In Elsinore Castle, Denmark, Prince Hamlet stared ahead and slowly uttered these words: To be, or not to be - that is the question; Whether 'tis- but his flow was interrupted by a low, metallic scraping somewhere behind him. Looking round he saw an old woman dragging a bucket across the floor and holding a mop. When she realised that his eyes were upon her, she said in a throaty voice, 'Oh, don't mind me, dear. You carry on.' Somewhat miffed, he turned away and began again, this time a little faster:…