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. He is about it:

The doors are open, and the surfeited grooms
Do mock their charge with snores: I have ^note drugg'd their possets, ^note
That death and nature do contend about them,
Whether they live or die.

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

Lady M.
Alack, I am afraid they have awaked
And 'tis not done: the attempt and not the deed ^note
Confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers ready;
He could not miss 'em ^note. Had he not resembled
My father as he slept, I had done't. Enter Macbeth. ^note
My husband! ^note

Macb.
I have ^note done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise? ^note

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

Macb.
When?

Lady M.
Now.

Macb.
As I descended? ^note

Lady M.
Ay.

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

Lady M.
Donalbain.

Macb.
This is a sorry sight. Looking ^note on his hands.

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

Macb.
There's one did laugh in's ^note sleep, and one cried ‘Murder!’
That they did wake each other: I ^note stood and heard them:
But they did say their prayers, and address'd ^note them
Again to sleep. ^note

Lady M.
There are two lodged together.

Macb.
One cried ‘God bless us!’ and ‘Amen’ the other,
As they had seen me with these hangman's hands:
Listening their fear ^note, ^note I could not say ‘Amen,’
When they did say ^note ‘God bless us!’

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. ^note

Lady M.
These deeds must not be thought ^note
After these ways; ^note so, it will make us mad.

Macb.
Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more!
Macbeth does ^note murder sleep’ ^note—the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave ^note of care, ^note
The death ^note of each day's life ^note, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course ^note,
Chief nourisher in life's feast,— ^note

Lady M.
What do you mean?

Macb.
Still it cried ‘Sleep no more!’ to all the house:
‘Glamis ^note hath murder'd sleep, and therefore Cawdor

Shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more.’ ^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 ^note I have done;
Look on't again I dare not.

Lady M.
Infirm of purpose!
Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead
Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood
That fears a painted devil. If he do ^note bleed,
I'll gild ^note the faces of the grooms withal,
For it must seem their guilt. [Exit. Knocking ^note within.

Macb.
Whence is that knocking? ^note
How is't ^note 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 ^note multitudinous seas ^note incarnadine ^note,
Making the green one red ^note. ^note Re-enter ^note Lady Macbeth.

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

To wear a heart so white. [Knocking within. ^note] 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. ^note] Hark! more knocking: ^note
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 ^note my deed, 'twere best not know myself. [Knocking ^note within. ^note
Wake Duncan with thy ^note knocking! I would ^note thou couldst! ^note [Exeunt. ^note

Previous section

Next section