MAKE HER LAUGH AT THAT

Gertrude sits down at her table and drinks from a goblet. She then begins to put on make-up. She covers her face as though to hide some horrible stain. Claudius comes into the room.

KING CLAUDIUS
Where is your son?

GERTRUDE
Ah, my good lord, what have I seen to-night!

Gertrude reaches for some wine, but Claudius takes the goblet from her.

KING CLAUDIUS
What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet?

Gertrude speaks with a strange calm. She simply describes what she saw. She maintains clinical distance throughout.

QUEEN GERTRUDE
Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend which is the mightier.

She tries to kiss Claudius who pushes her away. She barely acknowledges this.

In his lawless fit, Behind the arras hearing something stir, Whips out his rapier, cries, 'A rat, a rat!' And, in this brainish apprehension, kills The unseen good old man.

KING CLAUDIUS
It had been so with us, had we been there: His liberty is full of threats to all; To you yourself, to us, to every one. Where is he gone?

QUEEN GERTRUDE
To draw apart the body he hath kill'd: He weeps for what is done.

Gertrude again tries to kiss Claudius and she almost draws him in but he is suddenly disgusted by her and terrified by her. He leaves the room.

She is upset at first, but suddenly she becomes very calm and sits down again at the table and continues caking on the makeup.