SCENE II.

KING, GHOST.

_King_. What noise is this? What villain dares, At this dread hour, with feet and voice profane, Disturb our royal walls?

_Ghost_. One who defies Thy empty power to hurt him; one who dares[165] Walk in thy bedchamber.

_King_. Presumptuous slave! Thou diest.

_Ghost_. Threaten others with that word: I am a ghost, and am already dead.[166]

_King_. Ye stars! 'tis well. Were thy last hour to come, This moment had been it; yet by thy shroud[167] I'll pull thee backward, squeeze thee to a bladder, Till thou dost groan thy nothingness away. Thou fly'st! 'Tis well. [GHOST _retires_. I thought what was the courage of a ghost![168] Yet, dare not, on thy life--Why say I that, Since life thou hast not?--Dare not walk again Within these walls, on pain of the Red Sea. For, if henceforth I ever find thee here, As sure, sure as a gun, I'll have thee laid----

_Ghost._ Were the Red Sea a sea of Hollands gin, The liquor (when alive) whose very smell I did detest, did loathe--yet, for the sake Of Thomas Thumb, I would be laid therein.

_King._ Ha! said you?

_Ghost._ Yes, my liege, I said Tom Thumb, Whose father's ghost I am--once not unknown To mighty Arthur. But, I see, 'tis true, The dearest friend, when dead, we all forget.

_King._ 'Tis he--it is the honest Gaffer Thumb. Oh! let me press thee in my eager arms, Thou best of ghosts! thou something more than ghost!

_Ghost._ Would I were something more, that we again Might feel each other in the warm embrace. But now I have th' advantage of my king, For I feel thee, whilst thou dost not feel me.[169]

_King._ But say, thou dearest air,[170] oh! say what dread, Important business sends thee back to earth?

_Ghost._ Oh! then prepare to hear--which but to hear Is full enough to send thy spirit hence. Thy subjects up in arms, by Grizzle led, Will, ere the rosy-finger'd morn shall ope The shutters of the sky, before the gate Of this thy royal palace, swarming spread. So have I seen the bees in clusters swarm,[171] So have I seen the stars in frosty nights, So have I seen the sand in windy days, So have I seen the ghosts on Pluto's shore, So have I seen the flowers in spring arise, So have I seen the leaves in autumn fall, So have I seen the fruits in summer smile, So have I seen the snow in winter frown.

_King._ D--n all thou hast seen!--dost thou, beneath the shape Of Gaffer Thumb, come hither to abuse me With similes, to keep me on the rack? Hence--or, by all the torments of thy hell, I'll run thee through the body, though thou'st none.[172]

_Ghost._ Arthur, beware! I must this moment hence, Not frighted by your voice, but by the cocks! Arthur, beware, beware, beware, beware! Strive to avert thy yet impending fate; For, if thou'rt kill'd to-day, To-morrow all thy care will come too late.