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Away, and mock the time with fairest show: False face must hide what the false heart doth know. [Exeunt.

ACT II. SCENE 1.

Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE, with a Torch before him.

*Ban.

How goes the night, boy?

Fle. The moon is down; I have not heard the clock.
Ban. And she goes down at twelve.

Fle. I take't, 'tis later, Sir.

Ban. "Hold, take my sword :-There's husbandry
in heaven,

"Their candles are all out.-Take thee that too."
A heavy summons lies like lead upon me,
And yet I would not sleep: *Merciful powers!
Restrain in me the cursed thoughts, that nature
Gives way to in repose!" Give me my sword;"

Enter MACBETH, and a Servant with a Torch.
Who's there?

Mac. A friend.

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Ban. What, Sir, not yet at rest? the king's a-bed : He hath been in unusual pleasure, and Sent forth great largess to your officers: This diamond he greets your wife withal, By the name of most kind hostess; and shut up In measureless content.

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Mac. Being unprepar'd,

Our will became the servant to defect;
Which else should free have wrought*.

Ban. All's well.

I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters:
To you they have shew'd some truth.

Mac. I think not of them :

Yet, when we can intreat an hour to serve,

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We would spend it in some words upon that business,

If

you would grant the time.

Ban. At your kind'st leisure.

Mac. *If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis, It shall make honour for you.

Ban. So I lose none,

In seeking to augment it, but still keep

My bosom franchis'd, and allegiance clear,

I shall be counsel'd.

Mac. Good repose, the while!

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Ban. Thanks, Sir; the like to you! [Exit BANQUo. Mac. Go, bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready, She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. [Exit Ser. Is this a dagger, which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me *clutch

thee:

I have thee not; and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible

To feeling, as to sight? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind; a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain ?
I see thee yet, in form as palpable

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As

As this which now I draw.

Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going;
And such an instrument I was to use.

Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses,
Or else worth all the rest: I see thee still;

*And on thy blade, and dudgeon, *gouts of blood,
Which was not so before.-There's no such thing:
It is the bloody business, which informs

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Thus to mine eyes.-*Now o'er the one half world
Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse
The curtain'd sleep*; now witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's offerings; *and wither'd murder,
Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf,

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Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace, *With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design Moves like a ghost.-*Thou sure and firm-set earth, Hear not my steps, *which way they walk, for fear Thy very stones prate of my where-about*, *And take the present horror from the time,

Which now suits with it." While I threat, he

lives :

Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.” [A Bell rings.

I go, and it is done; the bell invites me.
Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell
That summons thee to heaven, or to hell.

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[Exit. SCENE

SCENE II.

Enter Lady MACBETH.

Lady. That which hath made them drunk, hath made me bold;

What hath quench'd them, hath given me fire:

Hark! Peace!

:

It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bell-man,
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.

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Mac. [Within.] Who's there?-what, ho! Lady. Alack! I am afraid they have awak'd, And 'tis not done :—the attempt, and not the deed, Confounds us :-Hark! I laid their daggers ready, He could not miss them.-*Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had don't.-My husband?

Enter MACBETH.

Mac. I have done the deed :-Didst thou not hear

a noise?

Lady. I heard the owl scream, and the crickets cry. Did not you speak ?

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Mac. Hark! Who lies i'the second chamber?

Lady. Donalbain.

Mac. This is a sorry sight.

[Looking on his Hands. Lady. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. Mac. There's one did laugh in his sleep, and one cry'd, murder!

That they did wake each other; I stood and heard them :

But they did say their prayers, and address'd them Again to sleep.

Lady. There are two lodg'd together.

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Mac. One cry'd, God bless us! and, Amen, the

other;

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. Consider it not so deeply."

Mac. But wherefore could not I pronounce, amen? I had most need of blessing, and amen

Stuck in my throat.

Lady. These deeds must not be thought

After these ways; so, it will make us mad.

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Mac. Methought, I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more!

Macbeth does murder sleep; the innocent sleep;

Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd *sleave of care,

*

The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,

Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast* ;-

Lady. What do you mean?

Mac. Still it cry'd, Sleep no more! to all the house :

Glamis

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