dor Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more! Lady M. Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, ver at quiet! What are you?-But this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter it no further: I had thought to have let in some of all professions, that Glamis hath murder'd sleep; and therefore Caw-go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire. [Knocking.] Anon, anon; I pray you, remember the porter. [Opens the gate. Enter Macduff and Lenox. Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, You do unbend your noble strength, to think I'll go no more: Infirm of purpose Give me the daggers: The sleeping and the dead, Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood, That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal, For it must seem their guilt. [Exit. Knocking within. Macb. Whence is that knocking? How is't with me, when every noise appals me? What hands are here? Ha! they pluck out mine eyes! Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnardine, Making the green one red. Re-enter Lady Macbeth. Lady M. My hands are of your colour; but I shame To wear a heart so white. [Knock.] I hear a knocking At the south entry :-retire we to our chamber: Hath left you unattended.-[Knocking.] Hark! more knocking: Get on your night-gown, lest occasion call us, Macb. To know my deed,-'twere best not know myself. thou could'st! [Knock. Wake Duncan with thy knocking! Ay, 'would [Exeunt. Enter a Porter. [Knocking within.] SCENE III.-The same. Porter. Here's a knocking, indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old2 turning the key. [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock: Who's there, i'the name of Belzebub? Here's a farmer, that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty: Come in time; have napkins3 enough about you; here you'll sweat for't. [Knocking.] Knock, knock: Who's there, i'the other devil's name?'Faith, here's an equivocator, that could swear in both the scales against either scale; who committed treason enough for God's sake, yet could not eqni-| vocate to Heaven: O, come in, equivocator. [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock: Who's there? 'Faith, here's an English tailor come hither, for stealing out of a French hose: Come in, tailor; here you may roast your goose. [Knocking.] Knock, knock: Ne (1) To incarnardine is to stain of a flesh-colour. (2) Frequent. (3) Handkerchiefs. (4) Cock-crowing. That you do lie so late? Port. 'Faith, sir, we were carousing till the second cock :4 and drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things. Macd. What three things does drink especially provoke? Port. Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes: it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance: Therefore, much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery: it makes him, and it mars him; it sets him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him, and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and not stand to: in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him. Macd. I believe, drink gave thee the lie last night. Port. That it did, sir, i'the very throat o'me: But I requited him for his lie; and, I think, being too strong for him, though he took up my legs sometime, yet I made a shift to cast him. Macd. Is thy master stirring? Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes Len. Good-morrow, noble sir! Macb. Macb. The labour we delight in, physics pain. This is the door. I'll make so bold to call, limited service.6 Len. From hence to-day? [Exit Macd Goes the king Macb. And prophesying, with accents terrible, Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope Macb. What is't you say? the life? With a new Gorgon :-Do not bid me speak; O, gentle lady 'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak : Our royal master's murder'd! Lady M. What, in our house? Ban. Wo, alas! Too cruel, any where.Dear Duff, I pr'ythee, contradict thyself, And say, is not so. Re-enter Macbeth and Lenox. Macb. Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had liv'd a blessed time; for, from this instant, There's nothing serious in mortality: All is but toys: renown, and grace, is dead; Enter Malcolm and Donalbain. Don. What is amiss? Macb. You are, and do not know it: 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. Mal. O, by whom? Len. Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had done't: Their hands and faces were all badg'd with blood, So were their daggers, which, unwip'd, we found Upon their pillows: 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, Macd. Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man: That had a heart to love, and in that heart (Courage, to make his love known? (1) Covered with blood to their hilt. All. Well contented. [Exeunt all but Mal. and Don. Mal. What will you do? Let's not consort with them: To show an unfelt sorrow, is an office Mal. SCENE IV.-Without the castle. Enter Rosse and an Old Man. Old M. Threescore and ten I can remember Within the volume of which time, I have seen Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock, 'tis day, Rosse. And Duncan's horses (a thing most strange and certain,) Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would make War with mankind. Old M. 'Tis said, they eat each other. Rosse. They did so; to the amazement of mine As the weird women promis'd; and, I fear, Macb. Here's our chief guest. If he had been forgotten, Macb. To-night we hold a solemn supper, sir, And I'll request your presence. Ban. Let your highness Command upon me; to the which, my duties Are with a most indissoluble tie For ever knit. upon us. Macb. I wish your horses swift, and sure of foot; Let every man be master of his time Macb. Bring them before us.-[Exit Atten.] But to be safely thus:-Our fears in Banquo And, to that dauntless temper of his mind, there? -Who's Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers. Now to the door, and stay there till we call. [Exit Attendant. Was it not yesterday we spoke together? How you were borne in hand; how cross'd; the instruments; Who wrought with them; and all things else, that might, (5) Challenge me to extremities. (6) Proved. (7) Deluded. curs, Shoughs,2 water-rugs, and demi-wolves, are That writes them all alike: and so of men. 2 Mur. I do, to spite the world. 1 Mur. And I another, So weary with disasters, tugg'de with fortune, To mend it, or be rid on't. Both of you Know, Banquo was your enemy. 2 Mur. Macb. So is he mine: and in such bloody distance,7 True, my lord. That every minute of his being thrusts 2 Mur. We shall, my lord, Perform what you command us. 1 Mur. Though our livesMacb. Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour, at most, I will advise you where to plant yourselves. (1) Are you so obedient to the precept of the Gospel. (3) Called. (2) Wolf-dogs. (4) Title, description. (6) Worried. (8) Because of. (5) Careless. (7) Mortal enmity. (9) Most melancholy. I'll come to you anon. Madam, I will. [Exit. How now, my lord? why do you keep alone, Mach. We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it; The frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer, In restless ecstasy.10 Duncan is in his grave; Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison, Lady M. Come on; you: Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks; Must lave our honours in these flattering streams; mons, The shard-borne beetle,13 with his drowsy hums, Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling 15 night, (10) Agony. (11) Do him the highest honours. (12) i. e. The copy, the lease, by which they hold their lives from nature, has its time of termination. (13) The beetle borne in the air by its shards or scaly wings. (14) A term of endearment. (15) Blinding. Cancel, and tear to pieces, that great bond Both sides are even: Here I'll sit i'the midst : Which keeps me pale!-Light thickens; and the Be large in mirth; anon, we'll drink a measure crow Makes wing to the rooky wood: Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; The table round.-There's blood upon thy face. Macb. 'Tis better thee without, than he within. Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him. Macb. Thou art the best o'the cut-throats: Yet SCENE III-The same. A park or lawn, with That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, he's good, a gate leading to the palace. Enter three Mur-Thou art the nonpariel. derers. Hark! I hear horses. That are within the note of expectation,1 1 Mur. His horses go about. 3 Mur. Almost a mile: but he does usually, So all men do, from hence to the palace gate Make it their walk. Mur. Most royal sir, Macb. Then comes my fit again: I had else Whole as the marble, founded as the rock; Macb. row We'll hear, ourselves again. [Exit Murderer. Lady M. 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; Enter Banquo and Fleance, a servant with a torch From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony: 2 Mur. 3 Mur. preceding them. A light, a light! 'Tis he. Let it come down. 1 Mur. Stand to't. Ban. It will be rain to-night. 1 Mur. Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly; escape. Thou may'st revenge.- O slave! And last, the hearty welcome. The fit is momentary; upon a thought3 He will again be well: If much you note him, Macb. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that (1) 1. e. They who are set down in the list of (2) Continues in her chair of state. guests, and expected to supper. (3) As quick as thought. (4) Prolong his suffering. |