Page images
PDF
EPUB

120

Glamis hath murdered sleep; and therefore Cawdor
Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more!
Lady. Who was it, that thus cry'd? Why, worthy
thane,

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.-
Why did you bring these daggers from the place?
They must lie there: Go, carry them; and smear
The sleepy grooms with blood.

Mac. I'll go no more:

I am afraid to think what I have done;
Look on't again, I dare not.

Lady. Infirm of purpose!

Give me the daggers: the sleeping, and the dead,
Are but as pictures; 'tis the eye of childhood,
That fears a painted devil*. If he do bleed,
I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal,

130

For it must seem their guilt. [Exit. Knocking within. Mac. Whence is that knocking!

How is't with me, when every noise appals me? What hands are here? Ha! they pluck out mine eyes! Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood* 141 Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas *incarnardine,

Making the green

-one red.*

Re-enter Lady MACBETH.

Lady. My hands are of your colour; but I shame To wear a heart so white. I hear a knocking [Knock.

At

At the south entry-retire we to our chamber:
A little water clears us of this deed:

How easy is it then? Your constancy

Hath left you unattended.-Hark! more knocking:
[Knock.
Get on your night-gown, lest occasion call us, 151
And shew us to be watchers :-Be not lost

So poorly in your thoughts.

Mac. *To know my deed,-'Twere best not know

myself.

[Knock. Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would, thou

nie

ock.

At

couldst !

SCENE III.

Enter a PORTER.

[Knocking within.]

[Exeunt.

Port. "Here's a knocking, "indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he "should have old turning the key. [Knock.] Knock, "knock, knock: Who's there, i' the name of Bel"zebub? Here's a farmer, that hang'd himself on "the expectation of plenty: come in time; have "napkins *enough about you; here you'll sweat "for't. [Knock.] 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 : "oh, come in, equivocator. [Knock.] Knock, knock, "knock: Who's there? 'Faith, here's an English

tayler

"taylor come hither, for stealing out of a French hose: come in, taylor; here you may roast your

[ocr errors]

goose. [Knock] 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. [Knock] "Anon, anon ;I pray you, remember the porter." 177

Enter MACDUFF, and LENOX.

Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, do lie so late?

That you

Port. 'Faith, sir, we were carousing 'till the second cock: "and drink, sir, is a great provoker of thre "things."

Macd. "What three things doth drink especially " provoke ?"

66

Port. Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine "Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes; it pro "vokes the desire, but it takes away the perform "ance: therefore, much drink may be said to be a equivocator with lechery; it makes him, and "márs him; it sets him on, and it takes him off "it persuades him, and disheartens him; makes hir "stand to, and not stand to: in conclusion, equivocat "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, bein "too strong for him, though he took up my leg "sometim

3

⚫ sometime, yet I made a shift to cast him.".
Macd. Is thy master stirring ?-

Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes.
Len. Good-morrow, noble sir!

Enter MACBETH.

[merged small][ocr errors]

Mac. Good-morrow, both!

Macd. Is the king stirring, worthy thane?

Mac. Not yet.

Macd. He did command me to call timely on him;

| have almost slipt the hour.

Mac. I'll bring you to him.

Macd. I know this is a joyful trouble to you;

But yet, 'tis one.

Mac. The labour we delight in, physicks pain. 210 This is the door.

Macd. I'll make so bold to call,

For 'tis my limited service*.

Len. Goes the king hence to-day?

Mac. He does: he did appoint so.

[Exit MACDUFF.

Len. The night has been unruly: where we lay, Our chimneys were blown down: and, as they say, Lamentings heard i'the air; *strange screams of death; And prophesying, with accents terrible,

Of dire combustion, and confus'd events,

220

New hatch'd to the woeful time: the obscure bird Clamour'd the live-long night: some say, the earth Was feverous and did shake.

Mac. 'Twas a rough night.

[blocks in formation]

Len. My young remembrance cannot parallel A fellow to it.

Re-enter MACDUFF,

Macd. O horror! horror! horror! *tongue, nor heart, Cannot conceive, nor name thee!

Mac. and Len. What's the matter?

Macd. Confusion now hath made his master-piece! Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope

The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence
The life of the building.

Mac. What is't you say? the life?

Len. Mean you his majesty ?

231

Macd. Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight With a new Gorgon :-Do not bid me speak;

See, and then speak yourselves.-Awake! awake!

240

[Exeunt MACBETH and LENOX. 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 sprights, To countenance this horror!" Ring the bell.”

Bell rings. Enter Lady MACBETH.

Lady. "What's the business,

That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley

"The sleepers of the house? speak, speak."Macd. "O, gentle lady,

« 'Tis

« PreviousContinue »