ACT 3
[Enter LENNOX and another Lord]
LENNOX
My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,
What I’ve just told you will have got you thinking,
Which can interpret further: only, I say,
Which you can ponder further: but I tell you,
Things have been strangely borne. The gracious Duncan
There’s been some strange things happening. Gracious Duncan
Was pitied of Macbeth: marry, he was dead:
Was pitied by Macbeth, after he’d died.
And the right-valiant Banquo walked too late;
And fearless Banquo stayed outside too late,
Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance killed,
And, you could say, if you like, that Fleance killed him,
For Fleance fled: men must not walk too late.
For Fleance fled; you can’t stay out too late.
Who cannot want the thought how monstrous
Who cannot stop to think how monstrous
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
To kill their gracious father? Damned fact!
To kill their gracious father? Damn the deed!
How it did grieve Macbeth! Did he not straight
Oh, how Macbeth did grieve! Did he not go
In pious rage the two delinquents tear,
In loyal rage to slaughter the two servants
That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?
Who both were drunk and still were fast asleep?
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;
How dignified, right? Yes, and very wise:
For 'twould have angered any heart alive
For anyone alive would have been angered
To hear the men deny't. So that, I say,
To hear the men deny it. So, I say,
He has borne all things well: and I do think
He’s handled all this well, and I do think
That had he Duncan's sons under his key--
If he had Duncan’s sons locked up in jail—
As, an't please heaven, he shall not--they should find
As, God forbid, he doesn’t—they’d discover
What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.
The rap for father-killing; Fleance, too.
But, peace! For from broad words and 'cause he failed
Enough! By what he said and as he failed
His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear
To join the tyrant’s feast, I’ve heard it said
Macduff lives in disgrace: sir, can you tell
Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell me
Where he bestows himself?
Where he is staying now?
LORD
The son of Duncan,
The son of Duncan,
From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth
From whom Macbeth-the-tyrant stole the crown,
Lives in the English court, and is received
Lives in the English court, and is well treated
Of the most pious Edward with such grace
By pious King Edward, and with so much grace
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
That the wicked circumstance that brought him there
Takes from his high respect: thither Macduff
Does not change how he’s treated. There Macduff
Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid
Has gone to ask the holy king for help
To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward:
To stir Siward, Earl of Northumberland,
That, by the help of these--with Him above
For, with his help—and God on high
To ratify the work--we may again
To sanction all proceedings—we again may
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights,
Put food upon our tables, sleep at night,
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,
Host feasts and banquets safe from threats of murder,
Do faithful homage and receive free honours:
Pay homage to our king without being forced:
All which we pine for now: and this report
All things we wish for now. And this report
Hath so exasperate the king that he
Has wound up King Macbeth so much that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.
Prepares his troops for war.
LENNOX
Sent he to Macduff?
Did he ask Macduff to help him fight?
LORD
He did: and with an absolute 'Sir, not I',
He did; Macduff steadfastly said, “I won’t”,
The cloudy messenger turns me his back,
To which Macbeth’s peeved messenger turned his back
And hums, as who should say 'You'll rue the time
And hummed, as if to say, “You will regret this,
That clogs me with this answer.'
Macbeth won’t like your answer.”
LENNOX
And that well might
And that might just
Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance
Forewarn him to be cautious, keep his distance
His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
And use his head. Perhaps some guardian angel
Fly to the court of England and unfold
Will fly to England’s courts and give the message
His message ere he come, that a swift blessing
Before he leaves, and thereby blessing us
May soon return to this our suffering country
With his return to this, our suffering country,
Under a hand accursed!
That’s now led by a tyrant!
LORD
I'll send my prayers with him.
I’ll send my prayers with him.
[Exeunt]
