Act Four
Act
Four Scene Six
Sub
Scene One
Letters
to Horatio
Horatio
had walked to the courtyard to gather his wits. He felt suffocated in the
castle. It was different when he returned after having been with Hamlet for
some years; when the young one was able to function independently, Horatio was
called back to the service of Elsinore Castle.
“Welcome back, Horatio. I am glad that
your time with young Hamlet was good.” The King then praised Horatio. “So were
your reports to me. He is growing fine, independent of his mother but surely
better on his own.”
“I am glad to be of service, my King. Now
may I retire to my father’s work now that he is no more in service. He was
maintaining the gardens. He was always digging holes in the ground.” Horatio
had learned of his father's demise when he was away, but he was not allowed to
return. The young Hamlet was still under his care.
“I am ever sorry, Horatio that you could
not be here for your father’s funeral but we took care of it well. He rested
well now in Heaven.” King Hamlet had assured the son. “As for you, I have a new
task for you.”
“I am now the King and with my ascension,
I hold some rivals. I need good men to be at my side, and protect me.” The King
plotted his words for Horatio. “You can be one of them. I need trustworthy
guards, and above all, unafraid of any adversaries. You are not alone. I have
others who will be you. Marcellus, your twin is one with me as a guard.”
“Who do you fear, my King?” Horatio asked.
I think the King is but a man, as I am. The violet smells to him as it doth to
me. The element shows to him as it doth to me. All his senses have but human
conditions. His ceremonies laid by, in his nakedness, he appears but a man.” (King
Henry in Henry V (4.1.105)) The King confessed his concern.
“In
my career, I have been threatened and …abused, but no more. Now I am the King
and all should bow toward me, though some may not. It’s the latter, I feared
for they are not any raving member of the audience, but of more deadly means. I
had been assaulted before.”
“So,
you need guards. I can do that.” Horatio said. “I did my training in the army
but the war ended.”
“And
I asked of you this. ‘Master, go on, and I will follow thee To
the last gasp with truth and loyalty. ‘Act 2 Scene 3,
Shakespeare ‘As you like it’ play.” King Hamlet drew on Horatio’s oath.
“You
will have it, my King.” Horatio bowed to the King.
“You
will do fine, Horatio. Did your brother share his task with you before?”
“Marcellus
did not tell me much of his task.” Horatio shook his head. It was fine for a
while, until the day, he was asked to bury a body.
“How
did the guy become dead? He was with the King just now.” Horatio asked. He was
with his twin brother and Barnado. They had driven the body to the forest.
“He
died then. We will just bury him.” Barnado had taken the shovel from the car.
“We are not doctors.”
“He
was fine just now.” Horatio was curious.
“Never
ask. Just do the digging like me.” Marcellus took a shovel himself, and begin
digging. It was the rare occasion that Horatio had to bury the dead, but he did
lend his fists to others. Soon, he will be learned that whatever happens in
Norway remains in Norway. There the King called the command. Horatio learned
not to question. He once heard young Hamlet rehearse the play and these words
struck him. “I am in blood / Stepped in so far” Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4.
“Horatio,
sir.” The young servant had interrupted Horatio at his thoughts. “There are
some gentlemen to see you.”
“What
are they that would speak with me?” Horatio hardly had any guests at the
castle.
“Far-flung
travelers across the channel I believe, sir. They say they have letters for
you.” The servant explains. “I knew from their way of speaking.”
“Let
them come in.” The servant turned to leave.
“I
do not know from what part of the world I should be greeted, if not from
Lord Hamlet,” Horatio muttered.
“God
bless you, Sire.” It was then Horatio met his guest. It was a man dressed in
tweeds and holding a bowler in his hands.
“Let
Him bless thee too,” Horatio said.
“He
shall, sir, a ’t pleases Him. Pardon me, Sire. I have not been to a castle yet.
A huge place it seems. Life at the docks does not give you anything bigger than
the stores or the steamers that come a-calling. Me, a port worker; the ship’s
cargo and the nearby taverns my daily chores.”
“I
heard you have letters for me.” Horatio knew the tone of these men; they were
simple folks with the need for coins. “I will reward you for that.”
The
coins were exchanged for the letters. And some added for the trouble.
“There’s
a letter for you, Sire. It came from the young ambassador that was bound
for England; he should be having taken the smoke land ship, and …”
“How
is he?” Horatio asked.
“He
is well; slightly banged up but recovering.” The guest smiled.
“My
goodness, please tell.” Horatio was concerned.
“He…
he told me to tell only —if your name is Horatio, as I am let to know it is.”
The man looked at Horatio.
“I
am Horatio.” Horatio handed more coins.
“He
was on the street when I met him. I had taken him in and cared for him. He was
not hurt badly but could not move much.” More coins were given. “He then took
to write the letters and gave me passage to here. Nice castle/”
Nicer
was the weight of coins.
“You
got the letter and I am to go. There is a trawler awaiting me at the docks
tomorrow. Have you any passage I can rely on to get there on time? But can wee’
have a drink to quench the thirst.”
Horatio
arranged the kitchen to feed the man. He then read the letter addressed to him.
"Horatio,
when thou shalt have overlooked this, give these other letters to the Emperor.
The letters are 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.” Horatio smiled. He
had known Hamlet since young; always fancy himself a swashbuckling pirate to
swing on the ropes.
“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.” Horatio was baffled. Hamlet was captured and in
turn, do some good to his captors.
“Let
the Emperor have the letters I have sent, and repair thou to me with as much
speed as thou wouldst fly death. I have words to speak in thine ear will make
thee dumb; yet are they much too light for the bore of the matter.”
“These
good fellows will bring thee where I am. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern hold
their course for England; of them, I have much to tell thee.”
“Farewell.
He that thou knowest thine,”
“Hamlet."
‘Thine’
was the code word of Hamlet with Horatio when he meant ‘come to see me alone’.
“Come,
I will give you way for these your letters, and do ’t the speedier that you may
direct me to him from whom you brought them.” Horatio seeks the man in the kitchen.
“I
have not finished my drink.” The man protested but Horatio was more persuasive
than the pint of ale.
They
exit.
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