Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.
Macb. What man dare, I dare:

Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,
The arm'd rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tyger,
Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
Shall never tremble: Or, be alive again,
And dare me to the desert with thy sword;
If trembling I inhibit thee, protest me
The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow!
[Ghost disappears.]
Why, so; - being

Unreal mockery, hence!

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 I will have blood:

Stones have been known to move, and trees to

speak;

Augurs, 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.

Macb. How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person, At our great bidding?

Lady M. Did you send to him, sir?

Macb. 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:

good,

for mine own

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:
We are yet but young in deed.

[Exeunt.]

Thunder. Enter, from opposite sides, HECATE, and the

three Witches.

1. Witch. Why, how now, Hecat'? you look

angerly.

Hec. Have I not reason, beldams, as you

are,

Saucy, and overbold? How did you dare
To trade and traffick with Macbeth,
In riddles, and affairs of death;
And I, the mistrefs of your charms,
The close contriver of all harms,
Was never call'd to bear my part,
Or shew the glory of our art?
And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward son,

Spightful, and wrathful; who, as others do,

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
Will come to know his destiny.
Your vessels, and your spells, provide,
Your charms, and every thing beside:
I am for the air; this night I'll spend
Unto a dismal and a fatal end.

Great business must be wrought ere noon:
Upon the corner of the moon

There hangs a vaporous drop profound;
I'll catch it ere it come to ground:
And that, distill'd by magick slights,
Shall raise such artificial sprights,
As, by the strength of their illusion,
Shall draw him on to his confusion:
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear:
And you all know, security

Is mortals' chiefest enemy.

SONG. [within.] Come

away come away,

Hark, I am call'd; my little spirit, see,
Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me.

etc.

[Exit.]

I. Witch. Come, let's make haste, she'll soon

be back again.

[Exeunt.]

Enter LENOX, and another Lord.

Len. My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,

- Which can interpret farther: only, I say, Things have been strangely borne: The gracious

Duncan

Was pitied of Macbeth:

dead:

marry, he was

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 deliquents 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,
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
Takes from his high respect: Thither Macduff is
gone,

To pray the holy king, upon his aid

To wake Northumberland, and warlike 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 their king, that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.

Len. Sent he to Macduff?

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

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.]