A deep repentance: nothing in his life 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 Was heavy on me: thou art so far before, That swiftest wing of recompense is slow To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserv'd; That the proportion both of thanks and payment Might have been mine! only I have left to say, More is thy due than more than all can pay. Macb. The service and the loyalty I owe, In doing it, pays itself. Your highness' part Is to receive our duties: and our duties 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 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 The Prince of Cumberland: which honour must But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine On all deservers. From hence to Inverness, And bind us further to you. Macb. The rest is labour, which is not us'd for you: I'll be myself the harbinger, and make joyful The hearing of my wife with your approach; So, humbly take my leave. Dun. My worthy Cawdor! 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; Let not light see my black and deep desires: The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. Dun. True, worthy Banquo,-he is full so valiant; [Exit. 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: 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; 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, Enter MACBETH. Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor! Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter! Your face, my thane, is as a book where men Macb. We will speak further. To alter favour ever is to fear: Leave all the rest to me. Only look up clear; [Exeunt. SCENE VI. The same. Before the castle. Hautboys. Servants of MACBETH attending. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, BANQUO, LENNOX, MACDUFF, Ross, ANGUS, and Attendants. Dun. This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself Unto our gentle senses. Ban. This guest of summer, Hath made his pendent bed and procreant cradle: Enter Lady МАСВЕТН. Dun. See, see, our honour'd hostess! The love that follows us sometime is our trouble, In Lady M. All our service every point twice done, and then done double, Were poor and single business to contend Against those honours deep and broad wherewith We rest your hermits. Dun. Where's the thane of Cawdor? We cours'd him at the heels, and had a purpose To be his purveyor: but he rides well; And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath holp him We are your guest to-night. Lady M. Your servants ever Have theirs, themselves, and what is theirs, in compt, Still to return your own. Dun. Give me your hand; Conduct me to mine host: we love him highly, yield [Exeunt. |