same suit of armour, from head to foot, which the dead king was known to
have worn: and they who saw it (Hamlet's bosom friend Horatio was one)
agreed in their testimony as to the time and manner of its appearance:
that it came just as the clock struck twelve; that it looked pale, with
a face more of sorrow than of anger; that its beard was grisly, and the
colour a _sable silvered_, as they had seen it in his lifetime: that it
made no answer when they spoke to it; yet once they thought it lifted up
its head, and addressed itself to motion, as if it were about to speak;
but in that moment the morning cock crew, and it shrunk in haste away,
and vanished out of their sight.

The young prince, strangely amazed at their relation, which was too
consistent and agreeing with itself to disbelieve, concluded that it was
his father's ghost which they had seen, and determined to take his watch
with the soldiers that night, that he might have a chance of seeing it;
for he reasoned with himself, that such an appearance did not come for
nothing, but that the ghost had something to impart, and though it had
been silent hitherto, yet it would speak to him. And he waited with
impatience for the coming of night.

When night came he took his stand with Horatio, and Marcellus, one of
the guard, upon the platform, where this apparition was accustomed to
walk: and it being a cold night, and the air unusually raw and nipping,
Hamlet and Horatio and their companion fell into some talk about the
coldness of the night, which was suddenly broken off by Horatio
announcing that the ghost was coming.

At the sight of his father's spirit, Hamlet was struck with a sudden
surprise and fear. He at first called upon the angels and heavenly
ministers to defend them, for he knew not whether it were a good spirit
or bad; whether it came for good or evil: but he gradually assumed more
courage; and his father (as it seemed to him) looked upon him so
piteously, and as it were desiring to have conversation with him, and
did in all respects appear so like himself as he was when he lived, that
Hamlet could not help addressing him: he called him by his name, Hamlet,
King, Father! and conjured him that he would tell the reason why he had
left his grave, where they had seen him quietly bestowed, to come again
and visit the earth and the moonlight: and besought him that he would
let them know if there was anything which they could do to give peace to
his spirit. A