loosed out of hell To speak of horrors, he comes before me.
My lord, as I was sewing in my room, Lord Hamlet, with his shirt all undone, No hat on his head, his stockings dirty, Untied, and his feet dragging to his ankles, As pale as his shirt, his knees shaking, And with such a sad look on his face, Like he had just escaped from hell To tell about terrible things, he came to me.
Mad for thy love?
Is he mad because of your love?
My lord, I do not know, but truly I do fear it.
My lord, I don’t know, but I truly fear it.
What said he?
What did he say?
He took me by the wrist and held me hard; Then goes he to the length of all his arm; And with his other hand thus o’er his brow, He falls to such perusal of my face As he would draw it. Long stay’d he so, At last,—a little shaking of mine arm, And thrice his head thus waving up and down, He rais’d a sigh so piteous and profound As it did seem to shatter all his bulk And end his being. That done, he lets me go, And with his head over his shoulder turn’d He seem’d to find his way without his eyes, For out o’doors he went without their help, And to the last bended their light on me.
He grabbed my wrist and held it tightly; Then he stretched out his arm, And with his other hand over his forehead, He stared at my face as if he were trying to draw it. He stayed like that for a long time, Until finally,—after a little shake of my arm, And his head shaking up and down three times, He let out a sigh so deep and sorrowful That it seemed to shake his whole body And almost end his life. After that, he let go of me, And with his head turned over his shoulder, He seemed to find his way without even looking, Because he went outside without needing their help, And in the end, their light still shone on me.
Come, go with me. I will go seek the King. This is the very ecstasy of love, Whose violent property fordoes itself, And leads the will to desperate undertakings, As oft as any passion under heaven That does afflict our natures. I am sorry,— What, have you given him any hard words of late?
Come, go with me. I’ll go see the King. This is the pure madness of love, Whose intense power destroys itself, And drives the will to dangerous actions, Like no other emotion in the world That troubles us. I’m sorry,— Have you said anything harsh to him lately?
No, my good lord; but as you did command, I did repel his letters and denied His access to me.
No, my lord; but as you ordered, I rejected his letters and denied Him access to me.
That hath made him mad. I am sorry that with better heed and judgment I had not quoted him. I fear’d he did but trifle, And meant to wreck thee. But beshrew my jealousy! It seems it is as proper to our age To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions As it is common for the younger sort To lack discretion. Come, go we to the King. This must be known, which, being kept close, might move More grief to hide than hate to utter love.
That’s what made him mad. I’m sorry I didn’t pay more attention and use better judgment. I thought he was just playing around, And meant to harm you. But curse my jealousy! It seems it’s natural for our age To think beyond what’s reasonable Just as it’s common for younger people To lack good judgment. Come, let’s go to the King. We need to tell him this, because keeping it a secret might cause More sorrow than revealing it would bring.