HAMLET         ’Twere good you let him know,

For who that’s but a queen – fair, sober, wise –

Would from a paddock, from a bat, a gib,

Such dear concernings hide? Who would do so?

No, in despite of sense and secrecy

Unpeg the basket on the house’s top,

Let the birds fly and like the famous ape

To try conclusions in the basket creep

And break your own neck down.     (3.4.186-194)

This is Hamlet being MAD for the sake of it, and a very, very easy cut. ’Twere good you let him know, yes, go on, tell Claudius everything (heavy sarcasm). For who that’s but a queen – fair, sober, wise – totally regal in everything, a complete paragon – would keep such dear concernings, such pressing matters, so deeply personal too, from a paddock, from a bat, a gib, a toad, a bat, a TOM-CAT? Only a QUEEN would keep such secrets; you’d be a witch if you told your husband about any of this. Who would do so? Yes, mother, keep your mouth shut. Then (more heavy sarcasm): no, in despite of sense and secrecy unpeg the basket on the house’s top: go and tell it to the birds, sing it from every tree top, let the birds fly and like the famous ape (who took the birds up to the rooftop in the first place) to try conclusions in the basket creep and break your own neck down. If you’re foolish enough to do that, to tell ANYONE what I’ve told you, what you’ve heard and seen here tonight, then you might as well be like the foolish monkey who climbs into that empty birdcage—just by way of experiment—and breaks their neck in trying to fly. MAD nonsense, not entirely guaranteed to make Gertrude feel any better, or more confident about what to do next.