Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN. Don. What is amiss? Macb. You are, and do not know 't: The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood Is stopp'd, the very source of it is stopp'd. Macd. Your royal father's murder'd. O, by whom? Len. Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had done 't: They star'd, and were distracted; no man's life Macb. O, yet I do repent me of my fury, That I did kill them. Macd. Wherefore did you so? Macb. Who can be wise, amaz'd, temperate and furious, Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man : The expedition of my violent love Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan, Lady M. Macd. Look to the lady. Mal. [aside to Don.] Help me hence, ho! Why do we hold our tongues, That most may claim this argument for ours? Don. [aside to Mal.] What should be spoken here, where our fate, Hid in an auger-hole, may rush, and seize us? Let's away; Our tears are not yet brew'd. Mal. [aside to Don.] Upon the foot of motion. Nor our strong sorrow Ban. Look to the lady : [Lady Macbeth is carried out. And when we have our naked frailties hid, And question this most bloody piece of work, To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us: Of treasonous malice. Macd. All. And so do I. So all. Macb. Let's briefly put on manly readiness, And meet i' th' hall together. All. Well contented. [Exeunt all except Malcolm and Donalbain. 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 separated fortune Shall keep us both the safer: where we are, There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood, Mal. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. Without MACBETH's castle. Enter Ross and an Old Man. Old M. Threescore and ten I can remember well: Within the volume of which time I've seen Hours dreadful and things strange; but this sore night Ross. Ah, good father, Thou seest, the heavens, as troubled with man's act, Old M. 'Tis unnatural, Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last, A falcon, towering in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd. Ross. And Duncan's horse', (5-a thing most strange and certain, Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, Old M. 'Tis said they eat each other. Ross. They did so,-to th' amazement of mine eyes, That look'd upon't.-Here comes the good Macduff. Enter MACDuff. Why, see you not? How goes the world, sir, now? Macd. Ross. Is't known who did this more than bloody deed? Ross. What good could they pretend? Macd. Alas, the day! They were suborn'd: Malcolm and Donalbain, the king's two sons, Are stol'n away and fled; which puts upon them Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up Thine own life's means !-Then 'tis most like The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth.(52) Macd. He is already nam'd; and gone to Scone To be invested. Ross. Where is Duncan's body? Macd. Carried to Colme-kill, The sacred storehouse of his predecessors, Macd. Well, may you see things well done there,— adieu, Lest our old robes sit easier than our new! Ross. Farewell, father. Old M. God's benison go with you; and with those That would make good of bad, and friends of foes! [Exeunt. ACT III. SCENE I. Forres. A room in the palace. Enter BANQUo. Ban. Thou hast it now,-king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, As the weird women promis'd; and, I fear, Thou play'dst most foully for't: yet it was said It should not stand in thy posterity; But that myself should be the root and father Of many kings. If there come truth from them,— May they not be my oracles as well, 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, It had been as a gap in our great feast, And all-thing unbecoming. Macb. To-night we hold a solemn supper, sir, And I'll request your presence. Ban. Let your highness Command upon me;" Are with a most indissoluble tie Macb. Ride you this afternoon? Ban. my duties Ay, my good lord. Macb. We should have else desir'd your good adviceWhich still hath been both grave and prosperous In this day's council; but we'll take Is't far you ride ? to-morrow. Ban. As far, my lord, as will fill up the time "Twixt this and supper: go not my horse the better, I must become a borrower of the night For a dark hour or twain. Macb. Fail not our feast. Ban. My lord, I will not. Macb. We hear, our bloody cousins are bestow'd Let every man be master of his time Till seven at night; to make society The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself [Exit Banquo. Till supper-time alone: while then, God b' wi' you! [Exeunt all except Macbeth and an Attendant. Sirrah, a word with you: attend those men Our pleasure? Atten. They are, my lord, without the palace-gate. [Exit Attendant. 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; |