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No Fear Shakespheare

Hamlet

William Shakespeare

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Act 4, Scene 6

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Enter HORATIO and a SERVANT
HORATIO and a SERVANT enter.

HORATIO
What are they that would speak with me?
HORATIO
Who are the people who want to speak with me?

SERVANT
Seafaring men, sir. They say they have letters for you.
SERVANT
Sailors, sir. They say they have letters for you.

HORATIO
Let them come in.
HORATIO
Show them in.
Exit SERVANT
SERVANT exits.

5
I do not know from what part of the world
I should be greeted, if not from Lord Hamlet.
I don’t know who else would send me a letter from abroad except Hamlet.
Enter SAILORS
SAILORS enter.

SAILOR
God bless you, sir.
SAILOR
Hello, sir. God bless you.

HORATIO
Let him bless thee too.
HORATIO
May He bless you, too.



10
SAILOR
He shall, sir, an ’t please Him. There’s a letter for you, sir—
it comes from the ambassador that was bound for
England—if your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is. (gives HORATIO a letter)
SAILOR
He will, sir, if He wants to. There’s a letter for you, sir. It’s from the ambassador, Lord Hamlet, who was going to England—if your name’s Horatio, as they told me it is. (he hands HORATIO a letter)






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HORATIO
(reads)
“Horatio,
 When thou shalt have overlooked this, give these fel-
lows some means to the king. They have letters for
him. Ere we were two days old at sea, a pirate of very
warlike appointment gave us chase. Finding ourselves
too slow of sail, we put on a compelled valor, and in the
grapple I boarded them. On the instant, they got clear
of our ship, so I alone became their prisoner. They
have dealt with me like thieves of mercy, but they
knew what they did; I am to do a good turn for them.
Let the king have the letters I have sent, and repair
HORATIO
(reading the letter)
 “Horatio,
 When you’ve read this letter, find a way to let these guys see the king. They have letters for him. Before we were at sea for even two days, a pirate ship equipped for battle pursued us. We were too slow to escape, so we were forced to stand and fight. In the battle that followed I ended up on the pirate ship. Just then they left our ship behind, so I became the only prisoner on board. They’ve treated me quite mercifully for thieves, but they knew what they were doing. They want me to do a favor for them.


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