That, when the brains were out, the man would die, And there an end: but now, they rise again, With twenty mortal murders on their crowns, And push us from our stools: This is more strange Than such a murder is. Lady M. My worthy lord, Your noble friends do lack you. Mach. I do forget :Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends; I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing To those that know me. Come, love and health to all; Then I'll sit down:-Give me some wine, fill full: I drink to the general joy of the whole table, Ghost rises. And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss; 'Would, he were here! to all, and him, we thirst, And all to all. Lords. Our duties, and the pledge. Macb. Avaunt! and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with! Lady M. Think of this, good peers, Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, gone, I am a man again.-'Pray you, sit still. Lady M. You have displac'd the mirth, broke the good meeting, With most admir'd disorder. Macb. Can such things be, And overcome us like a summer's cloud, Without our special wonder? You make me strange Even to the disposition that I owe, When now I think, you can behold such sights, And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks, When mine are blanch'd with fear. Rosse. What sights, my lord? Lady M. I pray you, speak not; he grows worse and worse; Question enrages him: at once, good night :Stand not upon the order of your going, But go at once. Len. Good night, and better health Attend his majesty ! Lady M. A kind good night to all! [Exeunt Lords and Attendants. Macb. It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood; Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak; Augures, and understood relations have, By magot-pies, and choughs, and rooks, brought forth The secret'st man of blood.-What is the night? Lady M. Almost at odds with morning, which is which. Mach. How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person, At our great bidding? Lady M. Did you send to him, sir? Mach. I hear it by the way; but I will send : There's not a one of them, but in his house I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow, (And betimes I will), to the weird sisters: More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know, By the worst means, the worst: for mine own good, All causes shall give way: I am in blood Stept in so far, that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er: Strange things I have in head, that will to hand; Which must be acted, ere they may be scann'd. Lady M. You lack the season of all natures, sleep. Macb. Come, we'll to sleep: My strange and self-abuse Is the initiate fear, that wants hard use:- [Exeunt. SCENE V. The Heath. Thunder. Enter HECATE, meeting the three Witches. 1 Witch. Why, how now, Hecate? you look angerly. Hec. Have I not reason, beldams, as you are, In riddles, and affairs of death; And, which is worse, all you have done o Spiteful, and wrathful; who, as others do, on Loves for his own ends, not for you. But make amends now: Get you gone, And at the pit of Acheron Meet me i' the morning; thither he Your vessels, and your spells, provide, Great business must be wrought ere noon : There hangs a vaporous drop profound; Shall draw him on to his confusion: Is mortal's chiefest enemy. Song. [Within.] Come away, come away, &c. Hark, I am call'd; my little spirit, see, Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me. [Erit. Witch. Come, let's make haste; she'll soon be back again. [Exeunt. SCENE VI. Fores. A Room in the Palace. Enter LENOX and another Lord. Len. My former speeches have but hit your thoughts, Which can interpret further: only, I say, Things have been strangely borne: The gracious Duncan Was pitied of Macbeth:-marry, he was dead :And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late; Whom, you may say, if it please you, Fleance kill'd, For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late. Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous It was for Malcolm, and for Donalbain, To kill their gracious father? damned fact! How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight, In pious rage, the two delinquents tear, That were the slaves of drink, and thralls of sleep? Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too; For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive, To hear the men deny it. So that, I say, He has borne all things well: and I do think, That, had he Duncan's sons under his key, (As, an 't please heaven, he shall not), they should find What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance. But, peace!-for from broad words, and 'cause he fail'd His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear, Lord. 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 Prepares for some attempt of war. Len. Sent he to Macduff? Lord. He did; and with an absolute, Sir, not 1, The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And hums; as who should say, You'll rue the time That clogs me with this answer. Len. And that well might Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel Fly to the court of England, and unfold His message ere he come; that a swift blessing May soon return to this our suffering country Under a hand accurs'd! Lord. I'll send my prayers with him! [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I. A dark Cave. In the middle, a Cauldron boiling. Thunder. Enter the three Witches. 1 Witch. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd. 2 Witch. Thrice; and once the hedge-pig whin'd. 3 Witch. Harper cries:-'Tis time, 'tis time. |