Which keeps me pale!-Light thickens; and the crow Makes wing to the rooky wood: Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; SCENE III. The same. A Park or Lawn, with a Gate leading to the Palace. Enter three Murderers. 1 Mur. But who did bid thee join with us? 3 Mur. Macbeth. 2 Mur. He needs not our mistrust; since he de livers Our offices, and what we have to do, To the direction just. 1 Mur. Then stand with us. The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day; Now the lated traveller apace, spurs To gain the timely inn; and near approaches The subject of our watch. 3 Mur. Ban. [Within.] Give us a light there, ho! 2 Mur. Hark! I hear horses. Then it is he; the rest His horses go about. That are within the note of expectation,1 1 Mur. 3 Mur. Almost a mile; but he does usually, So all men do, from hence to the palace gate Make it their walk. 1 i. e. they who are set down in the list of guests, and expected to supper. Enter BANQUO and FLEANCE, a Servant with a torch preceding them. Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly; Thou mayst revenge. O slave! [Dies. FLEANCE and Servant escape. 1 Was❜t not the way? 3 Mur. Who did strike out the light? 2 Mur. We have lost best half of our affair. 1 Mur. Well, let's away, and say how much is done. SCENE IV. A Room of State in the Palace. A Banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, LADY MACBETH, ROSSE, LENOX, Lords, and Attendants. Macb. You know your own degrees; sit down: at first 2 And last, the hearty welcome. Lords. Thanks to your majesty. Macb. Ourself will mingle with society, And play the humble host. 1 Fleance, after the assassination of his father, fled into Wales, where, by the daughter of the prince of that country, he had a son named Walter, who afterwards became lord high steward of Scotland, and from thence assumed the name of sir Walter Steward. From him, in a direct line, king James I. was descended; in compliment to whom, Shakspeare has chosen to describe Banquo, who was equally concerned with Macbeth in the murder of Duncan, as innocent of that crime. 2 "At first and last." Johnson, with great plausibility, proposes to read, "To first and last." Our hostess keeps her state;1 but, in best time, Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends; For my heart speaks, they are welcome. Enter first Murderer, to the door. Macb. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks. Both sides are even: Here I'll sit i' the midst: Macb. 'Tis better thee without, than he within.2 Is he despatched? Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him. Macb. Thou art the best o' the cutthroats. he's good, That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, Thou art the nonpareil. Mur. Fleance is 'scaped. Most royal sir, Yet Macb. Then comes my fit again. I had else been perfect; Whole as the marble, founded as the rock; As broad and general as the casing air: But now, I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in Macb. Thanks for that. There the grown serpent lies; the worm, that's fled, Hath nature that in time will venom breed, 1 "Keeps her state," continues in her chair of state. A state was a royal chair with a canopy over it. 2 ""Tis better thee without, than he within;" that is, I am better pleased that the blood of Banquo should be on thy face than he in this room. 3 "With twenty trenched gashes on his head;" from the French trancher, to cut. No teeth for the present.-Get thee gone; to-morrow We'll hear ourselves again. Lady M. [Exit Murderer. My royal lord, You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold,1 That is not often vouched while 'tis a making, 'Tis given with welcome. To feed were best at home; From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony; Meeting were bare without it. Sweet remembrancer!— Macb. Len. May it please your highness, sit? [The ghost of BANQUO rises, and sits in MACBETH's place. Macb. Here had we now our country's honor roofed, Were the graced person of our Banquo present; Who may I rather challenge for unkindness, Than pity for mischance! Rosse. His absence, sir, Lays blame upon his promise. Please it your highness To grace us with your royal company? Macb. The table's full. Len. Macb. Here's a place reserved, sir. Where? Len. Here, my good lord. What is't that moves your highness? Macb. Which of you have done this? Lords. What, my good lord? Macb. Thou canst not say, I did it: never shake Thy gory locks at me. Rosse. Gentlemen, rise; his highness is not well. Lady M. Sit, worthy friends.-My lord is often thus, And hath been from his youth: 'pray you, keep seat; The fit is momentary; upon a thought 2 He will again be well. If much you note him, 1 That which is not given cheerfully cannot be called a gift; it is something that must be paid for. 2 i. e. prolong his suffering, make his fit longer Macb. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that Which might appal the devil. Lady M. This is the air-drawn dagger, which, you said, 1 A woman's story at a winter's fire, Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself! Macb. Pr'ythee, see there! behold! look! lo! how say you? Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.— [Ghost disappears. What! quite unmanned in folly? Fie, for shame! Macb. If I stand here, I saw him. Lady M. Lady M. Macb. Blood hath been shed ere now, i' the olden time, 2 Ere human statute purged the general weal; Ay, and since, too, murders have been performed Lady M. My worthy lord, Your noble friends do lack you. Macb. 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; 1 This was a form of elliptic expression, commonly used even at this day, in the phrase "this is nothing to them," i. e. in comparison to them. 2 The folio reads gentle. |