ference,
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 show 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 for the body, it was not the
king, but Polonius, the old officious counsellor, that had planted
himself as a spy behind the hangings. "Oh me!" exclaimed the queen,
"what a rash and bloody deed have you done!" "A bloody deed, mother,"
replied Hamlet, "but not so bad as y