130 2 Witch. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! 3 Witch. All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be king here after! Ban. Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear I' the name of truth, Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner That he seems rapt withal; to me you speak not: And say which grain will grow, and which will not, 140 Your favours, nor your hate. 1 Witch. Hail! 2 Witch. Hail! 3 Witch. Hail! 1 Witch. Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. 3 Witch. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none : 145 So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo! 1 Witch. Banquo and Macbeth, all hail! Macb. Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more : No more than to be Cawdor. Say, from whence Ban. The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, 165 That takes the reason prisoner? Macb. Your children shall be kings. Ban. You shall be king. Rosse. The king hath happily received, Macbeth, 170 Which should be thine, or his silenced with that, Ang. We are sent, 180 Not pay thee. Rosse. And, for an earnest of a greater honour, For it is thine. Ban. What, can the devil speak true? 185 In borrow'd robes? Ang. you dress me Who was the thane, lives yet; Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combined With hidden help and vantage; or that with both 190 He labour'd in his country's wrack, I know not; But treasons capital, confess'd and proved, Have overthrown him. Macb. Glamis, and thane of Cawdor : Do you not hope your children shall be kings, [TO BANQUO. 195 When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me, Promised no less to them? Ban. That, trusted home, Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 't is strange: 200 The instruments of darkness tell us truths; Cousins, a word, I pray you. Macb. [To ROSSE and Angus. Two truths are told, [Aside. As happy prologues to the swelling act 205 Of the imperial theme.-I thank you, gentlemen.- Cannot be ill; cannot be good:-If ill, Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor: 210 If good, why do I yield to that suggestion 215 My thought, whose murther yet is but fantastical, But what is not. Ban. Look, how our partner's rapt. [Aside. Macb. [Aside.]-If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, 220 Without my stir. Ban. New honours come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould, Macb. [Aside.] Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day. Ban. Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure. 225 Macb. 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.- 230 The interim having weigh'd it, let us speak Macb. Till then, enough.-Come, friends. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-Forres. A Room in the Palace. Flourish. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, Dun. Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not Mal. My liege, To find the mind's construction in the face: 245 He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust. Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSSE, and ANGUS. O worthiest cousin! The sin of my ingratitude even now Was heavy on me: thou art so far before, 250 To overtake thee. 'Would thou hadst less deserved; That the proportion both of thanks and payment Macb. The service, and the loyalty I owe 255 In doing it, pays itself. Your highness' part Is to receive our duties: and our duties Are to your throne and state, children and servants; Dun. Welcome hither: 260 I have begun to plant thee, and will labour To make thee full of growing.-Noble Banquo, That hast no less deserved, nor must be known No less to have done so; let me infold thee, And hold thee to my heart. Ban. 265 The harvest is your own. Dun. There if I grow, My plenteous joys, 270 Our eldest, Malcolm; whom we name hereafter But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine 275 And bind us further to you. Macb. The rest is labour, which is not used for you; I'll be myself the harbinger, and make joyful The hearing of my wife with your approach; So humbly take my leave. Dun. My worthy Cawdor! 280 Macb. [Aside.] The prince of Cumberland !-That is a step Or which I must fall down on, 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, 285 Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. [Exit. Dun. True, worthy Banquo; he is full so valiant; |