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.“Your many good deeds will be fittingly rewarded in time.For now, I ask that you allow me and my Captains an hour to bathe and dress as befits this occasion.We are wet and mired, not suited at all for this place, or the grand company gathered.We do not want to offend any with our unkempt appearance.” He claps his hands twice, and a few of the musicians are alert enough to sound a ragged fanfare.Hamlet bows to Gertrude.“Be of good cheer and wait a little longer.I will join you within the hour, my Queen.” He starts down the steps, without having actually occupied his throne.A buzz of speculation follows him as he makes his way toward the corridor leading toward the baths; Hamlet continues on his way as if he hears nothing.Then, as he reaches the arched doorway, he signals to me, “Yorick.Come with me,” he orders.My anguish turns to relief as I hear this.I bow quickly and rush after him, leaving Mect to stand alone in the drafty, half-open doorway.* * *“We lost too many good men, and that is the great crime of war, that the finest men must fall in its path, like lambs to the sacrifice,” Hamlet tells me a short while later as he sits in the largest of the tubs, the hot water rising around him, enveloping his face in wreaths of steam.“It is very hard to see good men die.I did not think we would have such losses, but the Poles.…”“It is hard to see anyone die,” I remark, handing him the soap.“The Poles are hard fighters, let no one tell you otherwise.They hold their lines to the very limit.” He rubs at the back of his neck.“I will have to let the barber at me before we carry on with these festivities.I feel shaggy as a goat.” He motions to me to go.“The barber, Yorick.”I hurry off on this errand, and shortly come upon the handsome new bath attendant, a fair youth with shining dark hair, like a raven’s wing, and large, melting eyes any girl would kill to possess.His name is Esmond and he is putting brushes out at the tubs the King’s Captains will soon occupy.He smiles at me in his most winning way, and says, “Was that the King who came in with you just now?” “Yes,” I answer.“He will need his hair and beard tended to, no doubt,” says the bath attendant, his eyes greedy at the thought of doing service for his King.“No doubt.He has sent me for his barber.” I say this to some purpose, and wave a dismissal toward him.“There are others who will be pleased of your help.”“Officers,” says the young bath attendant.“Captains,” I correct him as I hasten on my way.But by the time I find the barber and lead him back to where the King is bathing, the young attendant has already set about the task himself, lathering Hamlet’s hair with soap mixed with woolfat and oil of pine.The barber turns to me in disgust.“He has more help than I will give him,” he tells me before turning on his heel and venturing toward one of the Captains.I stand where the barber has left me and watch in terrible fascination as the new bath attendant ministers to the King, his lithe young flesh growing ruddy; I stare in spite of my certainty that I should not, until I can no longer bear to see what I am seeing, and hasten away.TRIUMPHSFor the next week the court rejoices in the King’s triumphant return; Mect and I are kept busy entertaining them all at suppers and promenades and such displays as the wretched weather will permit.The Norwegians present the various honors and gifts Fortinbras sends to Hamlet, along with letters on the progress of young Fortinbras, who, it would seem, is growing up admirably.After a short Council meeting, Hamlet pulls me aside, and indicates one of the old galleries in a neglected part of the castle.“How has it been while I was gone?” he asks me when he is certain that.we are not being followed or overheard.“What has been the character of the court? I was warned some time ago that Polonius has thrown in his lot with my damned brother.”“They have acted together many times, certainly,” I say in answer, speaking softly in spite of the privacy the King has assured us.Hamlet stops pacing and looks down at me.“Not you as well, Yorick.No courtesy, if you wish to serve me honorably.Give me plain answers, I beg you.”I duck my head.“Yes, it has seemed to me from time to time that Polonius and Claudius were acting in concert.But I have never seen them together in such as way as would make me suppose there was any plot laid between them.” This last I add hastily, so that Hamlet will not conclude that those men are his enemies, though I dislike everything about their association.“Not that they could not make such time,” says the King in a measuring way, rubbing his chin slowly and meditatively.This time when he glances in my direction, there is a sterner light in his eyes.“How is it, Yorick, that you are not willing to speak against them?”“Because I know of no reason, beyond my own suspicions, that would warrant I do so,” I say to him, feeling again that I am speaking to a stranger, someone who has lost all common ground with me.“Then tell me your suspicions, Sir Yorick,” Hamlet orders me.Never have I thought that I would want to escape Hamlet’s company now that he is returned to Denmark, but now, in this place, I do, which troubles me deeply.“It is based on little more than my own poor opinion of each man,” I say, trying to deflect the blow I fear will come, and afraid it will harm the Prince far more than Claudius or Polonius.“If I had higher regard for either of them, I might well suppose that they were less questionable in what they do.” “I understand that,” says Hamlet impatiently.“And I will keep it in mind when I hear you out.”There is nothing for it but to reply.“I think that your brother is as jealous of you now as he was when you were younger.I think that he yearns to show you up.And I think that Polonius seeks high position however he can obtain it, and with little regard to what the consequences may be to others, or to Denmark, for that matter.” Hamlet smiles wolfishly.“How keen your sight is, Yorick.But it is the thing a jester needs most, I would suppose.”I do not know how Hamlet would like me to answer him, so I content myself with a shrug
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