SCENE II.-The same. Enter Lady МАСВЕТН. Lady M. That which hath made them drunk, hath made me bold: Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it: Do mock their charge with snores: I have drugg'd their possets, Macb. [Within.]—Who's there?—what, ho! A Macb. I have done the deed :-Didst thou not hear a noise, Did not you speak ? Macb. When ? Macb. This is a sorry sight. Donalbain. [Looking on his hands Lady M. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. Macb. There's one did laugh in his sleep, and one cried, 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 M. There are two lodg'd together. Macb. One cried, 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 M. 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 M. 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! Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep; Sleep, that knus up the ravell'd sleave of care, Lady M. What do you mean? Macb. Still it cried, 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 M. Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, Macb. I'll go no more: Lady M. Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers: The sleeping, and the dead, I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal, For it must seem their guilt. Macb. [Exit. Knocking within Whence is that knocking? How is't with me, when every noise appals me? What hands are here? Ha! they pluck out mine eyes! Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather Making the green-one red. Re-enter Lady MACBETH. Lady M. My hands are of your color; but I shame 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.-[Knocking.]-Hark! more knocking. Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us, And show us to be watchers :-Be not lost So poorly in your thoughts. Mach. To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself. [Knock. Wake Duncan with thy knocking; Ay, 'would thou could'st! Enter MACDUFF, LENOX, and Porter. Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, [Exeunt Port. 'Faith, sir, we were carousing till the second cock. Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes. Len. Good-morrow, noble sir! Macb. Enter МАСВЕТН. Good-morrow, both! Not yet. Macd. Is the king stirring, worthy thane ? I have almost slipp'd the hour. Macb. But yet, 'tis one. Macb. The labor we delight in, physics pain. This is the door. Len. The night has been unruly: Where we lay, Of dire cumbustion, and confus'd events, The obscure bird Clamor'd the livelong night: some say, the earth Macb. "Twas a rough night. 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! Macb. 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 o' the building. Macb. What is't you say? the life? Len. Mean you his majesty ? Macd. Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight [Exeunt MACBETH and LENOX Ring the alarum-bell:-Murder! and treason! Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, O Banquo! Banquo! Enter BANQUO. Our royal master's murder'd! Re-enter MACBETH and LENOX. Macb. Had I but died an hour before this chance, All is but toys: renown, and grace, is dead; Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN. Don. What is amiss? Macb. You are, and do not know The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood Mal. O, by whom? 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. Wherefore did you so? [Bell rings. Macb. Who can be wise, amaz'd, temperate, and furious, Loyal and neutral, in a moment? The expedition of my violent love No man : Out-ran the pauser reason.-Here lay Duncan, Ban. Fears and scruples shake us: In the great hand of Heaven I stand; and, thence, Macb. Let's briefly put on manly readiness, And meet i' the hall together. All. Well contented. [Exeunt all but MAL. and Do Mal. What will you do? Let's not consort with them: To show an unfelt sorrow is an office Which the false man does easy: I'll to England. Don. To Ireland, I; our separate fortune Mal. This murderous shaft that's shot, [Exeunt The King's two sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, fly to England, and Macbeth is crowned king of Scotland; but fearing the prediction of the witches, that Banquo's issue should he king, he employs "two murderers," to assassinate Banquo and his son Fleance. The consequences of guilty ambition are finely portrayed in the following scene. Enter Lady MACBETH, and a Servant. Lady M. Is Banquo gone from court? Serv. Ay, madam, but returns again to-night. Lady M. Say to the king, I would attend his leisure For a few words. Serv. Lady M. Madam, I will. [Exit. Nought's had, all's spent, Where our desire is got without content: 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy, Than, by destruction, dwell in doubtful joy. Enter MACBETH. How now, my lord? why do you keep alone, Macb. We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it; |