Reading Help THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

Unsafe the while, that we `
` Must lave our honors in these flattering streams, `
` And make our faces vizards to our hearts, `
` Disguising what they are. `
` LADY MACBETH. You must leave this. `
` MACBETH. O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! `
` Thou know'st that Banquo and his Fleance lives. `
` LADY MACBETH. But in them nature's copy's not eterne. `
` MACBETH. There's comfort yet; they are assailable. `
` Then be thou jocund. Ere the bat hath flown `
` His cloister'd flight, ere to black Hecate's summons `
` The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums `
` Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done `
` A deed of dreadful note. `
` LADY MACBETH. What's to be done? `
` MACBETH. Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, `
` Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night, `
` Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day, `
` And with thy bloody and invisible hand `
` Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond `
` Which keeps me pale! Light thickens, and the crow `
` Makes wing to the rooky wood; `
` Good things of day begin to droop and drowse, `
` Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse. `
` Thou marvel'st at my words, but hold thee still: `
` Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill. `
` So, prithee, go with me. Exeunt. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` SCENE III. `
` A park near the palace. `
` `
` Enter three Murtherers. `
` `
` FIRST MURTHERER. But who did bid thee join with us? `
` THIRD MURTHERER. Macbeth. `
` SECOND MURTHERER. He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers `
` Our offices and what we have to do `
` To the direction just. `
` FIRST MURTHERER. Then stand with us. `
` The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day; `
` Now spurs the lated traveler apace `
` To gain the timely inn, and near approaches `
` The subject of our watch. `
` THIRD MURTHERER. Hark! I hear horses. `
` BANQUO. [Within.] Give us a light there, ho! `
` SECOND MURTHERER. Then 'tis he; the rest `
` That are within the note of expectation `
` Already are i' the court. `
` FIRST MURTHERER. His horses go about. `
` THIRD MURTHERER. Almost a mile, but he does usually- `
` So all men do -from hence to the palace gate `
` Make it their walk. `
` SECOND MURTHERER. A light, a light! `
` `
` Enter Banquo, and Fleance with a torch. `
` `
` THIRD MURTHERER. 'Tis he. `
` FIRST MURTHERER. Stand to't. `
` BANQUO. It will be rain tonight. `
` FIRST MURTHERER. Let it come down. `
` They set upon Banquo. `
` BANQUO. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! `
` Thou mayst revenge. O slave! Dies. Fleance escapes. `
` THIRD MURTHERER. Who did strike out the light? `
` FIRST MURTHERER. Wast not the way? `
` THIRD MURTHERER. There's but one down; the son is fled. `
` SECOND MURTHERER. We have lost `
` Best half of our affair. `
` FIRST MURTHERER. Well, let's away and say how much is done. `
` Exeunt. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` SCENE IV. `
` A Hall in the palace. A banquet prepared. `
` `
` Enter Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Ross, Lennox, Lords, and Attendants. `
` `
` MACBETH. You know your own degrees; sit down. At first `
` And last the hearty welcome. `
` LORDS. Thanks to your Majesty. `
` MACBETH. Ourself will mingle with society `
` And play the humble host. `
` Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time `
` We will require her welcome. `
` LADY MACBETH. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends, `
` For my heart speaks they are welcome. `
` `
` Enter first Murtherer to the door. `
` `
` MACBETH. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks. `
` Both sides are even; here I'll sit i' the midst. `
` Be large in mirth; anon we'll drink a measure `
` The table round. [Approaches the door.] There's blood upon `
` thy `
` face. `
` MURTHERER. 'Tis Banquo's then. `
` MACBETH. 'Tis better thee without than he within. `
` Is he dispatch'd? `
` MURTHERER. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him. `
` MACBETH. Thou art the best o' the cut-throats! Yet he's good `
