Ross.

What sights, my lord ? LADY M. I pray you, speak not; he grows worse

and worse ;

Question enrages him. At once, good night:
Stand not upon the order of your going,
But go at once.
LEN.

Good night; and better health
Attend his majesty!
LADY M.

A kind good night to all ! [Exeunt all but MACBETH and Lady M. Mace. It will have blood; they say, blood will

have blood : Stones have been known to move and trees to speak; Augurs and understood relations have By magot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth The secret'st man of blood. What is the night? LADY M. Almost at odds with morning, which

is which. MACB. How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his

person At our great bidding? LADY M.

Did you send to him, sir? MACB. I hear it by the way; but I will send : There's not a one of them but in his house I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow, And betimes I will, to the weird sisters : More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know, By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good, All causes shall give way: I am in blood Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more,

Returning were as tedious as go

o'er : Strange things I have in head, that will to hand; Which must be acted ere they may be scann'd.

Lady M. You lack the season of all natures, sleep.
MacB. Come, we'll to sleep.

My strange and
self-abuse
Is the initiate fear that wants hard use :
We are yet but young in deed.

(Exeunt.

SCENE V.

A Heath, Thunder. Enter the three Witches, meeting HECATE. FIRST Witch. Why, how now, Hecate!

you

look angerly. Hec. Have I not reason, beldams as you are, Saucy and overbold? How did

you

dare
To trade and traffic with Macbeth
In riddles and affairs of death;
And I, the mistress of

your charms,
The close contriver of all harms,
Was never call’d to bear my part,
Or show the glory of our art ?
And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward son,
Spiteful and wrathful, who, as others do,
Loves for his own ends, not for you.
But make amends now: get you gone,
And at the pit of Acheron
Meet me i' the morning: thither he
Will come to know his destiny:
Your vessels and your spells provide,

han: nn'd s, slee ge a

Your charms and every thing beside.
I am for the air; this night I'll spend
Unto a dismal and a fatal end:
Great business must be wrought ere noon:
Upon the corner of the moon
There hangs a vaporous drop profound ;
I'll catch it ere it come to ground:
And that distill’d by magic sleights
Shall raise such artificial sprites
As by the strength of their illusion
Shall draw him on to his confusion :
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace and fear :
And you all know, security
Is mortals' chiefest enemy

[Music and a song within : 'Come away,

come away,' etc. Hark! I am call’d; my little spirit, see, Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me. [Exit. FIRST WITCH. Come, let's make haste; she'll soon be back again.

[Exeunt.

ATE

ook

SCENE VI.

Forres. The palace.

Enter LENNOX and another Lord.
LEN. My former speeches have but hit your

thoughts,
Which can interpret further: only, I say,
Things have been strangely borne. The gracious

Duncan
Was pitied of Macbeth : marry, he was dead :

And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late;
Whom, you may say, if’t please you,

Fleance kill'd,
For Fleance fled: men must not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought how monstrous
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
To kill their gracious father? damned fact !
How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight
In pious rage the two delinquents tear,
That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?
Was not that nobly done ? Ay, and wisely too ;
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive
To hear the men deny't. So that, I say,
He has borne all things well : and I do think
That had he Duncan's sons under his key-
As, an’t please heaven, he shall not—they should

find What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance. But, peace! for from broad words and 'cause he

fail'd
His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear
Macduff lives in disgrace: sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?
LORD,

The son of Duncan,
From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court, and is received
Of the most pious Edward with such grace
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
Takes from his high respect : thither Macduff
Is
gone
the holy king, upon

his aid To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward :

to pray

That, by the help of these—with Him above
To ratify the work—we may again
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights,
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,
Do faithful homage and receive free honours :
All which we pine for now: and this report
Hath so exasperate the king that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.
LEN.

Sent he to Macduff?
LORD. He did : and with an absolute Sir, not I,
The cloudy messenger turns me his back,
And hums, as who should say You'll rue the time
That clogs me with this answer.
LEN.

And that well might Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel Fly to the court of England and unfold His message ere he come, that a swift blessing May soon return to this our suffering country Under a hand accursed !

LORD. I'll send my prayers with him. [Exeunt.

ACT THE FOURTH.

SCENE I.
A cavern.

In the middle, a boiling cauldron.
Thunder. Enter the three Witches.
FIRST WITCH. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
Sec. Witch. Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.