Table of Contents
ACT 3, SCENE 6
Setting: Forres. The palace.
[Enter LENNOX and another Lord]
LENNOX | My former speeches have but hit your thoughts, | |
Which can interpret further: only, I say, | ||
Things have been strangely borne. The | ||
gracious Duncan | ||
Was pitied of Macbeth: marry, he was dead: | ||
And the right–valiant Banquo walk'd too late; | ||
Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance kill'd, | ||
For Fleance fled: men must not walk too late. | ||
Who cannot want the thought how monstrous | ||
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain | ||
To kill their gracious father? damned fact! | 10 | |
How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight | ||
In pious rage the two delinquents tear, | ||
That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep? | ||
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too; | ||
For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive | ||
To hear the men deny't. So that, I say, | ||
He has borne all things well: and I do think | ||
That had he Duncan's sons under his key–– | ||
As, an't please heaven, he shall not––they | ||
should find | ||
What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance. | 20 | |
But, peace! for from broad words and 'cause he fail'd | ||
His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear | ||
Macduff lives in disgrace: sir, can you tell | ||
Where he bestows himself? | ||
Lord | The son of Duncan, | |
From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth | ||
Lives in the English court, and is received | ||
Of the most pious Edward with such grace | ||
That the malevolence of fortune nothing | ||
Takes from his high respect: thither Macduff | ||
Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid | 30 | |
To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward: | ||
That, by the help of these––with Him above | ||
To ratify the work––we may again | ||
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights, | ||
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives, | ||
Do faithful homage and receive free honours: | ||
All which we pine for now: and this report | ||
Hath so exasperate the king that he | ||
Prepares for some attempt of war. | ||
LENNOX | Sent he to Macduff? | |
Lord | He did: and with an absolute 'Sir, not I,' | 40 |
The cloudy messenger turns me his back, | ||
And hums, as who should say 'You'll rue the time | ||
That clogs me with this answer.' | ||
LENNOX | And that well might | |
Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance | ||
His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel | ||
Fly to the court of England and unfold | ||
His message ere he come, that a swift blessing | ||
May soon return to this our suffering country | ||
Under a hand accursed! | ||
Lord | I'll send my prayers with him. | |
[Exeunt] |