Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends; For my heart speaks, they are welcome. Enter first Murderer, to the door. Macb. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks : Both sides are even: Here I'll sit i'the midst : Macb. 'Tis better thee without, than he within. Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him. Macb. 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. Mur. Fleance is 'scap'd. Most royal sir, Macb. 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 Macb. 2 Thanks for that: There the grown serpent lies; the worm, that's fled, Lady M. My royal lord, 2 trenched gashes-] Trencher, to cut. Fr. You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold, 'Tis given with welcome: To feed, were best at home; From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony, Meeting were bare without it. Macb. Sweet remembrancer !— Now, good digestion wait on appetite, And health on both! Len. May it please your highness sit? [The Ghost of BANQUO rises, and sits in MACBETH'S place. Macb. Here had we now our country's honour roof'd, Were the grac'd person of our Banquo present; Who may I rather challenge for unkindness, Than pity for mischance! Rosse. His absence, sir, Lays blame upon his promise. Please it your highness To grace us with your royal company? Macb. The table's full. Len. Here's a place reserv'd, sir. Macb. Thou can'st not say, I did it: never shake Thy gory locks at me. Rosse. Gentlemen, rise; his highness is not well. Lady M. 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; 3 the feast is sold, &c.] The meaning is,―That which is not given cheerfully, cannot be called a gift, it is something that must be paid for. +"Here, my good lord.”—Malone. exerted. upon a thought] i. e. as speedily as thought can be Feed, and regard him not.-Are you a man? Macb. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that Which might appal the devil. Lady M. 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, Authoriz'd by her grandam. Shame itself! Why do you make such faces? When all's done, You look but on a stool. Macb. Pr'ythee, see there! behold! look! lo! how say you? Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.— Those that we bury, back, our monuments Lady M. [Ghost disappears. What! quite unmann'd in folly? Macb. If I stand here, I saw him. Fye, for shame! Macb. Blood hath been shed ere now, i'the olden time, Ere human statute purg'd the gentle weal"; Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd Too terrible for the ear: the times have been, That, when the brains were out, the man would die, (Impostors to true fear) would well become, &c.] Flaws are sudden gusts. Impostors to true fear, mean impostors when compared with true fear. Such is the force of the preposition to in this place. • Ere human statute purg'd the gentle weal ;] The gentle weal, is, the peaceable community, the state made quiet and safe by human statutes; or rather that state of innocence which did not require the aid of human laws to render it quiet and secure. Lady M. My worthy lord, Your noble friends do lack you. Macb. 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: full: Give me some wine, fill I drink to the general joy of the whole table Ghost rises. And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss; Lords. Our duties, and the pledge. Macb. Avaunt! and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with! Lady M. Think of this, good peers, But as a thing of custom: 'tis no other; Macb. What man dare, I dare: Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, 9 If trembling I inhibit thee, protest me 7 [Ghost disappears. to all, and him, we thirst,] We thirst, perhaps, means we desire to drink. 8 And all to all.] i. e. all good wishes to all; such as he had named above, love, health, and joy. 9 If trembling I inhibiti. e. forbid. Unreal mockery, hence!-Why, so ;—being gone, I am a man again.-Pray you, sit still. Lady M. You have displac'd the mirth, broke the good meeting, With most admir'd disorder. Macb. Can such things be, And overcome us like a summer's cloud, Without our special wonder? You make me strange Even to the disposition that I owe ', When now I think you can behold such sights, And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks, When mine are blanch'd with fear. Rosse. What sights, my lord? Lady M. I pray you, speak not; he grows worse and worse; Question enrages him: at once, good night : Stand not upon the order of your going, Macb. It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood: Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak; 1 Can such things be, And overcome us like a summer's cloud, Without our special wonder?] The meaning is, can such wonders as these pass over us without wonder, as a casual summer cloud passes over us? 2 You make me strange Even to the disposition that I owe,] Mr. Steevens explains these words thus :- -You prove to me that I am a stranger even to my own disposition, when I perceive that the very object which steals the colour from my cheek, permits it to remain in yours. In other words You prove to me how false an opinion I have hitherto maintained of my own courage, when yours, on the trial, is found to exceed it. |