பக்கம்:ஓர் விருந்து அல்லது சபாபதி.pdf/17

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13

	F.	A German Song! Who the devil is going to sing it.
	S. M.	Nobody, you honour- it is omitted by special request.
	F.	That beats me! Then why mention it?
	S. M.	It is this way, your honour, I was told that your honour hates every thing German. So out of deference to your honour I specially omitted it.
	F.	Then, why mention it at all?
	S. M.	Unless I mentioned it, how is your honour to know, that it has been omitted? your honour sees.
	F.	Yes! I see.
	S. M.	Instead of that—I have put in Shakespeare's soliloquy by Hamlet.
	F.	That is right—I like Shakespeare immensely you know! By the bye, Sabapathy, you must call it Hamlet’s soliloquy by Shakespeare.
	S. M.	I thought Shakespeare wrote it?
	F.	Yes, Shakespeare wrote it—for Hamlet.
	S. M.	Why? Did not Hamlet know to make a soliloquy?
	F.	Good God! He did nothing but that—but Shakespeare wrote it.
	S. M.⁠	Probably he was Hamlet's friend, Funny chap this Shakespeare! I see that is the reason why my teacher once told me that we know really so little about this Shakespeare.
	F.	Now let us have this soliloquy.
	S. M.	Yes your honour—Now Murugesan, begin—In what ragam does your honour want it sung?
	F.	Sung! I thought it was going to be recited.
	S. M.	Yes your honour, but our Indian actors all sing our soliloquies.
	F.	Well, go on—Any music you please.
	Muru.	(Sings.)“To be or not to be” etc. (in Thodi ragam)
	S. M.	How does your honour like it?
	F.	Well—it is at least a very original idea!