Hor. Not a jot more, my lord.
Ham. Is not parchment made of sheep-skins?
Hor. Ay, my lord, and of calf-skins, too. 125
Ham. They are sheep and calves which seek
out assurance in that. I will speak to this fel-
low. Whose grave 's this, sir?
[First] Clo. Mine, sir,
"O! a pit of clay for to be made 130
For such a guest is meet."
Ham. I think it be thine, indeed; for thou
liest in 't.
[First] Clo. You lie out on 't, sir, and there-
fore it is not yours; for my part, I do not lie in 't,
and yet it is mine. 136
Ham. Thou dost lie in 't, to be in 't and say
it is thine: 'tis for the dead, not for the quick;
therefore thou liest.
[First] Clo. 'Tis a quick lie, sir; 'twill away
again, from me to you.
Ham. What man dost thou dig it for? 142
[First] Clo. For no man, sir.
Ham. What woman, then?
[First] Clo. For none, neither.
Ham. Who is to be buried in 't? 146
[First] Clo. One that was a woman, sir; but
rest her soul, she's dead.
Ham. How absolute the knave is! we must
speak by the card, or equivocation will undo us.
By the Lord, Horatio, these three years I have
taken note of it; the age is grown so picked
that the toe of the peasant comes so near the
127 assurance: security; cf. n.
149 absolute: precise
150 by the card: with precision; cf. n.
152 picked: fastidious
