Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night,
Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day;
And with thy bloody and invisible hand
Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond

Which keeps me pale! Light thickens; and the

crow

Makes wing to the rooky wood:

Good things of day begin to droop and drowse;
Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse.
Thou marvell'st at my words: but hold thee still:
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.
So, prithee, go with me.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. A park near the palace.

Enter three Murderers.

First Mur. But who did bid thee join with us?

Third Mur.

Macbeth.

Sec. Mur. He needs not our mistrust, since he

delivers

Our offices and what we have to do

To the direction just.

First Mur.

Then stand with us.

The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day:

Now spurs the lated traveller apace

To gain the timely inn; and near approaches

The subject of our watch.

Third Mur.

Hark! I hear horses.

Ban. [Within] Give us a light there, ho!

Sec. Mur.

day. An

46. seeling allusion to the practice, in falconry, of sewing up the falcon's eyelids.

Then 'tis he: the rest

50

49. Cancel, etc. A continuas tion of the image in line 37..

6. lated, belated.

That are within the note of expectation

Already are i' the court.

First Mur.

His horses go about.

Third Mur. Almost a mile : but he does usually, So all men do, from hence to the palace gate Make it their walk.

Sec. Mur.

A fight, a light!

Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE with a torch.

Third Mur.

First Mur. Stand to 't.

'Tis he.

10

Ban. It will be rain to-night.

Let it come down.

First Mur.

[They set upon Banquo.

Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly,

fly!

Thou mayst revenge. O slave!

[Dies.

Fleance escapes.

Was 't not the way?

Third Mur. Who did strike out the light?

First Mur.

Third Mur. There's but one down; the son is

fled.

Sec. Mur.

We have lost

20

Best half of our affair.

First Mur. Well, let's away, and say how much

is done.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV. The same. Hall in the palace.

A banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, LADY MAC BETH, ROSS, LENNOX, Lords, and Attendants.

Macb. You know your own degrees; sit down: at first

And last a hearty welcome.

VOL. IX

209

P

Lords.

Thanks to your majesty.

Macb. Ourself will mingle with society,

And play the humble host.

Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time

We will require her welcome.

Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our

friends;

For my heart speaks they are welcome.

Enter First Murderer to the door.

Mach. See, they encounter thee with their hearts'
thanks.

Both sides are even: here I'll sit i' the midst :
Be large in mirth; anon we'll drink a measure
The table round. [Approaching the door.] There's
blood upon thy face.

Mur. 'Tis Banquo's then.

Mach. 'Tis better thee without than he within.

Is he dispatch'd?

Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.

Mach. Thou art the best o' the cut-throats: yet
he's good

That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it
Thou art the nonpareil.

Mur.

Fleance is 'scaped.

Most royal sir,

Macb. Then comes my fit again: I had else

been perfect,

Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,

As broad and general as the casing air :

But now I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confined, bound in

daringly ungrammatical way of saying that the blood is better on the murderer's face than in Banquo's veins.

But Banquo's safe?

To saucy doubts and fears.

Mur. Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides,
With twenty trenched gashes on his head;
The least a death to nature.

Macb.

There the grown serpent lies;

Thanks for that:

the worm that's fled

Hath nature that in time will venom breed,

No teeth for the present. Get thee gone: to-morrow We'll hear ourselves again.

Lady M.

[Exit Murderer.

My royal lord,

You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold
That is not often vouch'd, while 'tis a-making,
'Tis given with welcome: to feed were best at home;
From thence the sauce to meat is ceremony;
Meeting were bare without it.

Macb.

Sweet remembrancer!

Now, good digestion wait on appetite,
And health on both!

Len.

May 't please your highness sit. [The Ghost of Banquo enters, and sits in

Bang uoabeth's place.

Macb. Here had we now our country's honour

roof'd,

Were the graced person of our Banquo present;
Who may I rather challenge for unkindness

Than pity for mischance!

Ross.

His absence, sir,

Lays blame upon his promise. Please 't your

highness

To grace us with your royal company.

Macb. The table 's full.

Len.

Macb. Where?

Here is a place reserved, sir.

Len. Here, my good lord. What is 't that moves

your highness?

Macb. Which of you have done this?

30

40

Lords.

What, my good lord ? Mach. Thou canst not say I did it: never shake 50

Thy gory locks at me.

Ross. Gentlemen, rise: his highness is not well. Lady M. Sit, worthy friends: my lord is often thus,

And hath been from his youth: pray you, keep

seat;

The fit is momentary; upon a thought

He will again be well: if much you note him,
You shall offend him and extend his passion :
Feed, and regard him not. Are you a man?
Macb. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on
that

Which might appal the devil.

Lady M.

O proper stuff!
This is the very painting of your fear:

This is the air-drawn dagger which, you said,
Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts,
Impostors to true fear, would well become

A woman's story at a winter's fire,

Authorized by her grandam.

Shame itself!

Why do you make such faces? When all's done,
You look but on a stool.

Macb. Prithee, see there! behold! look! lo!
how say you?

60

Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too. 70 If charnel-houses and our graves must send

Those that we bury back, our monuments

Shall be the maws of kites.

Lady M.

[Ghost vanishes.

What, quite unmann'd in folly?

Fie, for shame!

Mach. If I stand here, I saw him.

Lady M.

Macb. Blood hath been shed ere now, i' the

olden time,

60. proper, excellent (with irony).