314 MACBETH. Confounds us: Hark! I laid their daggers Macb. Whence is that knocking? How is't with me, when every noise appals me? Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Lady M. I heard the owl scream, and the crickets cry. Did not you speak? Who lies i'the second chamber? Lady M. Donalbain. Macb. This is a sorry sight. [Looking on his hands. Lady M. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. Macb. There's one did laugh in his sleep, and one cried, murder! That they did wake each other; I stood and heard them : But they did say their prayers, and address'd them There are two lodg'd together. Macb. One cried, God bless us! and, Amen, the As they had seen me, with these hangman's hands amen? I had most need of blessing, and amen Lady M. These deeds must not be thought Macb. Methought, I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more ! 9 Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep; Lady M. What do you mean? Macb. Still it cried, Sleep no more! to all the house: Glamis hath murder'd sleep; and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more! Lady M. Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, You do unbend your noble strength, to think I'll go no more: one red. Re-enter Lady MACBETH. Lady M. My hands are of your colour; but I shame To wear a heart so white. [Knocking.] I hear a knocking At the south entry: - retire we to our chamber: more knocking: [Knocking.] Hark! Get on your night-gown, lest occasion call us, And show us to be watchers: So poorly in your thoughts. Be not lost Macb. To know my deed,-'twere best not know [Knocking. myself. [Exeunt. Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst ! SCENE III.-The same. Enter a Porter. [Knocking within. Porter. Here's a knocking, indeed! [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock: Who's there? Come in time. [Knocking.] Knock, knock: Who's there? [Knocking.] Knock, knock: Never at quiet! What are you? [Knocking.] Anon, anon; I pray you remember the porter. [Opens the gate. Enter MACDUFF and LENOX. Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed That you do lie so late? Port. Faith, sir, we were carousing till the second cock. Macd. Is thy master stirring? Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes. Len. Good-morrow, noble sir! Good morrow, both! Macb. I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal, [Exit. Knocking within. Sleave is unwrought silk Our chimnies were blown down; and, as they say, Lamentings heard i'the air; strange screams of death; 1 To incarnardine is to stain of a flesh colour. 2 i. e. Affords a cordial to it. 3 Appointed service. Macd. Confusion now hath made his masterpiece! That had a heart to love, and in that heart What is't you say? the life? Courage to make his love known? Len. Mean you his majesty? With a new Gorgon: - Do not bid me speak; Macd. Look to the lady. Mal. Help me hence, ho! Why do we hold our tongues, Mal. The foot of motion. Nor our strong sorrow on Look to the lady :- Lady M. 'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak : O Banquo! Banquo! Ban. Too cruel, any where. Re-enter MACBETH and LENOX. Mach. Had I but died an hour before this chance, Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN. Don. What is amiss? And so do I. Macb Well contented. Mal. What will you do? Let's not consort with them : To show an unfelt sorrow, is an office Which the false man does easy: I'll to England. Don. To Ireland, I; our separated fortune Mal. SCENE IV. - Without the Castle. Enter Rosse and an Old Man. Old M. Threescore and ten I can remember well: Rosse. 4 Covered with blood to their hilts. SCENE I. . Fores. A Room in the Palace. Enter BANQUO. Ban. Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, As the weird women promis'd; and, I fear, And set me up in hope? But, hush; no more. Senet sounded. Enter MACBETH, as King; Lady Macb. Here's our chief guest. If he had been forgotten, Macb. To-night we hold a solemn supper, sir, And I'll request your presence. Ban. Let your highness Command upon me; to the which, my duties Are with a most indissoluble tie I must become a borrower of the night, For a dark hour or twain. Macb. Fail not our feast. Let every man be master of his time And, to that dauntless temper of his mind, And bade them speak to him; then, prophet-like, To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings! Re-enter Attendant, with Two Murderers. Now to the door, and stay there till we call. Who's [Exit Attendant. Was it not yesterday we spoke together? 1 Mur. It was, so please your highness. Macb. Well then, now Have you consider'd of my speeches? Know, That it was he, in the times past, which held you So under fortune; which, you thought, had been Our innocent self: this I made good to you In our last conference; pass'd in probation9 with you, How you were borne in hand; how cross'd; the instruments; Who wrought with them; and all things else, that might, To half a soul, and a notion craz'd, 1 Mur. 1 Mur. That writes them all alike: And so of men. And not in the worst rank of manhood, say it; 2 Mur. 1 Mur. And I another, Macb. So is he mine: and in such bloody distance, That every minute of his being thrusts Against my near'st of life: And though I could With bare-fac'd power sweep him from my sight, And bid my will avouch it; yet I must not, For 5 certain friends that are both his and mine, Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his fall Whom I myself struck down: and thence it is, That I to your assistance do make love; Masking the business from the common eye, For sundry weighty reasons. 2 Mur. We shall, my lord, Macb. Your spirits shine through you. this hour, at most, Within I will advise you where to plant yourselves, 2 Mur. We are resolv'd, my lord. Mach. I'll call upon you straight; abide within. It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul's flight, If it find heaven, must find it out to-night. [Exeunt. Madam, I will. Serv. How now, my lord? why do you keep alone, Macb. We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it; The frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer, In restless ecstasy. 7 Duncan is in his grave; Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison, 2 Called. 4 Careless. 5 Because of. 6 Most melancholy. Malice domestick, foreign levy, nothing, Can touch him further! Lady M. Come on; Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks; Must lave our honours in these flattering streams; Lady M. You must leave this. Macb. O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Thou know'st, that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives. Lady M. But in them nature's copy's not eterne. 9 Macb. There's comfort yet; they are assailable; Then be thou jocund: Ere the bat hath flown His cloister'd flight; ere, to black Hecate's summons, The shard-borne beetle, with his drowsy hums, Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done A deed of dreadful note. Lady M. What's to be done? Macb. Beinnocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly; Thou mayst revenge. O slave! Was't not the way? [Dies. FLEANCE and Servant escape. 1 Mur. Well, let's away, and say how much is SCENE IV. A Room of State in the Palace. A Banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, Lady MacBETH, ROSSE, LENOX, Lords, and Attendants. Macb. You know your own degrees, sit down : at first And last, the hearty welcome. Our hostess keeps her state 3; but, in best time, Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends; For my heart speaks, they are welcome. Enter First Murderer, to the door. Macb. See, they encounter thee with their Both sides are even: Here I'll sit i'the midst : Macb. 'Tis better thee without, than he within. Is he despatch'd? Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him. Macb. Thou art the best o'the cut-throats: Yet he's good, That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, Mur. Fleance is 'scap'd. Most royal sir, Macb. Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect; Whole as the marble, founded as the rock; As broad, and general, as the casing air: Macb. morrow Get thee gone; to [Exit Murderer. My royal lord, You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold, Enter BANQUO and FLEANCE, a Servant with a torch That is not often vouch'd, while 'tis a making, 2 Mur. 3 Mur. preceding them. A light! a light! 'Tis he. 'Tis given with welcome: To feed, were best at home; From thence the sauce to meat is ceremony; Meeting were bare without it. Macb. Sweet remembrancer! Now good digestion wait on appetite, And health on both! 3 Her chair of state. |