第11章

Whatyouhavespoke,itmaybesoperchance。

Thistyrant,whosesolenameblistersourtongues,Wasoncethoughthonest:youhavelovedhimwell。

Hehathnottouch\'dyouyet。Iamyoung;

butsomethingYoumaydeserveofhimthroughme,andwisdomToofferupaweakpoorinnocentlambToappeaseanangrygod。MACDUFFIamnottreacherous。MALCOLMButMacbethis。

AgoodandvirtuousnaturemayrecoilInanimperialcharge。ButIshallcraveyourpardon;

Thatwhichyouaremythoughtscannottranspose:

Angelsarebrightstill,thoughthebrightestfell;

Thoughallthingsfoulwouldwearthebrowsofgrace,Yetgracemuststilllookso。MACDUFFIhavelostmyhopes。MALCOLMPerchanceeventherewhereIdidfindmydoubts。

Whyinthatrawnessleftyouwifeandchild,Thosepreciousmotives,thosestrongknotsoflove,Withoutleave—taking?Iprayyou,Letnotmyjealousiesbeyourdishonours,Butmineownsafeties。Youmayberightlyjust,WhateverIshallthink。MACDUFFBleed,bleed,poorcountry!

Greattyranny!laythouthybasissure,Forgoodnessdarenotchequethee:wearthouthywrongs;

Thetitleisaffeer\'d!Faretheewell,lord:

Iwouldnotbethevillainthatthouthink\'stForthewholespacethat\'sinthetyrant\'sgrasp,AndtherichEasttoboot。MALCOLMBenotoffended:

Ispeaknotasinabsolutefearofyou。

Ithinkourcountrysinksbeneaththeyoke;

Itweeps,itbleeds;andeachnewdayagashIsaddedtoherwounds:IthinkwithalTherewouldbehandsupliftedinmyright;

AndherefromgraciousEnglandhaveIofferOfgoodlythousands:but,forallthis,WhenIshalltreaduponthetyrant\'shead,Orwearitonmysword,yetmypoorcountryShallhavemorevicesthanithadbefore,Moresufferandmoresundrywaysthanever,Byhimthatshallsucceed。MACDUFFWhatshouldhebe?MALCOLMItismyselfImean:inwhomIknowAlltheparticularsofvicesograftedThat,whentheyshallbeopen\'d,blackMacbethWillseemaspureassnow,andthepoorstateEsteemhimasalamb,beingcomparedWithmyconfinelessharms。MACDUFFNotinthelegionsOfhorridhellcancomeadevilmoredamn\'dInevilstotopMacbeth。MALCOLMIgranthimbloody,Luxurious,avaricious,false,deceitful,Sudden,malicious,smackingofeverysinThathasaname:butthere\'snobottom,none,Inmyvoluptuousness:yourwives,yourdaughters,Yourmatronsandyourmaids,couldnotfillupThecisternofmylust,andmydesireAllcontinentimpedimentswouldo\'erbearThatdidopposemywill:betterMacbethThansuchanonetoreign。MACDUFFBoundlessintemperanceInnatureisatyranny;ithathbeenTheuntimelyemptyingofthehappythroneAndfallofmanykings。ButfearnotyetTotakeuponyouwhatisyours:youmayConveyyourpleasuresinaspaciousplenty,Andyetseemcold,thetimeyoumaysohoodwink。

Wehavewillingdamesenough:therecannotbeThatvultureinyou,todevoursomanyAswilltogreatnessdedicatethemselves,Findingitsoinclined。MALCOLMWiththistheregrowsInmymostill—composedaffectionsuchAstanchlessavaricethat,wereIking,Ishouldcutoffthenoblesfortheirlands,Desirehisjewelsandthisother\'shouse:

Andmymore—havingwouldbeasasauceTomakemehungermore;thatIshouldforgeQuarrelsunjustagainstthegoodandloyal,Destroyingthemforwealth。MACDUFFThisavariceSticksdeeper,growswithmoreperniciousrootThansummer—seeminglust,andithathbeenTheswordofourslainkings:yetdonotfear;

Scotlandhathfoisonstofillupyourwill。

Ofyourmereown:alltheseareportable,Withothergracesweigh\'d。MALCOLMButIhavenone:theking—becominggraces,Asjustice,verity,temperance,stableness,Bounty,perseverance,mercy,lowliness,Devotion,patience,courage,fortitude,Ihavenorelishofthem,butaboundInthedivisionofeachseveralcrime,Actingitmanyways。Nay,hadIpower,IshouldPourthesweetmilkofconcordintohell,Uproartheuniversalpeace,confoundAllunityonearth。MACDUFFOScotland,Scotland!MALCOLMIfsuchaonebefittogovern,speak:

IamasIhavespoken。MACDUFFFittogovern!

