a private conference in her
closet.

It was by desire of the king that the queen sent for Hamlet, that she
might signify to her son how much his late behaviour had displeased
them both; and the king, wishing to know all that passed at that
conference, and thinking that the too partial report of a mother might
let slip some part of Hamlet's words, which it might much import the
king to know, Polonius, the old counsellor of state, was ordered to
plant himself behind the hangings in the queen's closet, where he
might unseen hear all that passed. This artifice was particularly
adapted to the disposition of Polonius, who was a man grown old in
crooked maxims and policies of state, and delighted to get at the
knowledge of matters in an indirect and cunning way.

Hamlet being come to his mother, she began to tax him in the roundest
way with his actions and behaviour, and she told him that he had given
great offence to _his father_, meaning the king, his uncle, whom,
because he had married her, she called Hamlet's father. Hamlet, sorely
indignant that she should give so dear and honoured a name as father
seemed to him, to a wretch who was indeed no better than the murderer
of his true father, with some sharpness replied, "Mother, _you_ have
much offended _my father_." The queen said that was but an idle
answer. "As good as the question deserved," said Hamlet. The queen
asked him if he had forgotten who it was he was speaking to? "Alas!"
replied Hamlet, "I wish I could forget. You are the queen, your
husband's brother's wife; and you are my mother: I wish you were not
what you are." "Nay, then," said the queen, "if you shew me so little
respect, I will set those to you that can speak," and was going to
send the king or Polonius to him. But Hamlet would not let her go, now
he had her alone, till he had tried if his words could not bring her
to some sense of her wicked life; and, taking her by the wrist, he
held her fast, and made her sit down. She, affrighted at his earnest
manner, and fearful lest in his lunacy he should do her a mischief,
cried out: and a voice was heard from behind the hangings, "Help, help
the queen;" which Hamlet hearing, and verily thinking that it was the
king himself there concealed, he drew his sword, and stabbed at the
place where the voice came from, as he would have stabbed a rat that
ran there, till the voice ceasing, he concluded the person to be dead.
But when he dragged forth the body, it was n