|
The Same. | |
|
Enter LADY MACBETH. | |
Lady M. That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold, | |
What hath quenchd them hath given me fire. Hark! | |
Peace! | 5 |
It was the owl that shriekd, the fatal bellman, | |
Which gives the sternst good-night. He is about it: | |
The doors are open, and the surfeited grooms | |
Do mock their charge with snores: I have druggd their possets, | |
That death and nature do contend about them, | 10 |
Whether they live or die. | |
Macb. [Within.] Whos there? what, ho! | |
Lady M. Alack! I am afraid they have awakd, | |
And tis not done; the attempt and not the deed | |
Confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers ready; | 15 |
He could not miss them. Had he not resembled | |
My father as he slept I had done t. My husband! | |
|
Enter MACBETH. | |
Macb. I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise? | |
Lady M. I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry. | 20 |
Did not you speak? | |
Macb. When? | |
Lady M. Now. | |
Macb. As I descended? | |
Lady M. Ay. | 25 |
Macb. Hark! | |
Who lies i the second chamber? | |
Lady M. Donalbain. | |
Macb. [Looking on his hands.] This is a sorry sight. | |
Lady M. A foolish thought to say a sorry sight. | 30 |
Macb. Theres one did laugh in s sleep, and one cried Murder! | |
That they did wake each other: I stood and heard them; | |
But they did say their prayers, and addressd them | |
Again to sleep. | |
Lady M. There are two lodgd together. | 35 |
Macb. One cried God bless us! and Amen the other: | |
As they had seen me with these hangmans hands. | |
Listening their fear, I could not say Amen, | |
When they did say God bless us! | |
Lady M. Consider it not so deeply. | 40 |
Macb. But wherefore could not I pronounce Amen? | |
I had most need of blessing, and Amen | |
Stuck in my throat. | |
Lady M. These deeds must not be thought | |
After these ways; so, it will make us mad. | 45 |
Macb. Methought I heard a voice cry Sleep no more! | |
Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep, | |
Sleep that knits up the ravelld sleave of care, | |
The death of each days life, sore labours bath, | |
Balm of hurt minds, great natures second course, | 50 |
Chief nourisher in lifes feast, | |
Lady M. What do you mean? | |
Macb. Still it cried, Sleep no more! to all the house: | |
Glamis hath murderd sleep, and therefore Cawdor | |
Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more! | 55 |
Lady M. Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, | |
You do unbend your noble strength to think | |
So brainsickly of things. Go get some water, | |
And wash this filthy witness from your hand. | |
Why did you bring these daggers from the place? | 60 |
They must lie there: go carry them, and smear | |
The sleepy grooms with blood. | |
Macb. Ill go no more: | |
I am afraid to think what I have done; | |
Look on t again I dare not. | 65 |
Lady M. Infirm of purpose! | |
Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead | |
Are but as pictures; tis the eye of childhood | |
That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, | |
Ill gild the faces of the grooms withal; | 70 |
For it must seem their guilt. [Exit. Knocking within. | |
Macb. Whence is that knocking? | |
How is t with me, when every noise appals me? | |
What hands are here! Ha! they pluck out mine eyes. | |
Will all great Neptunes ocean wash this blood | 75 |
Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather | |
The multitudinous seas incarnadine, | |
Making the green one red. | |
|
Re-enter LADY MACBETH. | |
Lady M. My hands are of your colour, but I shame | 80 |
To wear a heart so white.[Knocking within.] I hear a knocking | |
At the south entry; retire we to our chamber; | |
A little water clears us of this deed; | |
How easy is it, then! Your constancy | |
Hath left you unattended. [Knocking within.] Hark! more knocking. | 85 |
Get on your night-gown, lest occasion call us, | |
And show us to be watchers. Be not lost | |
So poorly in your thoughts. | |
Macb. To know my deed twere best not know myself. [Knocking within. | |
Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst! [Exeunt. | 90 |
|