⌜Porter exits.
⌝
Our knocking has awaked him. Here he comes.
LENNOX
Good morrow, noble sir.
MACBETH Good morrow, both.
MACDUFF
Is the King stirring, worthy thane?
MACBETH Not yet.
MACDUFF
50 He did command me to call timely on him.
I have almost slipped the hour.
p. 65
MACBETH I’ll bring you to him.
MACDUFF
I know this is a joyful trouble to you,
But yet ’tis one.
MACBETH
55 The labor we delight in physics pain.
This is the door.
MACDUFF I’ll make so bold to call,
For ’tis my limited service.Macduff exits.
LENNOX Goes the King hence today?
MACBETH 60He does. He did appoint so.
LENNOX
The night has been unruly. Where we lay,
Our chimneys were blown down and, as they say,
Lamentings heard i’ th’ air, strange screams of
death,
65 And prophesying, with accents terrible,
Of dire combustion and confused events
New hatched to th’ woeful time. The obscure bird
Clamored the livelong night. Some say the Earth
Was feverous and did shake.
MACBETH 70 ’Twas a rough night.
LENNOX
My young remembrance cannot parallel
A fellow to it.
Enter Macduff.
MACDUFF O horror, horror, horror!
Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor name thee!
MACBETH AND LENNOX 75What’s the matter?
MACDUFF
Confusion now hath made his masterpiece.
Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope
The Lord’s anointed temple and stole thence
The life o’ th’ building.
p. 67
MACBETH 80 What is ’t you say? The life?
LENNOX Mean you his Majesty?
MACDUFF
Approach the chamber and destroy your sight
With a new Gorgon. Do not bid me speak.
See and then speak yourselves.
Macbeth and Lennox exit.
85 Awake, awake!
Ring the alarum bell.—Murder and treason!
Banquo and Donalbain, Malcolm, awake!
Shake off this downy sleep, death’s counterfeit,
And look on death itself. Up, up, and see
90 The great doom’s image. Malcolm, Banquo,
As from your graves rise up and walk like sprites
To countenance this horror.—Ring the bell.
Bell rings.
PORTER
That it did, sir, i’ th’ very throat on me; but I
requited him for his lie, and, I think, being too
strong for him, though he took up my legs sometime,
yet I made a shift to cast him.
MACDUFF
Is thy master stirring?
Enter Macbeth.
45
⌜Porter exits.⌝
Our knocking has awaked him. Here he comes.
LENNOX
Good morrow, noble sir.
MACBETH
Good morrow, both.
MACDUFF
Is the King stirring, worthy thane?
MACBETH
Not yet.
MACDUFF
50
He did command me to call timely on him.
I have almost slipped the hour.
