Hamlet; the Noir Adaption 2023 Act 5 Scene 2 Sub Scene 2

 Act Five

Act Five Scene Two

Sub Scene Two

The wager

The figure stepped into the humble abode of Horatio. He looked like a distinguished gentleman in the dark suit, except he held a tray in his right hand. That made him an apprentice of the butler staff. It’s the norm of the castle household to assign the staff following their rank of certain peripherals.

“Your Lordship is right welcome back to Denmark. My name is Osric of Elsinore Castle.” The apprentice stood there with his hat still on. He glanced at the surroundings and frowned at the untidy condition.

“I humbly thank you, sir.” Hamlet smiled. He then looked to Horatio. “Dost know this water fly?”

“No, my good lord. I have not been to the pond of late.” Horatio smiled. He knew they were making of the new arrival.

“Thy state is the more gracious, for ’tis a vice to know him. He hath much to learn of the land, and fertile.” Hamlet mocked the young apprentice. “Be him a beast or be lord of beasts and his crib shall stand at the king’s mess, chomping there with the Emperor as equal.”

“Sweet lord, if your Lordship were at leisure, I should impart a thing to you from his Majesty. Never!” Osric denied such ambition. “I am content to be the servant.”

“ I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of spirit. Put your bonnet to his right use: ’tis for the head.” Hamlet told the other to remove his hat.

“I thank your Lordship; it is very hot.” Osric smiled and removed his hat.

“No, believe me, ’tis very cold; the wind is northerly.” Hamlet jest with the other.

“If you say so, my lord. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.” Osric is uncertain about what to make of the weather.

“But yet methinks it is very sultry and hot for my complexion” Hamlet sighed.

“Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry, as ’twere—I cannot tell how.” Osric felt the fault was at the abode. “My lord, his Majesty bade me signify to you that he has laid a great wager on your head. Sir, this is the matter—"

“I beseech you, remember. It's cold.” Hamlet motions to Osric put on his hat.

“Nay, good my lord, for my ease, in good faith.” Osric wanted to get the message out.

“Sir, here is newly come to court Laertes—believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of the most excellent differences, of very soft society and great showing.” Osric paused, as he felt he was out of line. “May I speak, my lord?”

Without waiting for the reply, Osric continued.

“Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of the gentry, for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see.” Osric smiled.

“And I do.” Hamlet nodded. “Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you, though I know to divide him inventorially would dozy th’ arithmetic of memory, and yet but yaw neither, in respect of his quick sail. But, in the the verity of extolment,”

“Huh?” Osric felt lost there.

“I take him to be a soul of great article, and his infusion of such dearth and rareness as to make true diction of him, his semblable is his mirror, and who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more.” Hamlet turns to continue.

“Your Lordship speaks most infallibly of him.” Osric laid praise on Hamlet although he undertstand nothing then.

“The concernancy, sir? Why do we wrap the gentleman in our rawer breath?” Hamlet asked.

“Sir?” Osric was uneasy then.

“Perhaps, it’s not possible to understand in another tongue? You will to ’t, sir?” Horatio came to the rescue.

“What imports the nomination of this gentleman?” Hamlet asked Osric.

“Of Laertes?” Osric remained baffled.

“His purse is empty already; all ’s golden words are spent.”

“Of him, sir.’ Hamlet referred to Laertes. “He may be short of ducats.”

“I know you are not ignorant—” Osric spoke out of turn.

“ I would you did, sir. Yet, in faith, if you did, it would not much approve me. Well, sir?”

“You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is—” Osric remained praising Laertes.

“I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in excellence. But to know a man well
were to know himself.” Hamlet sighed.

“I mean, sir, for his weapon.” Osric felt the topic had gone off tangent. “But in the imputation
laid on him by them, in his meed, he’s unfellowed.”

“What’s of his weapon?” Hamlet was curious.

“Foils and dagger.”

“That’s two of his weapons. But, well—” Hamlet looked at Horatio. He was trained in both but his excellence remains to be tested.

“The Majesty, the sir, hath wagered with him six Barbary horses, against the which he has impawned, as I
take it, six French foils and poniards, with their assigns, as girdles, hangers, and so. Three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit.”

“His Emperor’ or as if of Norway?” Hamlet felt that Claudius may be overextending his possession to that of the old King.

“I…Norway, I think.” Osric caught off the footing again.

“What call you the “carriages”?”

“The carriages, sir, are the hangers, my lord.”

“And horses fly…indeed.” Hamlet smiled.

“Six Barbary horses against six French swords, their assigns, and three liberal-conceited carriages—” Hamlet did the mental calculations. “ That’s the French bet against Norway. Why is this all “impawned,” as you call it?”

“The Emperor, sir, that Laertes hath laid, sir, that in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits. He hath laid on twelve for nine, and it would come to immediate trial if your Lordship would vouchsafe the answer.”

“How if I answer no?” Hamlet skewed the question to Osric.

“I mean, my lord, the opposition of your person in trial.” Osric was sweating beneath his collar then. “You are the trial, my Lord.”

“Sir, I will walk here in the hall.” Hamlet saw Horatio's pained expression. He smiled. “I will be fine.”

“If it please his …Emperor, generous is the offerings. It will be the breathing time of day with me. Let
the foils are brought, the gentleman willing, and the King holds his purpose, I will win for him, and I can.
If not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits.”

“Shall I deliver you e’en so?” Osric smiled. “Can I leave now please?”

“To this effect, sir, after what flourishes your nature will.” Hamlet nodded.

“I commend my duty to your Lordship.” Osric exits. 

“He does well to commend it himself. There are no tongues else for ’s turn.” Hamlet smiled at the departing servant. “Give him time, he may replace the Chamberlain.”

“Oh, did I tell you that Ophelia is now mine? We took our commitments just before I left for England.” Hamlet smiled. “Finally, I dared to say yes. I need to sleep now.”

Horatio was stunned. Was it madness or sanity that prevailed then? He thought love was most times bouts of madness, and that was one. She is dead, and he…perhaps soon.