No Fear Shakespeare
Macbeth
Act 3, Scene 4, Page 7
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LADY MACBETH
I pray you, speak not. He grows worse and worse.
Question enrages him. At once, good night.
Stand not upon the order of your going,
But go at once.
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LADY MACBETH
Please, don’t speak to him. He’s getting worse
and worse. Talk makes him crazy. Everybody, please leave right now.
Don’t bother exiting in the order of your rank, but just
leave right away.
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LENNOX
Good night, and better health
Attend his majesty!
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LENNOX
Good night. I hope the king recovers soon!
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LADY MACBETH
A kind good night to all!
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LADY MACBETH
A kind good night to all!
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Exeunt all but MACBETH and
LADY MACBETH
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Everyone leaves except MACBETH and
LADY MACBETH. |
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MACBETH
It will have blood, they say. Blood will have blood.
Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak.
Augurs and understood relations have
By magot pies and choughs and rooks brought forth
The secret’st man of blood.—What is the
night?
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MACBETH
There’s an old saying: the dead will have their revenge.
Gravestones have been known to move, and trees to speak, to bring
guilty men to justice. The craftiest murderers have been exposed by
the mystical signs made by crows and magpies. How late at night is
it?
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LADY MACBETH
Almost at odds with morning, which is which.
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LADY MACBETH
It’s almost morning. You can’t tell whether
it’s day or night.
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135 |
MACBETH
How say’st thou that Macduff denies his person
At our great bidding?
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MACBETH
What do you think about the fact that Macduff refuses to come to
me when I command him?
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LADY MACBETH
Did
you send to him, sir?
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LADY MACBETH
Did you send for him, sir?
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MACBETH
I hear it by the way; but I will send.
There’s not a one of them but in his house
I keep a servant fee’d. I will tomorrow—
And betimes I will—to the weird sisters.
More shall they speak, for now I am bent to know,
By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good,
All causes shall give way. I am in blood
Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.
Strange things I have in head, that will to hand,
Which must be acted ere they may be scanned.
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MACBETH
I’ve heard about this indirectly, but I will send for
him. In every one of the lords' households I have a servant
paid to spy for me. Tomorrow, while it’s still early, I
will go see the witches. They will tell me more, because
I’m determined to know the worst about what’s
going to happen. My own safety is the only important thing now. I
have walked so far into this river of blood that even if I stopped
now, it would be as hard to go back to being good as it is to keep
killing people. I have some schemes in my head that I’m
planning to put into action. I have to do these things before I have
a chance to think about them.
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