Macbeth.
Lady Macbeth.

If we should fail?

We fail!

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But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep—
Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey
Soundly invite him-his two chamberlains
Will I with wine and wassail so convince
That memory, the warder of the brain,
Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason
A limbec only: when in swinish sleep
Their drenched natures lie as in a death,
What cannot you and I perform upon
The unguarded Duncan? what not put upon
His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt
Of our great quell?

Macbeth.

Bring forth men-children only; For thy undaunted mettle should compose

Nothing but males. Will it not be received,

When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy two
Of his own chamber and used their very daggers,
That they have done't?

Lady Macbeth.

Who dares receive it other,

As we shall make our griefs and clamour roar
Upon his death?

Macbeth.

I am settled, and bend up

Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.

Away, and mock the time with fairest show:

False face must hide what the false heart doth know.

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[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. Court of Macbeth's castle.

Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE bearing a torch before him.

Banquo. How goes the night, boy?

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

C

Banquo. And she goes down at twelve.

Fleance.

I take't, 'tis later, sir.

Banq. 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!

Enter MACBETH, and a Servant with a torch.
Give me my sword.

Who's there?

Macbeth. A friend.

ΙΟ

Banquo. 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; and shut up
In measureless content.

Macbeth.

Being unprepared,

Our will became the servant to defect;

Which else should free have wrought.

Banquo.

All's well.

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I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters:

To you they have show'd some truth.

Macbeth.

I think not of them:

Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve,
We would spend it in some words upon that business,
If you would grant the time.

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

Banquo.

So I lose none

In seeking to augment it, but still keep
My bosom franchised and allegiance clear,
I shall be counsell'd.

Macbeth.

Good repose the while!

Banquo. Thanks, sir: the like to you!

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[Exeunt Banquo and Fleance. Macbeth. 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' the 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 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:
Words to the heat of deeds too cool breath gives.

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.

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[A bell rings.

[Exit.

Lady Macbeth. 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.

Macbeth. [Within.]

Who's there? what, ho!

Lady Macbeth. Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, And 'tis not done. The 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.

Enter MACBeth.

IO

My husband!

Macb. I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise? I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry.

Lady M.

Macbeth. This is a sorry sight. [Looking on his hands.

Lady Macbeth. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.

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Macbeth. 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

Again to sleep.

Lady Macbeth. There are two lodged together.

Macbeth. One cried 'God bless us!' and 'Amen' the other;

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 Macbeth. Consider it not so deeply.

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Macbeth. But wherefore could not I pronounce 'Amen'?

I had most need of blessing, and ‘Amen'

Stuck in my throat.

Lady Macbeth.

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 doth murder 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 Macbeth.

What do you mean?

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Macbeth. Still it cried 'Sleep no more!' to all the house: 'Glamis hath murder'd sleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more.'

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? They must lie there: go carry them, and smear The sleepy grooms with blood.

Macbeth.

I'll go no more:

I am afraid to think what I have done;
Look on't again I dare not.

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