Ban. Look, how our partner's rapt. Macb. If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir. Ban. New honors come upon him Like our strange garments; cleave not to their mould, But with the aid of use. Macb. The leaf to read them.-Let us toward the king.— Our free hearts each to other. Ban. Very gladly. [Exeunt. Macb. Till then, enough.-Come, friends. SCENE IV. Fores. A Room in the Palace. Flourish. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENOX, and Attendants. Dun. Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not Those in commission yet returned? Mal. My liege, Dun. There's no art, To find the mind's construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust.-O worthiest cousin! Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSSE, and ANGUS. The sin of my ingratitude even now Was heavy on me; thou art so far before, S To overtake thee. 'Would thou hadst less deserved; Are to your throne and state, children and servants; Dun. Welcome hither; I have begun to plant thee, and will labor Ban. The harvest is your own. Dun. There if I grow, My plenteous joys, Our eldest, Malcolm; whom we name, hereafter, But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine Macb. The rest is labor, which is not used for you. My worthy Cawdor! [Aside. Dun. [Exit. [Flourish. Exeunt. SCENE V. Inverness. A Room in Macbeth's Castle. Enter LADY MACBETH, reading a letter. Lady M. They met me in the day of success; and I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me, Thane of Cawdor; by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time, with, Hail, king that shalt be! This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness; that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell. Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promised.-Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness, To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great; The illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highly, And yet wouldst wrongly win; thou'dst have, great Glamis, That which cries, Thus thou must do, if thou have it; And that which rather thou dost fear to do, Than wishest should be undone. Hie thee hither, To have thee crowned withal.-What is your tidings? Attend. The king comes here to-night. Thou'rt mad to say it. Is not thy master with him? who, wer't so, Would have informed for preparation. Attend. So please you, it is true; our thane is coming. One of my fellows had the speed of him; Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more Than would make up his message. Lady M. Give him tending; He brings great news. The raven himself is hoarse, [Exit Attendant. That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Come, come, you spirits You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, Enter МАСВЕТН. Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter! This ignorant present, and I feel now The future in the instant. Your face, my thane, is as a book, where men To alter favor ever is to fear. Only look up clear; [Exeunt. SCENE VI. The same. Before the Castle. Hautboys. Servants of Macbeth attending. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, BANQUO, Lenox, MACDUFF, ROSSE, ANGUS, and Attendants. Dun. This castle hath a pleasant seat: the air Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself Unto our gentle senses. Ban. This guest of summer, Buttress, nor coigne of vantage, but this bird Dun. Enter LADY MACBETH. See, see! our honored hostess! Lady M. We rest your hermits. Dun. Where's the thane of Cawdor? We coursed him at the heels, and had a purpose To be his purveyor: but he rides well: And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath holp him To his home before us. Fair and noble hostess, We are your guest to-night. Lady M. Your servants ever Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in compt, To make their audit at your highness' pleasure, Still to return your own. Dun. Give me your hand: Conduct me to mine host; we love him highly, By your leave, hostess. [Exeunt. SCENE VII. The same. A Room in the Castle. Hautboys and torches. Enter, and pass over the stage, a Sewer, and divers Servants with dishes and service. Then enter МАСВЕТИ. Macb. If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well It were done quickly: if the assassination VOL. II.-14 |