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?
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| ROSS. | You must have patience, madam.
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| LADY MACDUFF. | He had none;
His flight was madness. When our actions do not,
Our fears do make us traitors.
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| ROSS. | You know not
Whether it was his wisdom or his fear.
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Wisdom? To leave his wife, to leave his babes,
His mansion, and his titles, in a place
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;
As little is the wisdom, where the flight
So runs against all reason.
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| ROSS. | My dearest coz,
I pray you, school yourself. But for your husband,
He is noble, wise, Judicious, and best knows
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 rumor
From what we fear, yet know not what we fear,
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,
Blessing upon you!
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| LADY MACDUFF. | write_ads(1,1)> Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherless.
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| 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
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Exit.
| LADY MACDUFF. | Sirrah, your father's dead.
And what will you do now? How will you live?
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| SON. | As birds do, Mother.
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| LADY MACDUFF. | What, with worms and flies?
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| SON. | write_ads(1,1)> With what I get, I mean; and so do they.
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Poor bird! Thou'ldst never fear the net nor lime,
The pitfall nor the gin.
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| SON. | Why should I, Mother? Poor birds they are not set for.
My father is not dead, for all your saying.
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Yes, he is dead. How wilt thou do for father?
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| SON. | Nay, how will you do for a husband?
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Why, I can buy me twenty at any market.
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| SON. | Then you'll buy 'em to sell again.
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Thou speak'st with all thy wit, and yet, i' faith,
With wit enough for thee.
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| SON. | Was my father a traitor, Mother?
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Ay, that he was.
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| SON. | What is a traitor?
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Why one that swears and lies.
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| SON. | And be all traitors that do so?
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Everyone that does so is a traitor and must be
hanged.
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| SON. | And must they all be hanged that swear and lie?
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Everyone.
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| SON. | Who must hang them?
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Why, the honest men.
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| SON. | Then the liars and swearers are fools, for there are liars and
swearers enow to beat the honest men and hang up them.
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Now, God help thee, poor monkey! But how wilt thou do
for a father?
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| 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.
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| LADY MACDUFF. | Poor prattler, how thou talk'st!
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Enter a Messenger.
| MESSENGER. | Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known,
Though in your state of honor 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;
To do worse to you were fell cruelty,
Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve you!
I dare abide no longer
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Exit.
| LADY MACDUFF. | Whither should I fly?
I have done no harm. But I remember now
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 defense,
To say I have done no harm -What are these faces?
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Enter Murderers.
| FIRST MURTHERER. | Where is your husband?
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| LADY MACDUFF. | I hope, in no place so unsanctified
Where such as thou mayst find him.
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| FIRST MURTHERER. | He's a traitor.
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| SON. | Thou liest, thou shag-ear'd villain!
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| FIRST MURTHERER. | What, you egg!
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Stabs him.
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Young fry of treachery!
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| SON. | He has kill'd me, Mother.
Run away, I pray you! Dies.
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Exit Lady Macduff, crying "Murder!"
Exeunt Murderers, following her.
Next
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