It isn't fair, Claudius thinks, for Laertes to surprise him again. He expected Laertes to be harder on him, to push him more on his pauses and suspect him of evasions, to bring the conversation back to Claudius's responsibility and role in this fresh disaster. He's not a fool. He knows Laertes doesn't trust him, and if he came to Laertes smooth and charming he'd never get such easy charity. "Am I really such an obvious mess?" he asks. "I didn't think you'd pity me."