Act II, Scene 2

The same.

[Enter LADY MACBETH]

• Lady Macbeth. That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold;
  What hath quench'd them hath given me fire.
  Hark! Peace!
  It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman, 650
  Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it:
  The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms
  Do mock their charge with snores: I have drugg'd
  their possets,
  That death and nature do contend about them, 655
  Whether they live or die.

• Macbeth. [Within] Who's there? what, ho!

• Lady Macbeth. Alack, I am afraid they have awaked,
  And 'tis not done. The attempt and not the deed
  Confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers ready; 660
  He could not miss 'em. Had he not resembled
  My father as he slept, I had done't.
  [Enter MACBETH]
  My husband!

• Macbeth. I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise? 665

• Lady Macbeth. I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry.
  Did not you speak?

• Macbeth. When?

• Lady Macbeth. Now.

• Macbeth. As I descended? 670

• Lady Macbeth. Ay.

• Macbeth. Hark!
  Who lies i' the second chamber?

• Lady Macbeth. Donalbain.

• Macbeth. This is a sorry sight. 675

[Looking on his hands]

• Lady Macbeth. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.

• Macbeth. There's one did laugh in's sleep, and one cried
  'Murder!'
  That they did wake each other: I stood and heard them: 680
  But they did say their prayers, and address'd them
  Again to sleep.

• Lady Macbeth. There are two lodged together.

• Macbeth. One cried 'God bless us!' and 'Amen' the other;
  As they had seen me with these hangman's hands. 685
  Listening their fear, I could not say 'Amen,'
  When they did say 'God bless us!'

• Lady Macbeth. Consider it not so deeply.

• Macbeth. But wherefore could not I pronounce 'Amen'?
  I had most need of blessing, and 'Amen' 690
  Stuck in my throat.

• Lady Macbeth. These deeds must not be thought
  After these ways; so, it will make us mad.

• Macbeth. Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more!
  Macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep, 695
  Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care,
  The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
  Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
  Chief nourisher in life's feast,—

• Lady Macbeth. What do you mean? 700

• Macbeth. Still it cried 'Sleep no more!' to all the house:
  'Glamis hath murder'd sleep, and therefore Cawdor
  Shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more.'

• Lady Macbeth. Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane,
  You do unbend your noble strength, to think 705
  So brainsickly of things. Go get some water,
  And wash this filthy witness from your hand.
  Why did you bring these daggers from the place?
  They must lie there: go carry them; and smear
  The sleepy grooms with blood. 710

• Macbeth. I'll go no more:
  I am afraid to think what I have done;
  Look on't again I dare not.

• Lady Macbeth. Infirm of purpose!
  Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead 715
  Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood
  That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,
  I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal;
  For it must seem their guilt.

[Exit. Knocking within]

• Macbeth. Whence is that knocking?
  How is't with me, when every noise appals me?
  What hands are here? ha! they pluck out mine eyes.
  Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
  Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather 725
  The multitudinous seas in incarnadine,
  Making the green one red.

[Re-enter LADY MACBETH]

• Lady Macbeth. My hands are of your colour; but I shame
  To wear a heart so white. 730
  [Knocking within]
  I hear a knocking
  At the south entry: retire we to our chamber;
  A little water clears us of this deed:
  How easy is it, then! Your constancy 735
  Hath left you unattended.
  [Knocking within]
  Hark! more knocking.
  Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us,
  And show us to be watchers. Be not lost 740
  So poorly in your thoughts.

• Macbeth. To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself.
  [Knocking within]
  Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst!

[Exeunt]