Macbeth. Into the air; and what seem'd corporal melted As breath into the wind. Would they had stay'd! Banquo. Were such things here as we do speak about? Or have we eaten on the insane root That takes the reason prisoner? Macbeth. Your children shall be kings. Banquo. You shall be king. Macbeth. And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so? Ross. The king hath happily received, Macbeth, Which should be thine or his: silenced with that, And pour'd them down before him. Angus. We are sent To give thee from our royal master thanks; Not pay thee. Ross. And for an earnest of a greater honour, For it is thine. Banquo. What, can the devil speak true? 90 Macbeth. The thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me In borrow'd robes? Angus. Who was the thane lives yet, ΙΙΟ But under heavy judgement bears that life Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combined With those of Norway, or did line the rebel Have overthrown him. Macbeth. [Aside] Glamis, and thane of Cawdor! The greatest is behind. [To Ross and Angus.] Thanks for your pains. [To Banquo.] Do you not hope your children shall be kings, When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me Promised no less to them? That trusted home Banquo. Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange: The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray's In deepest consequence. Cousins, a word, I pray you. Macbeth. [Aside] Two truths are told, An happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme.-I thank you, gentlemen. [Aside] This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good: if ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor: Are less than horrible imaginings : My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, But what is not. Banquo. Look how our partner's rapt. 120 130 140 Macbeth. [Aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance Without my stir. [may crown me, Banquo. New honours come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould But with the aid of use. Macbeth. [Aside] Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day. Banquo. Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure. Macbeth. Give me your favour: my dull brain was wrought With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains Are register'd where every day I turn The leaf to read them. Let us toward the king. Think upon what hath chanced, and at more time, Our free hearts each to other. Banquo. Very gladly. Macbeth. Till then, enough. Come, friends. SCENE IV. Forres. The palace. 150 [Exeunt. Flourish. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENNOX, and Attendants. Duncan. Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not Those in commission yet return'd? Malcolm. My liege, They are not yet come back. But I have spoke Duncan. There's no art To find the mind's construction in the face: He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust. Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, Ross, and ANGUS. O worthiest cousin! The sin of my ingratitude even now Was heavy on me: thou art so far before To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserved, Are to your throne and state children and servants; Duncan. Welcome hither: I have begun to plant thee, and will labour Banquo. The harvest is your own. Duncan. There if I grow, My plenteous joys, Wanton in fulness, seek to hide themselves Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine On all deservers. From hence to Inverness, And bind us further to you. Macbeth. The rest is labour, which is not used for you: I'll be myself the harbinger and make joyful 20 30 40 The hearing of my wife with your approach; Duncan. My worthy Cawdor! 50 Macbeth. [Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires: The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. [Exit. Duncan. True, worthy Banquo; he is full so valiant, And in his commendations I am fed ; It is a banquet to me. Let's after him, Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome : It is a peerless kinsman. [Flourish. Exeunt. SCENE V. Inverness. Macbeth's castle. Enter LADY MACBETH, reading a letter. Lady Macbeth. 'They met me in the day of success: and I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me "Thane of Cawdor"; by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time, with "Hail, king that shalt be!" This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.' Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great; The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly, 13 |