Macb. Thou art the best o'the cut-throats: Yet he's good, That did the like for Fleance. 1 Off. Most royal sir, Fleance is 'scap'd. 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: But now, I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confin'd, bound in With twenty trenched gashes on his head; Macb. Thanks for that: There the grown serpent lies: the worm, that's fled, Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for the present.-Get thee gone; to-morrow We'll hear ourselves again. Lady. My royal lord, [Exit OFFICER. You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold, That is not often vouch'd, while 'tis a-making, "Tis given with welcome: to feed, were best at home; From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony; Mach. Sweet remembrancer! Now, good digestion wait on appetite, And health on both! Len. May it please your highness sit? Macb. Here had we now our country's honour roof'd, Were the grac'd person of our Banquo present; Than pity for mischance! Rosse. His absence, sir, Lays blame upon his promise. Please it your high ness To grace us with your royal company? Macb. The table's full. Len. Here is a place reserv'd, sir. Macb. Where? Len. Here, my good lord. What is't that moves your highness? Mach. Which of you have done this? Len. What, my good lord? Macb. Thou canst not say, I did it Thy gory locks at me. never shake Rosse. Gentlemen, rise; his highness is not well. Lady. Sit, worthy friends :-my lord is often thus, And hath been from his youth: 'pray you, keep seat; The fit is momentary; upon a thought He will again be well: If much you note him, Lady. O, proper stuff! This is the very painting of your fear; This is the air-drawn dagger, which, you said, Authoriz'd by her grandam. Shame itself! Macb. 'Pr'ythee, see there! behold! look! lo!- Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.- Lady. What! quite unmann'd in folly? Lady. Fie, for shame! Macb. Blood hath been shed ere now, i'the olden time, Ere human statute purg'd the gentle weal; Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd Lady. My worthy lord, Your noble friends do lack you. Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends: To those that know me. Come, love and health to all; Then I'll sit down:-Give me some wine, fill full :— [SEYTON pours out the Wine, and presents it to the KING. I drink to the general joy of the whole table, BANQUO'S GHOST appears. Avaunt! and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with! Lady. Think of this, good peers, But as a thing of custom: 'tis no other; Mach. What man dare, I dare: Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, The arm'd rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger, The baby of a girl.-Hence, horrible shadow ! Unreal mockery, hence! [Exit GHOST.] Why, so ;~~being gone, I am a man again. Lady. You have displac'd the mirth, broke the good meeting, With most admir'd disorder. Macb. Can such things be, And overcome us like a summer's cloud, Without our special wonder? You make me strange When now I think you can behold such sights, Rosse. What sights, my lord? Lady. I pray you, speak not; he grows worse and worse; Question enrages him at once, good night:— But go at once. Len. Good night, and better health Attend his majesty! Lady. A kind good night to all! [Exeunt all but the KING and QUEEN. Macb. It will have blood: they say, blood will have blood: Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak; Augurs, and understood relations, have By maggot pies, and choughs, and rooks, brought forth The secret'st man of blood.-What is the night? Lady. Almost at odds with morning, which is which. Macb. How, say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person, At our great bidding? Lady. Did you send to him, sir? Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will send : There's not a one of them, but in his house I keep a servant fee'd.-I will to-morrow, (And by times I will,) unto the weird sisters: More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know, By the worst means, the worst: for mine own good, All causes shall give way; I am in blood Stepp'd in so far, that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er. Lady. You lack the season of all natures, sleep. Macb. Come, we'll to sleep: My strange and self abuse Is the initiate fear, that wants hard use: We are yet but young in deed. [Exeunt. SCENE V. The open Country. Thunder and Lightning. Enter the Three WITCHES, meeting HECATE. 1 Witch. Why, how now, Hecate? you look an gerly. Hec. Have I not reason, beldams, as you are, Saucy and overbold? How did you dare To trade and traffic with Macbeth, In riddles, and affairs of death; |