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 within.] Knock, knock, knock! Who's there, i' the name of Beelzebub? Here's a farmer that hang'd himself on the expectation of plenty: come in time; have napkins enow about you; here you'll sweat for 't. [Knocking within.] Knock, knock! Who's there, in 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 within.] 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 within.] 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 within.] Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter. [Opens the gate. Enter MACDUFF and LENNOX. Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, you do lie so late? 1 Nightgown, ie, dressing-gown. 2 Old turning, plenty of turning. 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 in2 a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him. 40 Macd. I believe drink gave thee the lie last night. Port. That it did, sir, i' the very throat on me: but I requited him for his lie; and, I think, being too strong for him, though he took up my legs sometime, yet I made a shift to {cast him.] Macd. Is thy master stirring? Enter MACBETH. Macb. What is 't you say? the life? Len. Mean you his majesty? Macd. Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight With a new Gorgon. Do not bid me speak; See, and then speak yourselves. [Exeunt Macbeth and Lennox. Awake, awake! Ring the alarum-bell.—Murder and treason! Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! awake! Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, And look on death itself!-up, up, and see The great doom's image!-Malcolm! Banquo! As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites, 84 5 The obscure bird, i.e. the bird that loves the dark, ie the owl. Macb. 101 You are,1 and do not know 't: The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood Is stopp'd, the very source of it is stopp'd. Macd. Your royal father's murder'd. Mal. O, by whom? Len. Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had done 't: Their hands and faces were all badg'd with blood; So were their daggers, which unwip'd we found 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. 111 Wherefore did you so? Macb. Who can be wise, amaz'd, temperate and furious, Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man: daggers 121 Unmannerly breech'd with gore: who could refrain, That had a heart to love, and in that heart Courage to make 's love known? Lady M. Macd. Look to the lady. Help me hence, ho! Mal. [Aside to Donalbain] Why do we hold our tongues, That most may claim this argument for ours? Don. [Aside to Malcolm] [What should be spoken here, where our fate, Hid in an auger-hole, may rush, and seize us?]{ Let's away; Our tears are not yet brew'd. Mal. [Aside to Donalbain] Nor our strong sorrow Upon the foot of motion. Ban. 130 Look to the lady:[Lady Macbeth is carried out. [And when we have our naked frailties hid, That suffer in exposure, let us meet, And question this most bloody piece of work, To know it further.] Fears and scruples shake 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 Shall keep us both the safer: where we are, There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood, The nearer bloody. Mal. This murderous shaft that's shot Hath not yet lighted; and our safest way 3 Pretence, design. 4 Manly readiness, i.e. complete armour. |