Trumpets.  Enter King, Queen, LAERTES, OSRIC and Court.

King. HAMLET, all hail!  I wish thee joy!  May’st thou be the victor at to-day’s trial of skill!

Ghost (heard from below).  Remember!  Six principal characters.  He and thou and I are three.  Three!  Six, and no more!

Hamlet (aside).  Peace, perturbed spirit!

Laertes (approaching).  My good Lord, I wish thee well, for I do love thee.

Ghost (from below).  Four!  Remember—­Four!  Six, and no more! and mind the time goes apace.  Ten minutes of the thirty gone!

Hamlet (aside).  Peace, perturbed spirit! (Aloud.) The foils!

Osric (approaching).  My Lord, the weapons!

Ghost (as before).  He maketh five!  Beware!  Six, and no more!

Ham. (aside).  Rest, perturbed spirit! (Aloud.) I will take this one!

    [HAMLET and LAERTES take the foils and salute.

King. Now will I drink to HAMLET after the first bout.  OSRIC, be ready to give him a cup when he is tired!  Mind me well. (Aside.) The cup of which HAMLET shall drink contains poison.  Ha! ha! ha!  A time will come!  I triumph!

    [HAMLET and LAERTES fence and drop their foils.

Osric.—­Let me return them, good Sirs!

    [He gives the weapons in such a fashion that they are
    exchanged.

King. Now will I drink to HAMLET.  Give him the other cup.

Ham. Nay, your pardon.  Sire.  I am fat and scant of breath, but I will crush a cup with thee, later!

Queen. Give me the cup.  I will drink to thee, HAMLET! [Drinks.

Ghost (as before).  I hear the well-remembered voice of thy mother, boy!  That makes six.  The limit’s reached!

Ham. (aside).  Rest, perturbed spirit! (Aloud.) And now, good LAERTES, I am at thy service.

    [They fight.  HAMLET is wounded.

Osric. A hit, a hit, a palpable hit!

Ham. (annoyed).  I am hurt, and by thee!

    [Fights fiercely and wounds LAERTES.

Queen. Oh!  I am poisoned! [Dies.

Ham. What, treachery!  Ah, thou brute!

    [Rushes up and kills King with his foil.

Laertes. I am dying!  Forgive me, HAMLET.  It was the doing of the King. [Dies.

Ghost (as before).  Twenty and nine minutes have expired!  The time is all but up!

Ham. (aside, with difficulty).  Rest, perturbed spirit!  Farewell, farewell, a long farewell to all my—­

Ghost (as before).  Ring down!  The time is up!

    (Quick Curtain)