Grating so harshly all his days of quiet
With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?
Ros. He does confess he feels himself distracted, 5
But from what cause he will by no means speak.
Guil. Nor do we find him forward to be sounded,
But, with a crafty madness, keeps aloof,
When we would bring him on to some confession
Of his true state.
Queen. Did he receive you well? 10
Ros. Most like a gentleman.
Guil. But with much forcing of his disposition.
Ros. Niggard of question, but of our demands
Most free in his reply.[b 1]
Queen. Did you assay him
To any pastime? 15
Ros. Madam, it so fell out that certain players
We o'er-raught[b 2] on the way; of these we told him,
And there did seem in him a kind of joy
To hear of it; they are about[a 1] the court
And, as I think, they have already order 20
This night to play before him.
- ↑ 19. about] F, heere about Q.
- ↑ 13, 14. Niggard . . . reply] Warburton transposed "Niggard" and "Most free." Malone explains "Niggard of question," slow to begin conversation. Clarke — over-ingeniously: "Sparing of speech when questioned, but of demands respecting ourselves he was very free in return." Clar. Press: "Perhaps they did not intend to eive a correct account of the interview." The courtiers between them try to piece out an account, which will not discredit them, of an unsuccessful interview; Rosencrantz would suggest that tfiey have not wholly failed; Guildenstern that this was in spite of much difficulty. They wish to turn off any inquiry as to Hamlet's sharp examination of them and his discovery that they were sent for.
- ↑ 17. o'er-raught] over-reached, over-took.
