For 'tis my limited service. Len. From hence to-day? Macb. [Exit Macduff. Goes the king He does: he did appoint it so. Len. The night has been unruly: Where we lay, Our chimneys were blown down: and, as they say, Lamentings heard i'the air; strange screams of death; And prophesying, with accents terrible, Of dire combustion, and confus'd events, New hatch'd to the woful time. The obscure bird Clamour'd the live-long night: some say, the earth Was feverous, and did shake. Macb. "Twas a rough night. Len. My young remembrance cannot parallel A fellow to it. Re-enter Macduff. Macd. O horror! horror! horror! Tongue, nor heart, Cannot conceive, nor name thee! Macb. Len. What's the matter? Macd. Confusion now hath made his masterpiece? Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence The life o'the building. Macb. What is't you say? the life? Len. Mean you his majesty ? Macd. Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight With a new Gorgon :-Do not bid me speak ; Ring the alarum-bell:-Murder! and treason! Enter Lady Macbeth. What's the business O, gentle lady, Lady M. Macd. "Tis not for you to hear what I can speak : Would murder as it fell.-O Banquo! Banquo! Our royal master's murder'd! Lady M. What, in our house? Ban. Woe, alas! Too cruel, any where. Dear Duff, I pr'ythee, contradict thyself, And say, it 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; Don. Enter Malcolm and Donalbain. 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 souree of it is stopp'd. Macd. Your royal father's murder'd. O, by whom? They star'd, and were distracted; no man's life Mach. O, yet I do repent me of my fury,. Wherefore did you so? That I did kill them. Macd. Mach. Who can be wise, amaz'd, temperate, and fa rious, Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man: The expedition of my violent love Outran the pauser reason. Here lay Duncan, His silver skin lac'd with his golden blood; And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature, For ruin's wasteful entrance: there, the murderers, Steep'd in the colours of their trade, their daggers Unmannerly breech'd with gore: Who could refrain, That had a heart to love, and in that heart Courage, to make his love known? Lady M. Macd. Look to the lady. Mal. Help me hence, ho! Why do we hold our tongues, That most may claim this argument for ours? Where our fate, hid within an augre-hole, 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; In the great hand of God I stand; and, thence, Against the undivulg'd pretence I fight All. Well contented. [Exeunt all but 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. Mal. This murderous shaft that's shot, Hath not yet lighted; and our safest way [Exeunt. SCENE IV-Without the Castle. Enter Rosse and an old Man. Old. M. Threescore and ten I can remember well: Within the volume of which time, I have seen Rosse. Ah, good father, Thou see'st, the heavens, as troubied with man's act, Old Man. 'Tis unnatural, Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last, A falcon, tow'ring in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at, and kill'd. 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 Man. "Tis said, they eat each other. Rosse. They did so; to the amazement of mine eyes, That look'd upon't. Here comes the good Macduff: Enter Macduff. How goes the world, sir, now? Macd. Why, see you not? Rosse. Is't known, who did this more than bloody Malcolm, and Donalbain, the king's two sons, Are stol'n away and fled; which puts upon them Rosse. 'Gainst nature still: Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up Thine own life's means !-Then 'tis most like, Macd. He is already nam'd; and gone to Scone, Rosse. Where is Duncan's body? Macd. Carried to Colmes-kill; The sacred store-house of his predecessors, And guardian of their bones. Rosse. Will you to Scone ? Well, I will thither. Macd. No, cousin, I'll to Fife. Rosse. Macd. Well, may you see things well done there ; adieu ! fest our old robes sit easier than our new! Roste. Father, farewell |