Claudius nearly laughs, nearly disagrees. His ambitions were loftier than survival -- no less than murdering his brother, taking his crown, and sharing it with the woman he'd loved all his life. But then he remembers the whole mad plan began with the fear his brother's jealous rages could take Gertrude's life. He remembers convincing himself that coming between them by any means but murder would hazard Gertrude's soul. It all felt like life or death. Since the first broken bone, when he realized none of the courtiers would condemn the future king, so he lied and said he broke it climbing trees. He couldn't rely on anyone, but he could always lie. "Yes," he says instead. "Me, too."