Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

I

Proceeding from the heat-oppreffed brain ? fee thee yet, in form as palpable

As this which now I draw

Thou marshal'ft me the way that I was going,
And fuch an inftrument I was to use.

Mine eyes are made the fools o' th' other fenfes,
Or elfe worth all the reft I fee thee ftill,

And on thy blade and dudgeon, gouts of blood,
Which was not fo before. There's no fuch thing--
It is the bloody bufinefs which informs

This to mine eyes

Now o'er one half the world
Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse
The curtain'd fleep; now Witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's offerings: and wither'd Murder,
(Alarum'd by his fentinel, the wolf,

Whofe howl's his watch) thus with his stealthy pace,
With Tarquin's ravishing ftrides, tow'rds his defign
Moves like a ghost Thou found and firm-fet earth,
Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear
Thy very ftones prate of 5 'that we're about,
And take the prefent horror from the time,

Which now fuits with it- Whilft I threat, he lives

I go, and it is done; the bell invites me.

Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell
That fummons thee to heaven, or to hell.

[blocks in formation]

[A bell rings.

[Exit.

III.

Enter Lady Macbeth.

Lady. That which hath made them drunk, hath made me bold:

What hath quencht them, hath giv'n me fire. Hark! peace! It was the owl that fhriek'd, the fatal bell-man,

(a)

[blocks in formation]

Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.
I go, &c.

5 my where about:

Which

Which gives the ftern't good-night-he is about it —
The doors are open; and the furfeited grooms

Do mock their charge with fnores. I've drugg'd their poffets,
That death and nature do contend about them,
Whether they live or die.

Enter Macbeth.

Mach. Who's there? what ho!-

Lady. Alack! I am afraid they have awak'd, And 'tis not done; th' attempt, and not the deed Confounds us hark! I laid their daggers ready, He could not mifs 'em. Had he not resembled My father as he flept, I had done't- My husband! Mach. I've done the deed-didft not thou hear a noise? Lady. I heard the owl fcream and the crickets cry. Did not you speak?

[blocks in formation]

Lady. A foolish thought, to say a forry fight.

Mach. There's one did laugh in's fleep, and one cry'd,
Murther!

They wak'd each other; and I ftood and heard them;
But they did fay their prayers, and addrest them
Again to fleep.

Lady. There are two lodg'd together.

Macb. One cry'd, God bless us! and Amen the other, As they had feen me with these hangman's hands. Lift'ning their fear, I could not fay Amen,

When they did fay, God bless us!

Lady. Confider it not fo deeply.

Mach. But wherefore could not I pronounce Amen?

I had

I had moft need of bleffing, and Amen
Stuck in my throat.

Lady. Thefe deeds must not be 'thought on`
After these ways; fo, it will make us mad.

Mach. Methought I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more! Macbeth doth murther fleep; the innocent fleep, The death of each day's life, fore labour's bath, Balm of burt minds, great nature's fecond course, Chief nourisher in life's feaft.

Lady. What do you mean?

Macb. Still it cry'd, Sleep no more, to all the house; Glamis bath murther'd fleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall fleep no more; Macbeth fhall fleep no more! Lady. Who was it that thus cry'd? why, worthy Than, You do unbend your noble strength, to think So brain-fickly of things; go, get fome water, And wash this filthy witnefs from your hand. Why did you bring thefe daggers from the place? They must lye there. Go, carry them, and smear The fleepy grooms with blood.

Macb. I'll go no more;

I am afraid to think what I have done;

Look on't again I dare not.

Lady. Infirm of purpose!

Give me the daggers; the fleeping and the dead
Are but as pictures; 'tis the eye of child-hood,
That fears a painted devil. If he bleed,

I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal,

For it must seem their guilt.

Knock within.

Mach. Whence is that knocking?

[Exit.

[Starting.

How is't with me, when every noise appalls me?

What hands are here? hah! they pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune's ocean wath this blood

[blocks in formation]

Clean

Clean from my hand? no, this my hand will rather a
Make the green ocean red-

Enter Lady Macbeth.

[Knock.

Lady. My hands are of your colour; but I fhame
To wear a heart fo white. I hear a knocking
At the fouth entry. Retire we to our chamber;
A little water clears us of this deed.

How eafie is it then? your conftancy

Hath left you unattended-hark, more knocking! [Knock.
Get on your night-gown, left occafion call us,
And fhew us to be watchers; be not loft

So poorly in your thoughts.

[felf.

Mach. 7'T'unknow my deed, 'twere beft not know my

Wake Duncan with this knocking: would thou couldst!

[blocks in formation]

[Exeunt. b SCENE

[blocks in formation]

[Exeunt.

[Knocking within.

Port. Here's a knocking indeed: if a man were porter of hellgate he fhould have old turning the key. [Knock.] Knock, knock, knock. Who's there, i' th' name of Belzebub? here's a farmer, that hang'd himself in th' expectation of plenty: come in time, have napkins enough about you, here you'll fweat for't. [Knock.] Knock, knock. Who's there in th' other devil's name? 'faith, here's an equivocator, that could fwear in both the fcales against either scale, who committed treafon enough for God's fake, yet could not equivocate to heav'n: oh come in, equivocator. [Knock.] Knock, knock, knock. Who's there? 'faith, here's an English tailor come hither for stealing out of a French hofe: come in, tailor, here you may roaft your goose. [Knock.] Knock, knock. Never 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 fome of all profeffions, that go the primrose way to th everlasting bonfire. [Knock.] Anon, anon, I pray you remember the porter.

[blocks in formation]

Enter

SCENE

IV.

Enter Macduff, Lenox and Porter.

Macd. Is thy master stirring?

Our knocking has awak'd him; here he comes. Len. Good morrow, noble Sir.

Enter Macbeth.

Macb. Good morrow both.

Macd. Is the King ftirring, worthy Thane?

Mach. Not yet.

Macd. He did command me to call timely on him; I've almost flipt the hour.

Mach. I'll bring you to him.

Macd. I know this is a joyful trouble to you:

But yet 'tis one.

Macb. The labour we delight in a phyficks pain; This is the door.

Macd. I'll make fo bold to call,

For 'tis my limited fervice.

Len. Goes the King hence to-day?

Mach. He did appoint fo.

Enter Macduff, and Lenox.

[Exit Macduff.

Macd. Was it fo late, friend, ere you went to bed,

That you do lye fo late?

Port. 'Faith, Sir, we were carousing 'till the fecond cock: And drink, Sir, is a great provoker of three things.

Macd. What three things doth drink especially provoke?

Len

Port. Marry, Sir, nofe-painting, fleep, and urine. Letchery, Sir, it provokes, and unprovokes; it provokes the defire, but it takes away the performance. Therefore much drink may be faid to be an equivocator with letchery; it makes him, and it mars him; it fets him on, and it takes him off; it perfwades him, and disheartens him; makes him ftand to; and not ftand to; in conclufion, equivocates him into a fleep, and giving him the lie, leaves him.

Macd. I believe drink gave thee the lie last night.

Port. That it did, Sir, i' th' very throat on me; but I requited him for his lie, and I think, being too strong for him, though he took up my legs fometime, yet I made a fhift to caft him.

SCENE, &c.

(a) Heals or cures pain.

« PredošláPokračovať »