Shards, flints and pebbles should be thrown on her.
Yet here she is allowed her virgin crants,
Her maiden strewments, and the bringing home
Of bell and burial.
PRIEST
I've performed as many rites as I'm
permitted. Her death was suspicious, and were it not for the fact
that the king gave orders to bury her here, she'd have
been buried outside the church graveyard. She deserves to have rocks
and stones thrown on her body. But she has had prayers read for her
and is dressed up like a pure virgin, with flowers tossed on her
grave and the bell tolling for her.
LAERTES
Must there no more be done?
LAERTES
Isn't there any other rite you can perform?
PRIEST
210
No more be done.
We should profane the service of the dead
To sing a requiem and such rest to her
As to peace-parted souls.
PRIEST
No, nothing. We would profane the other dead souls here if we sang
the same requiem for her that we sang for them.
LAERTES
Lay her
i' th' earth,
And from her fair and unpolluted flesh
215
May violets spring! I tell thee, churlish priest,
A ministering angel shall my sister be
When thou liest howling.
LAERTES
Lay her in the ground, and let violets bloom from her lovely and
pure flesh!
I'm telling you, you jerk priest, my sister will be an
angel in heaven while you're howling in hell.
