| Outside Macbeth's castle. |
| [Enter ROSS and an old Man] |
| Old Man | Threescore and ten I can remember well: | ||
| Within the volume of which time I have seen | |||
| Hours dreadful and things strange; but this sore night | |||
| Hath trifled former knowings. |
| ROSS | Ah, good father, | 5 | |
| Thou seest, the heavens, as troubled with man's act, | |||
| Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock, 'tis day, | |||
| And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp: | |||
| Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame, | |||
| That darkness does the face of earth entomb, | 10 | ||
| When living light should kiss it? |
| Old Man | 'Tis unnatural, | ||
| Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last, | |||
| A falcon, towering in her pride of place, | |||
| Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd. | 15 |
| ROSS | And Duncan's horses--a thing most strange and certain-- | ||
| Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, | |||
| Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, | |||
| Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would make | |||
| War with mankind. | 20 |
| Old Man | 'Tis said they eat each other. |
| ROSS | They did so, to the amazement of mine eyes | ||
| That look'd upon't. Here comes the good Macduff. | |||
| [Enter MACDUFF] | |||
| How goes the world, sir, now? |
| MACDUFF | Why, see you not? | 25 |
| ROSS | Is't known who did this more than bloody deed? |
| MACDUFF | Those that Macbeth hath slain. |
| ROSS | Alas, the day! | ||
| What good could they pretend? |
| MACDUFF | They were suborn'd: | 30 | |
| Malcolm and Donalbain, the king's two sons, | |||
| Are stol'n away and fled; which puts upon them | |||
| Suspicion of the deed. |
| ROSS | 'Gainst nature still! | ||
| Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up | 35 | ||
| Thine own life's means! Then 'tis most like | |||
| The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. |
| MACDUFF | He is already named, and gone to Scone | ||
| To be invested. |
| ROSS | Where is Duncan's body? |
| MACDUFF | Carried to Colmekill, | 40 | |
| The sacred storehouse of his predecessors, | |||
| And guardian of their bones. |
| ROSS | Will you to Scone? |
| MACDUFF | No, cousin, I'll to Fife. |
| ROSS | Well, I will thither. | 45 |
| MACDUFF | Well, may you see things well done there: adieu! | ||
| Lest our old robes sit easier than our new! |
| ROSS | Farewell, father. |
| Old Man | God's benison go with you; and with those | ||
| That would make good of bad, and friends of foes! | 50 | ||
| [Exeunt] |