Ban. And she goes down at twelve.
Fie. I take't, 'tis later, sir.

Ban. There's husbandry in Heaven,
Their candles are all out.—

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!

Enter Seyton, with a Torch, and Macbeth.

Who's there?

Macb. A friend.

Ban. What, sir, not yet at rest? The King's abed:

He hath been in unusual pleasure, and

Sent forth great largess to your offices :
This diamond he greets your wife withal,

By the name of most kind hostess; and shut up
In measureless content.

Macb. Being unprepar'd,

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

Ban. All's well.—

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

Macb. I think not of them :

Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve,
We would spend it in some words upon that business,
If you would grant the time.

Ban. At your kind'st leisure.

Macb. 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.

D

Macb. Good repose, the while?

Ban. Thanks, sir; the like to you!

[Exeunt Fleance and Banquo.

Macb. Go, bid thy mistress, when my drink is

ready,

She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed.

Is this a dagger, which I see before me,

[Exit SEYTON.

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

As that 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

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,

Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace,

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,

[A Clock strikes Two.

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.

[Exit.

[Thunder and Lightning.

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.

Macb. [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 done't. My husband?
Enter Macbeth.

Macb. 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?

Macb. When?

Lady. Now.

Macb. As I descended?

Lady. Ay.

Macb. Hark!—Who lies i' the second chamber? Lady. Donalbain.

Macb. This is a sorry sight.

Lady. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.

Macb. 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,

Again to sleep.

and address'd them

Lady. There are two lodged together.
Macb. One cry'd,

the other;

"God bless us :" and "Amen,"

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.

Macb. 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.

Macb. Methought, I heard a voice cry, "Sleep no

more!"

To all the house,—

"Glamis hath murder'd 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.

Macb. 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,

For it must seem their guilt. [Exit Lady Macbeth. [Knocking within.

Macb. Whence is that knocking!

How is't with me, when every noise appalls me? What hands are here? Ha! they pluck out mine eyes!

Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood

Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnardine,

Making the green—one red.

Enter Lady Macbeth.

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

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.—[Knock.]—Hark! more knocking:

Get on your night-gown, lest occasion call us,

And show us to be watchers :—Be not lost
So poorly in your thoughts.

Macb. To know my deed,-"Twere best not know

myself.

[Knock.

Wake, Duncan, with this knocking! Oh, 'would thou could'st!

Exeu t.—Knock.

Enter Macduff, Lenox, and Seyton.

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

Sey. 'Faith, sir, we were carousing till the second cock.

Macd. Is thy master stirring ?

Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes.

DS