And how are you doing, staring into
the empty air and talking to nobody? Your eyes give away your wild
thoughts, and your hair is standing upright, like soldiers during a
call to arms. Oh my dear son, calm yourself and cool off your
overheated mind! What are you staring at?
HAMLET
On him, on him! Look you, how pale he glares!
His form and cause conjoined, preaching to stones,
Would make them capable.
(to
GHOST) Do not look upon me,
130
Lest with this piteous action you convert
My stern effects. Then what I have to do
Will want true color—tears perchance for blood.
HAMLET
At him, at him! Look how pale he is and how he glares at me.
Preaching even at stones, he could get them to act.
(to the
GHOST) Don't look at me
like that, unless you want me to cry instead of kill.
GERTRUDE
To whom do you speak this?
GERTRUDE
Who are you talking to?
HAMLET
Do you see nothing
there?
HAMLET
You don't see anything?
GERTRUDE
Nothing at all, yet all that is I see.
GERTRUDE
Nothing at all, but I can see everything that's
here.
HAMLET
135
Nor did you nothing hear?
HAMLET
And you don't hear anything?
GERTRUDE
No, nothing but
ourselves.
GERTRUDE
No, nothing but us talking.
HAMLET
Why, look you there! Look how it steals away—
My father, in his habit as he lived—
Look where he goes, even now, out at the portal!
HAMLET
Look, look how it's sneaking away! My father, dressed
just like he was when he was alive!
