Enter POLONIUS with his man [Reynaldo] or two.
POLONIUS Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.
REYNALDO I will, my lord.
POLONIUS You shall do marvellous wisely, good Reynaldo,
Before you visit him to make inquire
Of his behaviour.
REYNALDO My lord, I did intend it.
POLONIUS Marry, well said, very well said. (2.1.1-6)
A complete shift of tone and pace: daylight, interior, family matters. Back to Polonius, fussing. Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo. He is not named; probably able to be inferred pretty quickly that it’s Laertes? In any case, Reynaldo’s being sent on a mission, with money and letters to deliver. He’s polite, efficient: I will, my lord: there might be a brief bow as he makes to leave, off to the airport, car waiting. But no, not yet. You shall do marvellous wisely, good Reynaldo, before you visit him to make inquire of his behaviour. It’d be a really good idea, before you actually meet up with him, to make discreet enquiries as to how he’s doing, ask around, find out what he’s up to—what people think of him, his reputation. My lord, I did intend it, says the obsequious Reynaldo—loyal long-time employee, he knows how Polonius operates, master of surveillance (he can be a sinister functionary, or else he knows that Polonius worries, that he’s losing his grip a bit?) Of course I was going to do that. Marry, well said, very well said. Oh good: this pleases Polonius, they’re on the same wave-length. But, again, Reynaldo’s not going to get away quite yet…