It is a banquet to me. Let us after him, SCENE V. INVERNESS. A ROOM IN MACBETH'S CASTLE. Enter Lady Macbeth, reading a letter. Lady M.-"They met me in the day of success; and I have learned, by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves-air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me, Thane of Cawdor; by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, referred me to the coming on of time, with, Hail, king that shalt be! This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness; that thou mightest not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell." and Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be That which cries, Thus thou must do, if thou have Enter an Attendant. Attend. The king comes here to-night. Is not thy master with him? who, wer't so, Attend. So please you, it is true; our thane is One of my fellows had the speed of him; [coming: Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more Than would make up his message. Lady M. Give him tending, He brings great news. The raven himself is Enter Macbeth. Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter! Thy letters have transported ine beyond This ignorant present, and I feel now The future in the instant. Macb. My dearest love, Duncan comes here to-night. Lady M. And when goes hence? Shall sun that morrow see! Your face, my thane, is as a book, where men But be the serpent under it. He that's coming SCENE VI. THE SAME. [exeunt. BEFORE THE CASTLE. Hautboys. Servants of Macbeth attending. Enter Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Banquo, Lenox, Macduff, Rosse, Angus, and Attendants. Dun. This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself Unto our gentle senses. Ban. This guest of summer, The temple-haunting martlet, does approve, Enter Lady Macbeth. Dun. See, see! our honour'd hostess! The love that follows us, sometime is our trouble, Which still we thank as love. Herein I teach you, How you shall bid God yield us for your pains, And thank us for your trouble. Lady M. All our service In every point twice done, and then done double, Dun. Where's the thane of Cawdor? Lady M. Your servants ever Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in compt, To make their audit at your highness' pleasure, Still to return your own. Dun. Give me your hand: Conduct me to mine host; we love him highly, jexeunt. SCENE VII. THE SAME; A ROOM IN THE CASTLE. Hautboys and torches. Enter, and pass over the stage, a Sewer, and divers Servants with dishes and service; then enter Macbeth. And live a coward in thine own esteem; I dare do all that may become a man; Lady M. What beast was it then, now Macb. If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere Does unmake you. I have given suck; and know Lady M. He has almost supp'd. Why have you Mach. If we should fail,- But screw your courage to the sticking-place, A limbeck only. When in swinish sleep Macb. Bring forth men-chilaren only' Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Of his own chamber, and us'd their very daggers, Not cast aside so soon. That they have done't? Lady M. Who dares receive it other, As we shall make our griefs and clamour roar Macb. I am settled, and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. ACT II. SCENE I. THE SAME. COURT WITHIN THE CASTLE. Enter Banquo and Fleance, and a Servant with a Ban. How goes the night, boy? [clock. [in heaven, She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. [exit Ser. The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch To feeling, as to sight? or art thou but Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going; Mine eyes are made the fools o'the other senses, [pace, Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design Moves like a ghost.-Thou sure and firm-set earth, I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. SCENE II. THE SAME. That they did wake each other. I stood and heard But they did say their prayers, and address'd them Again to sleep. Lady M. There are two lodg'd together. [other; Macb. One cried, God bless us! and, Amen, the As they had seen me, with these hangman's hands. Listening their fear, I could not say, Amen, When they did say, God bless us. Lady M. Consider it not so deeply. Macb. But wherefore could I not pronounce, I had most need of blessing, and amen [amen? You do unbend your noble strength, to think So brain-sickly of things:-Go, get some water, And wash this filthy witness from your hand.--[exit. Why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there; go, carry them; and smear The sleepy grooms with blood. Enter Lady Macbeth. Lady M. That, which hath made them drunk, hath made me bold: [Hark! Peace! What hath quench'd them, hath given me fire. It was the owl that shriek'd; that fatal bellman, Which gives the stern'st good night. He is about it: The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms Do mock their charge with snores. I have drugg'd their possets, That death and nature do contend about them, Whether they live or die. Macb. [within.] Who's there!—what, ho! Macb. I'll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done; Lady M. Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers. The sleeping, and the dead, How is't with me, when every noise appals me? Enter a Porter. [knocking within. Porter. Here's a knocking, indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. [knocking.] Knock, knock, knock: who's there, i'the name of Belzebub? Here's a farmer, that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty. Come in time; have napkins enough about you: here you'll sweat for't. [knocking.] Knock, knock; who's there, i'the other devil's name? 'Faith, here's an equivocator, that could swear in both the scales against either scale; who committed treason enough for God's sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven: O, come in, equivocator. [knocking.] Knock, knock, knock: who's there? 'Faith, here's an English tailor come hither, for stealing out of a French hose: come in, tailor? here you may roast your goose. [knocking.] Knock, knock: never at quiet! What are you?-But this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter it no further: I had thought to have let in some of all professions, that go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire. [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 and drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things. too strong for him, though he took up my leg Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes. Len. Good morrow, noble sir! Macd. Is the king stirring, worthy thane? Macd. He did command me to call timely on Macd. I know, this is a joyful trouble to you; Mucb. The labour we delight in, physics pain. Macd. I'll make so bold to call, Len. Goes the king From hence to-day? [exit Macduff. Macb. He does:-he did appoint it so. Macb. 'Twas a rough night. Len. My young remembrance cannot parallel A fellow to it. Re-enter Macduff. Macd. O horror! horror! horror! Tongue, nor Macb. & Len. What's the matter? [sight Macb. What is't you say? the life? Macd. What three things does drink especially As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprights, provoke? Port. Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes and unprovokes: it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance: therefore, much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery: it makes him, and it mars him; it sets him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him, and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and not stand to: in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him. Macd. I believe, drink gave thee the lie last night. Port. That it did, sir, i'the very throat o'me: but I requited him for his lie; and, I think, being To countenance this horror! [bell rings. Enter Lady Macbeth. 'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak : Our royal master's murder'd! Ban. Too cruel, any where.. Dear Duff, I pr'ythee, contradict thyself, And say, it is not so. Re-enter Macbeth and Lenox. Macb. Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had liv'd a blessed time; for, from this instant, There's nothing serious in mortality: All is but toys: renown, and grace, is dead; The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of. Enter Malcolm and Donalbain. Don. What is amiss? Mach. You are, and do not know it; The spring, the head, the fountain, of your blood [done't: Len. Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had Their hands and faces were all badg'd with blood, So were their daggers, which, unwip'd, we founá Upon their pillows: They star'd, and were distracted; no man's life Was to be trusted with them. Macb. O, yet I do repent me of my fury, That I did kill them. Macd. Wherefore did you so? [furious, Lady M. Help me hence, ho! Mal. Why do we hold our tongues, That most may claim this argunent for ours? Mul. Nor our strong sorrow on The foot of motion. Ban. Look to the lady:- [Lady M. carried out. And question this most bloody piece of work, Macb. And so do I. All. So all. Macb. Let's briefly put on manly readiness, And meet i'the hall together All. Well contented. [ex, all but Malc. and Don. Mal. What will you do? Let's not consort with To show an unfelt sorrow, is an office [them. Which the false man does easy: I'll to England. Don. To Ireland, I; our separated fortune Shall keep us both the safer; where we are, Rosse. Alas, the day! What good could they pretend? Macd. They were suborn'd: Malcolm, and Donalbain, the king's two sons, Are stol'n away and fled; which puts upon them Suspicion of the deed. Rosse. 'Gainst nature still: Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up Thine own life's means!-Then 'tis most like, The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. Macd. He is already nam'd; and gone to Scone, To be invested. Rosse. Where is Duncan's body? Rosse. Will you to Scone? Macd. No, cousin, I'll to Fife. |