No,nottolive。Onationmiserable,Withanuntitledtyrantbloody—scepter\'d,Whenshaltthouseethywholesomedaysagain,SincethatthetruestissueofthythroneByhisowninterdictionstandsaccursed,Anddoesblasphemehisbreed?ThyroyalfatherWasamostsaintedking:thequeenthatborethee,Ofteneruponherkneesthanonherfeet,Diedeverydayshelived。Faretheewell!

Theseevilsthourepeat\'stuponthyselfHavebanish\'dmefromScotland。Omybreast,Thyhopeendshere!MALCOLMMacduff,thisnoblepassion,Childofintegrity,hathfrommysoulWipedtheblackscruples,reconciledmythoughtsTothygoodtruthandhonour。DevilishMacbethBymanyofthesetrainshathsoughttowinmeIntohispower,andmodestwisdomplucksmeFromover—creduloushaste:butGodaboveDealbetweentheeandme!forevennowIputmyselftothydirection,andUnspeakmineowndetraction,hereabjureThetaintsandblamesIlaiduponmyself,Forstrangerstomynature。IamyetUnknowntowoman,neverwasforsworn,Scarcelyhavecovetedwhatwasmineown,Atnotimebrokemyfaith,wouldnotbetrayThedeviltohisfellowanddelightNolessintruththanlife:myfirstfalsespeakingWasthisuponmyself:whatIamtruly,Isthineandmypoorcountry\'stocommand:

Whitherindeed,beforethyhere—approach,OldSiward,withtenthousandwarlikemen,Alreadyatapoint,wassettingforth。

Nowwe\'lltogether;andthechanceofgoodnessBelikeourwarrantedquarrel!Whyareyousilent?MACDUFFSuchwelcomeandunwelcomethingsatonce\'Tishardtoreconcile。

EnteraDoctorMALCOLMWell;moreanon。——Comesthekingforth,Iprayyou?DoctorAy,sir;thereareacrewofwretchedsoulsThatstayhiscure:theirmaladyconvincesThegreatassayofart;butathistouch——

Suchsanctityhathheavengivenhishand——

Theypresentlyamend。MALCOLMIthankyou,doctor。

ExitDoctorMACDUFFWhat\'sthediseasehemeans?MALCOLM\'Tiscall\'dtheevil:

Amostmiraculousworkinthisgoodking;

Whichoften,sincemyhere—remaininEngland,Ihaveseenhimdo。Howhesolicitsheaven,Himselfbestknows:butstrangely—visitedpeople,Allswolnandulcerous,pitifultotheeye,Themeredespairofsurgery,hecures,Hangingagoldenstampabouttheirnecks,Putonwithholyprayers:and\'tisspoken,TothesucceedingroyaltyheleavesThehealingbenediction。Withthisstrangevirtue,Hehathaheavenlygiftofprophecy,Andsundryblessingshangabouthisthrone,Thatspeakhimfullofgrace。

EnterROSSMACDUFFSee,whocomeshere?MALCOLMMycountryman;butyetIknowhimnot。MACDUFFMyever—gentlecousin,welcomehither。MALCOLMIknowhimnow。GoodGod,betimesremoveThemeansthatmakesusstrangers!ROSSSir,amen。MACDUFFStandsScotlandwhereitdid?ROSSAlas,poorcountry!

Almostafraidtoknowitself。ItcannotBecall\'dourmother,butourgrave;wherenothing,Butwhoknowsnothing,isonceseentosmile;

WheresighsandgroansandshrieksthatrendtheairAremade,notmark\'d;whereviolentsorrowseemsAmodernecstasy;thedeadman\'sknellIstherescarceask\'dforwho;andgoodmen\'slivesExpirebeforetheflowersintheircaps,Dyingoreretheysicken。MACDUFFO,relationToonice,andyettootrue!MALCOLMWhat\'sthenewestgrief?ROSSThatofanhour\'sagedothhissthespeaker:

Eachminuteteemsanewone。MACDUFFHowdoesmywife?ROSSWhy,well。MACDUFFAndallmychildren?ROSSWelltoo。MACDUFFThetyranthasnotbatter\'dattheirpeace?ROSSNo;theywerewellatpeacewhenIdidleave\'em。MACDUFFButnotaniggardofyourspeech:howgoes\'t?ROSSWhenIcamehithertotransportthetidings,WhichIhaveheavilyborne,thereranarumourOfmanyworthyfellowsthatwereout;

Whichwastomybeliefwitness\'dtherather,ForthatIsawthetyrant\'spowera—foot:

Nowisthetimeofhelp;youreyeinScotlandWouldcreatesoldiers,makeourwomenfight,Todofftheirdiredistresses。MALCOLMBe\'ttheircomfortWearecomingthither:graciousEnglandhathLentusgoodSiwardandtenthousandmen;