There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood,
The nearer bloody.

Mal.

This murtherous shaft that's shot

Hath not yet lighted; and our safest way
Is to avoid the aim. Therefore, to horse;
280 And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,
But shift away: There's warrant in that theft
Which steals itself, when there's no mercy left.

[Exit.

SCENE II.-The same.

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

285 Hours dreadful, and things strange; but this sore night Hath trifled former knowings.

Ah, good father,

Rosse.
Thou see'st, the heavens, as troubled with man's act,
Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock, 't is day,
And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp:
290 Is 't night's predominance, or the day's shame,
That darkness does the face of earth entomb,
When living light should kiss it?

Old M.

"T is unnatural, Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last, A falcon, towering in her pride of place,

295 Was by a mousing owl hawked at and kill'd.

300

Rosse. And Duncan's horses (a thing most strange
and certain),

Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,
Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,
Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would
Make war with mankind.

Old M.

'Tis said, they eat each other.

Here comes the good Macduff:

Rosse. They did so; to the amazement of mine eyes, That looked upon 't.

Enter MACDuff.

How goes the world, sir, now?

Macd.

Why, see you not?

305

Rosse. Is 't known who did this more than bloody

deed ?

Macd. Those that Macbeth hath slain.

Rosse.

What good could they pretend?

Macd.

Alas, the day!

They were suborn'd:

Malcolm, and Donalbain, the king's two sons,
Are stol'n away and fled; which puts upon them
Suspicion of the deed.

Rosse.

'Gainst nature still :

310 Thriftless ambition, that will ravin up

315

Thine own life's means !-Then 't is most like
The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth.

Macd. He is already named; and gone to Scone,
To be invested.

Rosse

Where is Duncan's body?

Macd. Carried to Colme-kill,

The sacred storehouse 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 !

320 Lest our old robes sit easier than our new!

Rosse. Farewell, father.

Old M. God's benison go with you, and with those That would make good of bad, and friends of foes! [Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE I.-Forres. A Room in the Palace.

Enter BANQUO.

Ban. Thou hast it now,-king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, As the weird women promised; and I fear

Thou play'dst most foully for 't: yet it was said, It should not stand in thy posterity; 5 But that myself should be the root and father Of many kings. If there come truth from them (As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine), Why, by the verities on thee made good, May they not be my oracles as well,

10 And set me up in hope? But, hush; no more.

Sennet sounded. Enter MACBETH, as King; LADY MACBETH as Queen; LENOX, ROSSE, Lords, Ladies, and Attendants.

Macb. Here's our chief guest.
Lady M.

If he had been forgotten,

It had been as a gap in our great feast,

And all-thing unbecoming.

Macb. To-night we hold a solemn supper, sir,

15 And I'll request your presence.

20

Ban.

Let your highness

Command upon me; to the which my duties
Are with a most indissoluble tie
For ever knit.

Macb. Ride you this afternoon?
Ban.

Ay, my good lord.

Macb. We should have else desired your good advice
(Which still hath been both grave and prosperous)
In this day's council; but we 'll take to-morrow.
Is 't far you ride?

Ban. As far, my lord, as will fill up the time
25 'Twixt this and supper: go not my horse the better,
I must become a borrower of the night,

For a dark hour, or twain.

Macb. We hear, our bloody cousins are bestow'd
30 In England, and in Ireland; not confessing
Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers
With strange invention: but of that to-morrow;
When, therewithal, we shall have cause of state,

Craving us jointly. Hie you to horse: Adieu, 35 Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you? Ban. Ay, my good lord: our time does call upon us. Macb. I wish your horses swift and sure of foot; And so I do commend you to their backs.

45

The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself

:

[Exit BANQUO.

Till supper-time alone while then, God be wi' you.
[Exeunt LADY MACBETH, Lords, Ladies, etc.
Sirrah, a word;—attend those men our pleasure?
Attend. They are, my lord, without the palace gate.
Macb. Bring them before us.-[Exit Attendant.]
To be thus, is nothing;
But to be safely thus:-our fears in Banquo

Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature

Reigns that which would be fear'd: 't is much he dares;

50 And, to that dauntless temper of his mind,

He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour
To act in safety. There is none but he
Whose being I do fear and under him

:

My Genius is rebuked; as, it is said,

55 Mark Antony's was by Cæsar. He chid the sisters,
When first they put the name of king upon me,
And bade them speak to him; then, prophet-like,
They hailed him father to a line of kings:
Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown,

60 And put a barren sceptre in my gripe,

Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding. If it be so,
For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind;
For them the gracious Duncan have I murther'd:
65 Put rancours in the vessel of my peace,
Only for them; and mine eternal jewel
Given to the common enemy of man,

To make them kings,—the seed of Banquo, kings!
Rather than so, come, fate, into the list,

70 And champion me to the utterance !-Who's there?—

D

Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers.
Now go to the door, and stay there till we call.

Exit Attendant.

Was it not yesterday we spoke together?
1 Mur. It was, so please your highness.

Macb.

Well then, now

Have you consider'd my speeches? Know
75 That it was he, in the times past, which held you
So under fortune; which, you thought, had been
Our innocent self: this I made good to you

In our last conference; passed in probation with you, How you were borne in hand, how cross'd; the instruments; 80 Who wrought with them; and all things else that might, To half a soul, and to a notion crazed,

Say, "Thus did Banquo."

1 Mur.

You made it known to us.
Macb. I did so; and went further, which is now
Our point of second meeting. Do you find
85 Your patience so predominant in your nature,
That you can let this go? Are you so gospell'd
To pray for this good man and for his issue,
Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave,
And beggar'd yours for ever?

90

1 Mur.

We are men, my liege.
Macb. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men;
As hounds, and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs,
Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves, are clept
All by the name of dogs: the valued file
Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle,
95 The housekeeper, the hunter, every one
According to the gift which bounteous nature
Hath in him closed; whereby he does receive
Particular addition, from the bill

That writes them all alike: and so of men. 100 Now, if you have a station in the file,

Not in the worst rank of manhood, say it; And I will put that business in your bosoms Whose execution takes your enemy off; Grapples you to the heart and love of us, 105 Who wear our health but sickly in his life,