It is the bloody business which informs

Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one halfworld

Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates 51 Pale Hecate's offerings, and wither'd murder, 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 whereabout,
And take the present horror from the time,
Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he
lives:

60 Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives. [A bell rings.

I go, and it is done; the bell invites me.

[Looking on his hands. Lady M. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.

Macb. There's 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 address'd them

As they had seen me with these hangman's
hands.
Listening their fear, I could not say 'Amen,'
When they did say 'God bless us !'
Lady M.
Consider it not so deeply. 30
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. Macb. Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more!

Macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep,

Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care, The death of each day's life, sore labor's

bath,

Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second
course,
Chief nourisher in life's
Lady M.

Macb. Still it cried the house:

feast,

What do you mean? Sleep no more!' to all

41

'Glamis hath murder'd sleep, and therefore Cawdor [more.' Shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no 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?

dead

Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood
That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,
I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal;
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 Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather

The multitudinous seas incarnadine,
Making the green one red.

Re-enter LADY MACBETH.

61

Lady M. My hands are of your color; but I shame

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.

Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us, And show us to be watchers. Be not lost 71 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.

SCENE III. The same.
Knocking within. Enter a Porter.

Porter. Here's a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. [Knocking within.] Knock, knock, knock! Who's there, i' the name of Beelzebub? Here's a farmer, that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty : come in time; have napkins enow about you; here you'll sweat for't. [Knocking within.] Knock, knock! Who's there, in the other devil's name? Faith, here's an equivocator, that could swear in both the scales against either scale; who committed treason enough for God's sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven O, come in, equivocator. [Knocking within.] Knock, knock, knock! Who's there? Faith, here's an English tailor come hither, for stealing out of a French hose: come in, tailor; here you may roast your goose. [Knocking within.] Knock, knock; never at quiet! What are you? But this place is too cold for hell.

I'll devil-porter it no further: I had thought to have let in some of all professions that go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire. [Knocking within.] Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter. [Opens the gate.

Enter MACDUFF and LENNOX.

Macd. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed,

That you do lie so late?

Port. 'Faith sir, we were carousing till the second cock and drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things.

Macd. What three things does drink especially provoke ? 30

Port. Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes; it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance: therefore, much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery: it makes him, and it mars him; it sets him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him, and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him. Macd. I believe drink gave thee the lie last night.

41

Port. That it did, sir, i' the very throat on me but I requited him for his lie; and, I think, being too strong for him, though he took up my legs sometime, yet made a shift to cast him.

Macd. Is thy master stirring?

Enter MACBETH.

Lady M.

Enter BANQUO.

What, in our house?

90

O Banquo, Banquo, Our royal master 's murder'd! Woe, alas! Ban. Too cruel any where. Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself, And say it is not so.

Re-enter MACBETH and LENNOX, with Ross. Macb. Had I but died an hour before this chance,

I had lived a blessed time; for, from this instant,

There's nothing serious in mortality:
All is but toys: renown and grace is dead;
The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees
Is left this vault to brag of.

Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN.
Don. What is amiss ?
Macb.

101

You are,

and do not know't :