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ACT II.

SCENE I. — The Same. Court within the Castle.

Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE before him with a torch.

BΑΝQUO

OW goes the night, boy?

HOW

Fleance. The moon is down; I have not heard the clock.

Ban. And she goes down at twelve.

Fle.

I take't, 'tis later, sir.

Ban. Hold, take my sword. There's husbandry

in heaven;

Their candles are all out.

Take thee that too.

A heavy summons lies like lead upon me,
And yet I would not sleep: merciful powers,
Restrain in me the cursed thoughts, that nature
Gives way to in repose! Give me my sword.

Enter MACBETH, and a Servant with a torch.
Who's there?

Macb. A friend.

Ban. What, sir! not yet at rest? The King's

a-bed :

He hath been in unusual pleasure, and

Sent forth great largess to your offices.
This diamond he greets your wife withal,
By the name of most kind hostess :
In measureless content.

Macb.

and shut up

Being unprepar'd,

Our will became the servant to defect,

Which else should free have wrought.

All's well.

Ban.

I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters:
To you they have shew'd some truth.

Macb.

I think not of them:

Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve,

We would spend it in some words upon that busi

ness,

If you would grant the time.

Ban.

At your kind'st leisure. Macb. If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis, It shall make honour for you.

Ban.

So I lose none

In seeking to augment it, but still keep
My bosom franchis'd, and allegiance clear,

I shall be counsell'd.

Macb.

Good repose, the while!

[Exeunt BANQUO and FLEANCE.

Ban. Thanks, sir: the like to you.

Macb. Go; bid thy mistress, when my drink is

ready,

She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed.

[Exit Servant.

Is this a dagger which I see before me,

The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch

thee :

I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.

Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible

To feeling, as to sight? or art thou but

A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
I see thee yet, in form as palpable

As this which now I draw.

Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going;
And such an instrument I was to use.

Mine eyes are made the fools o' th' other senses,

Or else worth all the rest: I see thee still;
And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood,
Which was not so before. There's no such thing:
It is the bloody business which informs

Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one half world
Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse
The curtain'd sleep witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's off'rings; and wither'd murther,
Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf,

Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy

pace,

With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design
Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth,
Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear
Thy very stones prate of my where-about,

And take the present horror from the time,
Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he

lives:

Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.

· [A bell rings.

I go, and it is done: the bell invites me.
Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell,
That summons thee to Heaven or to Hell.

[Scene II., 1623.]

Enter Lady MACBETH.

[Exit.

Lady M. That which hath made them drunk hath

made me bold:

What hath quench'd them hath given me fire.

Hark! - Peace!

It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman, Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it. The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms

Do mock their charge with snores: I have drugg'd their possets,

That Death and Nature do contend about them,
Whether they live or die.

Macb. [Within.] Who's there?— what, ho! Lady M. 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 miss 'em. - 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

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Lady M. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. Macb. There's one did laugh in's sleep, and one

cri'd, "Murther!"

That they did wake each other: I stood and heard

them;

But they did say their prayers, and address'd them Again to sleep.

Lady M.

There are two lodg'd together.

Macb. One cri'd, “God bless us!" and, "Amen,"

the other,

As they had seen me, with these hangman's hands,

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List'ning their fear. I could not say 'Amen,'

When they did say

"God bless us.'

Lady M.
Macb.

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Consider it not so deeply. 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.

Macb. Methought I heard a voice cry, "Sleep no more!

Macbeth does murther sleep," - the innocent sleep;
Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast;

Lady M.

What do you mean?

Macb. Still it cri'd, " Sleep no more!" to all the

house:

"Glamis hath murther'd sleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more!" Lady M. Who was it that thus cri'd? 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?
They must lie there: go, carry them, and smear
The sleepy 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 M.

Infirm of purpose!

Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood,

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