Thine own life's means! Then 'tis most like The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth, 30 Macd. He is already nam'd, and gone to Scone To be invested. Ross. Where is Duncan's body? Macd. Carried to Colmekill, The sacred storehouse of his predecessors And guardian of their bones. Ross. Will you to Scone? Macd. No, cousin, I'll to Fife. Ross. Well, I will thither. Macd. Well, may you see things well done there: adieu! Lest our old robes sit easier than our new! Ross. Farewell, father. Old Man. God's benison go with you; and with those 40 SCENE I.- Forres. A Room in the Palace. Ban. Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, As the weird women promis'd; and, I fear, But that myself should be the root and father And set me up in hope? But, hush! no more. Sennet sounded. Enter MACBETH, as king; Lady MACBETH, as queen; LENNOX, ROSS, Lords, Ladies, and Attendants. Macb. Here's our chief guest. Lady M. If he had been forgotten 11 It had been as a gap in our great feast, Mach. To-night we hold a solemn supper, sir, And I'll request your presence. Let your highness Command upon me; to the which my duties Are with a most indissoluble tie [ACT III Craving us jointly. Hie you to horse; adien, Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you! Ban. Ay, my good lord: our time does call upon's. Mach. I wish your horses swift and sure of And so I do commend you to their backs, Let every man be master of his time Exeunt all but MACBETH and an Attendant. Sirrah, a word with you. Attend those men Our pleasure? Atten. They are, my lord, without the palace gate. Macb. Bring them before us. Exit Attendan To be thus is nothing, But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature Reigns that which would be fear'd: 'tis much he dares, For them the gracious Duncan have I murder'd; And something from the palace; always thought Second Mur. We are resolv'd, my lord. Mach. I'll call upon you straight: abide Exeunt Murderers. within. It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul's flight, 140 If it find heaven, must find it out to-night. remedy Should be without regard: what's done is done. Mach. We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it: She'll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice Remains in danger of her former tooth. But let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer, Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep In the affliction of these terrible dreams 21 That shake us nightly. Better be with the dead, poison, Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing Can touch him further! Lady M. Come on; Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks; Be bright and jovial among your guests to-night. Macb. So shall I, love; and so, I pray, be you. Let your remembrance apply to Banquo; Present him eminence, both with eye and tongue: Unsafe the while, that we 30 Must lave our honours in these flattering streams, And make our faces vizards to our hearts, Disguising what they are. Lady M. You must leave this. done A deed of dreadful note. Exit. Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night, [ACT III. And play the humble host. Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our For my heart speaks they are welcome. Enter First Murderer, to the door. Macb. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks. Both sides are even: here I'll sit i' the midst : 20 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; That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, Fleance is 'scap'd. Most royal sir, Mach. Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect; Whole as the marble, founded as the rock, With twenty trenched gashes on his head; Macb. Thanks for that. There the grown serpent lies: the worm that's fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for the present. morrow We'll hear ourselves again. Lady M. Get thee gone; to 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; Now good digestion wait on appetite, Len. May 't please your highness sil. The Ghost of BANQUO enters, and sits in Macb. Here had we now our country's honour Were the grac'd person of our Banquo present: His absence, sir, Lays blame upon his promise. Please't your highness To grace us with your royal company. Mach. The table's full. Mach. Where? Here is a place reserv'd, sir. Len. Here, my good lord. What is't that moves your highness? Lady M. O proper stuff! 61 This is the very painting of your fear; A woman's story at a winter's fire, Authoriz'd by her grandam. Shame itself! Why do you make such faces? When all's done Mach. Prithee, see there! behold! look! lo! Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too. Shall be the maws of kites. Lady M. Ghost vanishes. What! quite unmann'd in folly? Mach. If I stand here, I saw him. Ere human statute purg'd the gentle weal; to all; Then, I'll sit down. Give me some wine; fill full: Our duties, and the pledge. 92 Macb. Avaunt! and quit my sight! Let the Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; Which thou dost glare with. Lady M. Think of this, good peers, But as a thing of custom: 'tis no other; Only it spoils the pleasure of the time. Mach. What man dare, I dare : Even to the disposition that I owe, 131 At our great bidding ? By the worst means, the worst. For mine own All causes shall give way: I am in blood 141 Macb. Come, we'll to sleep. My strange and Is the initiate fear that wants hard use : SCENE V.-A Heath. Exeunt. Thunder. Enter the three Witches, meeting First Witch. Why, how now, Hecate! you Hec. Have I not reason, beldams as you are, Saucy and overbold? How did you dare Meet me i' the morning: thither he There hangs a vaporous drop profound; He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear Is mortals' chiefest enemy. Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell Where he bestows himself? Lord. The son of Duncan, From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, Lives in the English court, and is receiv'd Of the most pious Edward with such grace That the malevolence of fortune nothing 10 Takes from his high respect. Thither Macduff Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid To wake Northumberland and war-like Siward; That, by the help of these, with him above To ratify the work, we may again Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights, Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives, Do faithful homage and receive free honours; All which we pine for now. And this report Hath so exasperate the king that he 20 Prepares for some attempt of war. 30 Music and a song within:‘Come away, come Hark! I am call'd; my little spirit, see, Exit. First Witch. Come, let's make haste; she'll soon be back again. Exeunt. What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance. But, peace! for from broad words, and 'cause he His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear fail'd 21 Len. Sent he to Macdufi! Lord. He did: and with an absolute 'Sir, not I,' The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And hums, as who should say, 'You'll rue the time SCENE L-A Cavern. In the middle, a boiling Cauldron. First Witch. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd. Second Witch. Thrice and once the hedge-pig whin'd. Third Witch. Harpier cries: 'Tis time, 'tis time. First Witch. Round about the cauldron go; In the poison'd entrails throw. All. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble. Witches' mummy, maw and gulf 10 |