He bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor: Ban. [aside] What, can the devil speak true? Macb. The thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me In borrow'd robes? Ang. Who was the thane lives yet; But under heavy judgment bears that life Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combin'd With those of Norway, or did line the rebel With hidden help and vantage, or that with both Have overthrown him. Macb. [aside] Glamis, and thane of Cawdor! The greatest is behind.[To Ross and Ang.] Thanks for your pains. [Aside to Ban.] Do you not hope your children shall be kings, When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me Ban. [aside to Macb.] That, trusted home, The instruments of darkness tell us truths; Win us with honest trifles, to betray's In deepest consequence. Cousins, a word, I pray you. Macb. [aside] Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme.-I thank you, gentlemen. [Aside] This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill; cannot be good :—if ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Are less than horrible imaginings: My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, But what is not. Ban. Look, how our partner's rapt. Macb. [aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir. Bun. New honours come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould. Macb. [aside] Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day. (20) Ban. Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure. Macb. Give me your favour :-my dull brain was wrought With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains Are register'd where every day I turn The leaf to read them.-Let us toward the king.— [Aside to Ban.] Think upon what hath chanc'd; and, at more time, The interim having weigh'd it, let us speak Our free hearts each to other. Macb. [aside to Ban.] Till then, enough.-Come, friends. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Forres. A room in the palace. Flourish. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENNOX, and Attendants. Dun. Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not(21) Those in commission yet return'd? Mal. My liege, They are not yet come back. But I have spoke Became him like the leaving it; he died To find the mind's construction in the face: An absolute trust. Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, Ross, and ANGUS. O worthiest cousin! The sin of my ingratitude even now To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserv'd, Macb. The service and the loyalty I owe, Are to your throne and state children and servants; Which do but what they should by doing every thing Safe toward your love and honour. Dun. Welcome hither: I have begun to plant thee, and will labour To make thee full of growing.-Noble Banquo, That hast no less deserv'd, nor must be known No less to have done so; let me infold thee And hold thee to my heart. Ban. The harvest is your own. Dun. There if I grow, My plenteous joys, Wanton in fulness, seek to hide themselves Our eldest, Malcolm; whom we name hereafter But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine And bind us further to you. Macb. The rest is labour, which is not us'd for you: The hearing of my wife with your approach: Dun. My worthy Cawdor! :(23) Macb. [aside] The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step, On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Dun. True, worthy Banquo,-he is full so valiant; And in his commendations I am fed, It is a banquet to me. Let's after him, Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome: [Exit. It is a peerless kinsman. [Flourish. Exeunt. SCENE V. Inverness. A room in MACBETH's castle. Enter Lady MACBETH, reading a letter. Lady M. "They met me in the day of success; and I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me Thane of Cawdor;' by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time, with 'Hail, king that shalt be!' This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell." Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promis'd: yet do I fear thy nature ; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition; but without The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly, And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'dst have, great Glamis, And that which rather thou dost fear to do Than wishest should be undone." Hie thee hither, Enter an Attendant. What is your tidings? Thou'rt mad to say it: Atten. The king comes here to-night. Lady M. Is not thy master with him? who, were't so, Would have inform'd for preparation. Atten. So please you, it is true:-our thane is coming: One of my fellows had the speed of him; Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more Than would make up his message. Lady M. He brings great news. Give him tending; [Exit Attendant. The raven himself is hoarse You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, |