Ban.
How goes the night, boy?

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

Ban.
And she goes down at twelve.

Fle.
I take't, 'tis later, sir.

Ban.
Hold, take my sword:—There's husbandry in heaven^{5 note}
,
Their candles are all out^{6 note}

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^{7 note}

Macb.
A friend.

Ban.
What, sir, not yet at rest? The king's a-bed:
He hath been in unusual pleasure, and
Sent forth great largess to your officers^{8 note}

This diamond he greets your wife withal,
By the name of most kind hostess; and shut up^{9 note}

Macb.
Being unprepar'd,
Our will became the servant to defect;
Which else should free have wrought^{1 note}

Ban.
All's well^{2 note}.
I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters:
To you they have show'd some truth.

Macb.
I think not of them:
Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve,
Would spend it in some words upon that business,
If you would grant the time.

Ban.
At your kind'st leisure.

Macb.
If you shall cleave to my consent,—when 'tis^{3 note}

Ban.
So I lose none,
In seeking to augment it, but still keep

My bosom franchis'd, and allegiance clear,
I shall be counsel'd.

Macb.
Good repose, the while!

Ban.
Thanks, sir; The like to you! [Exit Banquo.

Macb.
Go, bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready^{4 note},
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 marshal'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^{5 note}

The curtain'd sleep; now witchcraft celebrates^{8 note}

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^{9 note}

Hear not my steps, which way they walk^{2 note}

And take the present horror from the time,
Which now suits with it^{4 note}

I go, and it is done; the bell invites me^{6 note}
.
Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell
That summons thee to heaven, or to hell^{7 note}

SCENE II. The Same. Enter Lady Macbeth.

Lady M.
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^{8 note}

The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms
Do mock their charge with snores^{9 note}
: I have drugg'd their possets^{1 note}

Macb. [Within.]
Who's there?—what, ho!

Lady M.
Alack! I am afraid they have awak'd,
And 'tis not done:—the attempt, and not the deed,
Confounds us:—Hark!—I laid their daggers ready,
He could not miss them^{3 note}
.—Had he not resembled
My father as he slept, I had done't^{4 note}

Macb.
I have done the deed:—Didst thou not hear a noise?

Lady M.
I heard the owl scream, and the crickets cry.
Did you not speak?

Macb.
When?

Lady M.
Now.

Macb.
As I descended?

Lady M.
Ay.

Macb.
Hark!
Who lies i' the second chamber?

Lady M.
Donalbain.

Macb.
This is a sorry sight^{5 note}



. [Looking on his hands.

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

Macb.
There's one did laugh in his 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 M.
There are two lodg'd together.

Macb.
One cried, God bless us! and, Amen, the other;
As they had seen me^{6 note}
, with these hangman's hands.
Listening their fear^{7 note}

When they did say, God bless us^{8 note}

Lady M.
Consider it not so deeply.

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^{9 note}

The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath^{1 note}

Lady M.
What do you mean?

Macb.
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^{3 note}

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.

Macb.
I'll go no more:
I am afraid to think what I have done;
Look on't again, I dare not.

Lady M.
Infirm of purpose!
Give me the daggers^{4 note}
: The sleeping, and the dead,
Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood,
That fears a painted devil^{5 note}

. If he do bleed,
I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal,
For it must seem their guilt^{6 note}

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^{6 note}

Re-enter Lady Macbeth.

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

To wear a heart so white^{9 note}

. [Knock.] 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.] Hark! more knocking:
Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us,
And show us to be watchers:—Be not lost
So poorly in your thoughts.

Macb.
To know my deed,—'twere best not know myself^{1 note}

. [Knock.
Wake Duncan with thy knocking^{2 note}