HAMLET         Sir, I will walk here in the hall. If it please his majesty, it is the breathing time of day with me. Let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing and the King hold his purpose – I will win for him an I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits.

OSRIC Shall I deliver you so?

HAMLET         To this effect, sir, after what flourish your nature will.

OSRIC I commend my duty to your lordship.

HAMLET         Yours. ’A does well to commend it himself.

[Exit Osric.]

There are no tongues else for’s turn.           (5.2.154-164)

Hamlet seems to tire of the Osric baiting; he needs to send a reply and this is it. Sir, I will walk here in the hall. I’m not going anywhere; I might as well do what’s being asked of me. If it please his majesty, it is the breathing time of day with me. I usually exercise around now, so, if that suits the king? So, let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing and the King hold his purpose—go on, set it all up, if Laertes is still keen and if the King still wants to go through with this wager—FINE. Let’s just do it. I will win for him an I can—if I can—if not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits. I’ll have a go, but no skin off my nose if I don’t manage it, just a bit embarrassing, maybe a bruise or two. Osric can’t quite believe it that after all this messing about, Hamlet’s acquiesced: shall I deliver you so? can I go and tell the King you’re saying yes? YES, says Hamlet, to this effect, sir, after what flourish your nature will. And you can dress it up in whatever mad over-the-top phrases you like. Just go and deliver my reply! Oh, I commend my duty to your lordship! Yes SIR! Yours, yes, back at you. ’A does well to commend it himself. There are no tongues else for’s turn; it’s a final snipe at Osric; well, he’s got to do all the commending, all the courtesies, no one else is going to. And no one’s going to praise or thank him for it either. Exit Osric.