` That did the like for Fleance. If thou didst it, `
` Thou art the nonpareil. `
` MURTHERER. Most royal sir, `
` Fleance is 'scaped. `
` MACBETH. [Aside.] Then comes my fit again. I had else been `
` perfect, `
` Whole as the marble, founded as the rock, `
` As broad and general as the casing air; `
` But now I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confin'd, bound in `
` To saucy doubts and fears -But Banquo's safe? `
` MURTHERER. Ay, my good lord. Safe in a ditch he bides, `
` With twenty trenched gashes on his head, `
` The least a death to nature. `
` MACBETH. Thanks for that. `
` There the grown serpent lies; the worm that's fled `
` Hath nature that in time will venom breed, `
` No teeth for the present. Get thee gone. Tomorrow `
` We'll hear ourselves again. `
` Exit Murtherer. `
` LADY MACBETH. My royal lord, `
` You do not give the cheer. The feast is sold `
` That is not often vouch'd, while 'tis amaking, `
` 'Tis given with welcome. To feed were best at home; `
` From thence the sauce to meat is ceremony; `
` Meeting were bare without it. `
` MACBETH. Sweet remembrancer! `
` Now good digestion wait on appetite, `
` And health on both! `
` LENNOX. May't please your Highness sit. `
` `
` The Ghost of Banquo enters and sits in Macbeth's place. `
` `
` MACBETH. Here had we now our country's honor roof'd, `
` Were the graced person of our Banquo present, `
` Who may I rather challenge for unkindness `
` Than pity for mischance! `
` ROSS. His absence, sir, `
` Lays blame upon his promise. Please't your Highness `
` To grace us with your royal company? `
` MACBETH. The table's full. `
` LENNOX. Here is a place reserved, sir. `
` MACBETH. Where? `
` LENNOX. Here, my good lord. What is't that moves your Highness? `
` MACBETH. Which of you have done this? `
` LORDS. What, my good lord? `
` MACBETH. Thou canst not say I did it; never shake `
` Thy gory locks at me. `
` ROSS. Gentlemen, rise; his Highness is well. `
` LADY MACBETH. Sit, worthy friends; my lord is often thus, `
` And hath been from his youth. Pray you, keep seat. `
` The fit is momentary; upon a thought `
` He will again be well. If much you note him, `
` You shall offend him and extend his passion. `
` Feed, and regard him not-Are you a man? `
` MACBETH. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that `
` Which might appal the devil. `
` LADY MACBETH. O proper stuff! `
` This is the very painting of your fear; `
` This is the air-drawn dagger which you said `
` Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts, `
` Impostors to true fear, would well become `
` A woman's story at a winter's fire, `
` Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself! `
` Why do you make such faces? When all's done, `
` You look but on a stool. `
` MACBETH. Prithee, see there! Behold! Look! Lo! How say you? `
` Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too. `
` If charnel houses and our graves must send `
` Those that we bury back, our monuments `
` Shall be the maws of kites. Exit Ghost. `
` LADY MACBETH. What, quite unmann'd in folly? `
` MACBETH. If I stand here, I saw him. `
` LADY MACBETH. Fie, for shame! `
` MACBETH. Blood hath been shed ere now, i' the olden time, `
` Ere humane statute purged the gentle weal; `
` Ay, and since too, murthers have been perform'd `
` Too terrible for the ear. The time has been, `
` That, when the brains were out, the man would die, `
` And there an end; but now they rise again, `
` With twenty mortal murthers on their crowns, `
` And push us from our stools. This is more strange `
` Than such a murther is. `
` LADY MACBETH. My worthy lord, `
` Your noble friends do lack you. `
` MACBETH. I do forget. `
` Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends. `
` I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing `
` To those that know me. Come, love and health to all; `
` Then I'll sit down. Give me some wine, fill full. `
` I drink to the general joy o' the whole table, `
` And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss. `
` Would he were here! To all and him we thirst, `
` And all to all. `
` LORDS. Our duties and the pledge. `
` `
` Re-enter Ghost. `
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