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Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan `
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Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been `
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So clear in his great office, that his virtues `
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Will plead like angels trumpet-tongued against `
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The deep damnation of his taking-off, `
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And pity, like a naked new-born babe `
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Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubin horsed `
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Upon the sightless couriers of the air, `
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Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, `
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That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur `
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To prick the sides of my intent, but only `
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Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself `
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And falls on the other. `
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Enter Lady Macbeth. `
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How now, what news? `
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LADY MACBETH. He has almost supp'd. Why have you left the `
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chamber? `
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MACBETH. Hath he ask'd for me? `
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LADY MACBETH. Know you not he has? `
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MACBETH. We will proceed no further in this business: `
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He hath honor'd me of late, and I have bought `
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Golden opinions from all sorts of people, `
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Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, `
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Not cast aside so soon. `
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LADY MACBETH. Was the hope drunk `
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Wherein you dress'd yourself? Hath it slept since? `
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And wakes it now, to look so green and pale `
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At what it did so freely? From this time `
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Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard `
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To be the same in thine own act and valor `
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As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that `
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Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life `
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And live a coward in thine own esteem, `
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Letting "I dare not" wait upon "I would" `
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Like the poor cat i' the adage? `
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MACBETH. Prithee, peace! `
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I dare do all that may become a man; `
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Who dares do more is none. `
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LADY MACBETH. What beast wast then `
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That made you break this enterprise to me? `
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When you durst do it, then you were a man, `
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And, to be more than what you were, you would `
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Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place `
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Did then adhere, and yet you would make both. `
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They have made themselves, and that their fitness now `
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Does unmake you. I have given suck and know `
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How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me- `
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I would, while it was smiling in my face, `
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Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums `
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And dash'd the brains out had I so sworn as you `
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Have done to this. `
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MACBETH. If we should fail? `
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LADY MACBETH. We fail? `
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But screw your courage to the sticking-place `
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And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep- `
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Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey `
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Soundly invite him- his two chamberlains `
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Will I with wine and wassail so convince `
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That memory, the warder of the brain, `
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Shall be a fume and the receipt of reason `
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A limbeck only. When in swinish sleep `
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Their drenched natures lie as in a death, `
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What cannot you and I perform upon `
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The unguarded Duncan? What not put upon `
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His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt `
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Of our great quell? `
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MACBETH. Bring forth men-children only, `
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For thy undaunted mettle should compose `
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Nothing but males. Will it not be received, `
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When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy two `
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Of his own chamber and used their very daggers, `
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That they have done't? `
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LADY MACBETH. Who dares receive it other, `
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As we shall make our griefs and clamor roar `
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Upon his death? `
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MACBETH. I am settled and bend up `
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Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. `
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Away, and mock the time with fairest show: `
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False face must hide what the false heart doth know. `
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Exeunt. `
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<<THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM `
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SHAKESPEARE IS COPYRIGHT 1990-1993 BY WORLD LIBRARY, INC., AND IS `
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ACT II. SCENE I. `
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Inverness. Court of Macbeth's castle. `
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Enter Banquo and Fleance, bearing a torch before him. `
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BANQUO. How goes the night, boy? `
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FLEANCE. The moon is down; I have not heard the clock. `
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BANQUO. And she goes down at twelve. `
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FLEANCE. I take't 'tis later, sir. `
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BANQUO. Hold, take my sword. There's husbandry in heaven, `
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Their candles are all out. Take thee that too. `
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A heavy summons lies like lead upon me, `
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And yet I would not sleep. Merciful powers, `
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Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature `
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Gives way to in repose! `
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Enter Macbeth and a Servant with a torch. `
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Give me my sword. `
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Who's there? `
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MACBETH. A friend. `
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BANQUO. What, sir, not yet at rest? The King's abed. `
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He hath been in unusual pleasure and `
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Sent forth great largess to your offices. `
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This diamond he greets your wife withal, `
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By the name of most kind hostess, and shut up `
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In measureless content. `
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MACBETH. Being unprepared, `
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Our will became the servant to defect, `
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Which else should free have wrought. `
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BANQUO. All's well. `
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I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters: `
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To you they have show'd some truth. `
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MACBETH. I think not of them; `
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Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve, `
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We would spend it in some words upon that business, `
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If you would grant the time. `
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BANQUO. At your kind'st leisure. `
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MACBETH. If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis, `
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It shall make honor for you. `
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BANQUO. So I lose none `
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In seeking to augment it, but still keep `
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My bosom franchised and allegiance clear, `
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I shall be counsel'd. `
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MACBETH. Good repose the while. `
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BANQUO. Thanks, sir, the like to you. `
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Exeunt Banquo. and Fleance. `
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MACBETH. Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready, `
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She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. Exit Servant. `
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Is this a dagger which I see before me, `
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The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. `
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I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. `
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Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible `
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To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but `
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A dagger of the mind, a false creation, `
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Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? `
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I see thee yet, in form as palpable `
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As this which now I draw. `
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Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going, `
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And such an instrument I was to use. `
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Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses, `
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Or else worth all the rest. I see thee still, `
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And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, `
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Which was not so before. There's no such thing: `
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It is the bloody business which informs `
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Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one half-world `
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Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse `
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The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates `
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Pale Hecate's offerings; and wither'd Murther, `
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Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf, `
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Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace, `
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With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design `
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Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth, `
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Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear `
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Thy very stones prate of my whereabout, `
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And take the present horror from the time, `
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Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives; `
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Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives. `
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A bell rings. `
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I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. `
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Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell `
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That summons thee to heaven, or to hell. Exit. `
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SCENE II. `
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The same. `
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Enter Lady Macbeth. `
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LADY MACBETH. That which hath made them drunk hath made me `
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bold; `
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What hath quench'd them hath given me fire. Hark! Peace! `
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It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman, `
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Which gives the stern'st good night. He is about it: `
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The doors are open, and the surfeited grooms `
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Do mock their charge with snores. I have drugg'd their `
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possets `
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That death and nature do contend about them, `
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Whether they live or die. `
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MACBETH. [Within.] Who's there' what, ho! `
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LADY MACBETH. Alack, I am afraid they have awaked `
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And 'tis not done. The attempt and not the deed `
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