own sword repaid Laertes home, who was thus justly caught in
his own treachery. In this instant the queen shrieked out that she was
poisoned. She had inadvertently drunk out of a bowl which the king had
prepared for Hamlet, in case, that being warm in fencing, he should call
for drink: into this the treacherous king had infused a deadly poison,
to make sure of Hamlet, if Laertes had failed. He had forgotten to warn
the queen of the bowl, which she drank of, and immediately died,
exclaiming with her last breath that she was poisoned. Hamlet,
suspecting some treachery, ordered the doors to be shut, while he sought
it out. Laertes told him to seek no farther, for he was the traitor; and
feeling his life go away with the wound which Hamlet had given him, he
made confession of the treachery he had used, and how he had fallen a
victim to it: and he told Hamlet of the envenomed point, and said that
Hamlet had not half an hour to live, for no medicine could cure him; and
begging forgiveness of Hamlet, he died, with his last words accusing the
king of being the contriver of the mischief. When Hamlet saw his end
draw near, there being yet some venom left upon the sword, he suddenly
turned upon his false uncle, and thrust the point of it to his heart,
fulfilling the promise which he had made to his father's spirit, whose
injunction was now accomplished, and his foul murder revenged upon the
murderer. Then Hamlet, feeling his breath fail and life departing,
turned to his dear friend Horatio, who had been spectator of this fatal
tragedy; and with his dying breath requested him that he would live to
tell his story to the world (for Horatio had made a motion as if he
would slay himself to accompany the prince in death), and Horatio
promised that he would make a true report, as one that was privy to all
the circumstances. And, thus satisfied, the noble heart of Hamlet
cracked; and Horatio and the bystanders with many tears commended the
spirit of this sweet prince to the guardianship of angels. For Hamlet
was a loving and a gentle prince, and greatly beloved for his many noble
and princelike qualities; and if he had lived, would no doubt have
proved a most royal and complete king to Denmark.

[Illustration]

OTHELLO

Brabantio, the rich senator of Venice, had a fair daughter, the gentle
Desdemona. She was sought to by divers suitors, both on account of her
many virtuous qualities, and for her rich expectations. But among the