Macbeth

Macbeth

ACT IV SCENE II	Fife. Macduff's castle.
	Enter LADY MACDUFF, her Son, and ROSS
LADY MACDUFF	What had he done, to make him fly the land?
ROSS	You must have patience, madam.
LADY MACDUFF	He had none:
	His flight was madness: when our actions do not,	5
	Our fears do make us traitors.
ROSS	You know not
	Whether it was his wisdom or his fear.
LADY MACDUFF	Wisdom! to leave his wife, to leave his babes,
	His mansion and his titles in a place	10
	From whence himself does fly? He loves us not;
	He wants the natural touch: for the poor wren,
	The most diminutive of birds, will fight,
	Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.
	All is the fear and nothing is the love;	15
	As little is the wisdom, where the flight
	So runs against all reason.
ROSS	My dearest coz,
	I pray you, school yourself: but for your husband,
	He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows	20
	The fits o' the season. I dare not speak
	much further;
	But cruel are the times, when we are traitors
	And do not know ourselves, when we hold rumour
	From what we fear, yet know not what we fear,	25
	But float upon a wild and violent sea
	Each way and move. I take my leave of you:
	Shall not be long but I'll be here again:
	Things at the worst will cease, or else climb upward
	To what they were before. My pretty cousin,	30
	Blessing upon you!
LADY MACDUFF	Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherless.
ROSS	I am so much a fool, should I stay longer,
	It would be my disgrace and your discomfort:
	I take my leave at once.	35
	Exit
LADY MACDUFF	Sirrah, your father's dead;
	And what will you do now? How will you live?
Son	As birds do, mother.
LADY MACDUFF	What, with worms and flies?
Son	With what I get, I mean; and so do they.	40
LADY MACDUFF	Poor bird! thou'ldst never fear the net nor lime,
	The pitfall nor the gin.
Son	Why should I, mother? Poor birds they are not set for.
	My father is not dead, for all your saying.
LADY MACDUFF	Yes, he is dead; how wilt thou do for a father?	45
Son	Nay, how will you do for a husband?
LADY MACDUFF	Why, I can buy me twenty at any market.
Son	Then you'll buy 'em to sell again.
LADY MACDUFF	Thou speak'st with all thy wit: and yet, i' faith,
	With wit enough for thee.	50
Son	Was my father a traitor, mother?
LADY MACDUFF	Ay, that he was.
Son	What is a traitor?
LADY MACDUFF	Why, one that swears and lies.
Son	And be all traitors that do so?	55
LADY MACDUFF	Every one that does so is a traitor, and must be hanged.
Son	And must they all be hanged that swear and lie?
LADY MACDUFF	Every one.
Son	Who must hang them?
LADY MACDUFF	Why, the honest men.	60
Son	Then the liars and swearers are fools,
	for there are liars and swearers enow to beat
	the honest men and hang up them.
LADY MACDUFF	Now, God help thee, poor monkey!
	But how wilt thou do for a father?	65
Son	If he were dead, you'ld weep for
	him: if you would not, it were a good sign
	that I should quickly have a new father.
LADY MACDUFF	Poor prattler, how thou talk'st!
	Enter a Messenger
Messenger	Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known,	70
	Though in your state of honour I am perfect.
	I doubt some danger does approach you nearly:
	If you will take a homely man's advice,
	Be not found here; hence, with your little ones.
	To fright you thus, methinks, I am too savage;	75
	To do worse to you were fell cruelty,
	Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve you!
	I dare abide no longer.
	Exit
LADY MACDUFF	Whither should I fly?
	I have done no harm. But I remember now	80
	I am in this earthly world; where to do harm
	Is often laudable, to do good sometime
	Accounted dangerous folly: why then, alas,
	Do I put up that womanly defence,
	To say I have done no harm?	85
	Enter Murderers
	What are these faces?
First Murderer	Where is your husband?
LADY MACDUFF	I hope, in no place so unsanctified
	Where such as thou mayst find him.
First Murderer	He's a traitor.	90
Son	Thou liest, thou shag-hair'd villain!
First Murderer	What, you egg!
	Stabbing him
	Young fry of treachery!
Son	He has kill'd me, mother:
	Run away, I pray you!	95
	Dies
	Exit LADY MACDUFF, crying 'Murder!'
	Exeunt Murderers, following her