SCENE II
Scotland. Forest.
Fleance and Fiona, seated.
FLEANCE Would this day were as my love, for then
’twould never end; ’twould keep its face turned to
the sun, so that it never set.
FIONA My love
would stop the sun entire, hold it in
its place so that a day would ne’er again
be marked by a division.
FLEANCE Alas! Night
falls slow but thick, and we must make for
he ship. I pray you, my lady, come with me.
FIONA Ireland is a strange and foreign
shore.
FLEANCE But we shall be together. All else
is geography.
FIONA But my family
here resides, and my departure bars
return.
FLEANCE We shall build a family of
our own.
FIONA As we could in Scotland, if
you’d stay.
FLEANCE While the tyrant Malcolm reigns,
my days are marked by danger. He’s slain a loving
brother—how shall he treat a ’magined threat?
FIONA Then why not seize the throne, and live in peace?
FLEANCE The throne is the least peaceful place
in Scotland.
FIONA But ’tis rightfully yours.
FLEANCE By prophecy.
Not by right.
FIONA Prophecy has run
the course of Scotland since Macbeth did claim
it as his crowning tool. It is as much
a right as any.
FLEANCE I have no desire
for the throne, and have no ambition
for the walls of Dunsinane. Perhaps
I would claim, if I felt the pull
for kingly power or earthly gain. But I
do not. I possess already all the jewels
our earth can hold; for you have filled my
desire for aught else. So: I pray you,
come with me. ’Tis unsafe here. We must
make to the ship, and I cannot abscond
until you will consent.
FIONA Would you force
me to decide between abandoning
my love and relinquishing my kin?
FLEANCE Which love’s the stronger?
FIONA They cannot be compared.
FLEANCE The last light of sun doth darken my heart.
’Tis clear now that you mean to stay.
FIONA I’ll come.
They kiss.
FIONA But I must first take leave of my kin.
FLEANCE They’ll not assent.
FIONA My mind’s made up.
FLEANCE We haven’t
time. My men wait for us.
FIONA Go
to them. Inform of my near arrival.
I’ll to my family and bear the brunt
of their tearful departure.
FLEANCE I like it not.
The night grows thick. I pray you, join me now,
and let us be done with Scotland.
FIONA I will
not flee like a thief in the night. I must
look one last time upon their faces.
FLEANCE Then my hours will be heavy with waiting.
FIONA This will keep them lighter.
They kiss.
Exeunt.
SCENE III
Scotland. Forest.
Enter Three Murderers.
FIRST MURDERER Again the fate of Scotland twists in our
hands.
SECOND MURDERER Then ’tis good they are murderers’
hands—broad and thick, and deep in the palm.
THIRD MURDERER If you think rightly, ’tis not just Scotland
but the entire world, Scotland being the seat of civilization.
FIRST MURDERER Then we are the bearers of civilization.
SECOND MURDERER No Scottish king, it seems, can thrive
without our services. Then why not be kings ourselves?
THIRD MURDERER We’ll carve Scotland three ways.
FIRST MURDERER I’ll take Fife.
SECOND MURDERER I, Edinburgh.
THIRD MURDERER I, Glasgow.
FIRST MURDERER A triumvirate.
SECOND MURDERER Like Caesar and Antony and—who
was it?
THIRD MURDERER Cleopatra.
FIRST MURDERER ’Twas not Cleopatra.
SECOND MURDERER Hark! Here comes one.
Enter Fiona.
THIRD MURDERER It must be the lover of Fleance.
SECOND MURDERER Why then, ’tis like netting the boy
himself.
The Three Murderers confront her.
FIRST MURDERER No further!
FIONA Who’s there?
SECOND MURDERER A friend.
THIRD MURDERER Three friends.
FIRST MURDERER Where is your lover, the would-be boy
king?
FIONA Fiend! He’s in a place that you’re too low
to find.
SECOND MURDERER You’ll speak. Fleance is not the only
lover in Scotland, as we’ll soon educate.
The Second Murderer grabs her. She strikes him.
SECOND MURDERER My eye! ’Tis lost! O cunning
harlot!
He strikes her. She falls.
FIRST MURDERER Now where hides Fleance?
FIONA He’s on his way to Dunsinane, to oust
your bloody master and seize the throne himself.
That concluded, he’ll next hang each of you
and rid the world of the stench of your humanity.
Second Murderer strikes and kills her.
THIRD MURDERER What have you done? She was the bait to
lure the bird.
SECOND MURDERER My eye is lost!
FIRST MURDERER Now we all are lost. If we report the loss of
Fleance, we’ll share her fate.
THIRD MURDERER Then we’ll lie. Fleance is dead. We killed
him.
FIRST MURDERER We stabbed him twenty times.
SECOND MURDERER Severed his head.
FIRST MURDERER But where is it?
SECOND MURDERER Eaten by a boar.
THIRD MURDERER Snatched from our very hands. Let’s
smear this blood and pretend ’tis his.
FIRST MURDERER Come, let’s leave this bloody scene, and
collect our fee in Dunsinane.
Exeunt.
SCENE IV
Dunsinane.
Enter Malcolm and Lady Malcolm.
LADY MALCOLM My lord, why rise at such unheavenly
hour? ’Tis not yet light; the owl still cries.
Pray, come back to bed.
MALCOLM ’Tis light enough
for a dreadful deed.
LADY MALCOLM Deed? Of which
deed do you speak?
MALCOLM Of one no man was born
to do, yet will befit one of no woman born.
LADY MALCOLM What’s that you grasp? A dagger? For what
purpose?
MALCOLM To defend the crown.
LADY MALCOLM Defend? From what?
MALCOLM ’Tis not for your wholesome ears to know.
I go alone to make our palace safe.
LADY MALCOLM But ’tis safe. The Lord above protects.
MALCOLM But the lord below provokes.
Lady Malcolm kneels before him.
LADY MALCOLM Mean you
to commit murder?
MALCOLM ’Tis a word
too absolute.
LADY MALCOLM Drop this evil guide,
I pray you, and return to our wedding bed.
MALCOLM ’Tis our union I aim to protect.
LADY M
ALCOLM My lord, do not commit this heinous sin!
’Tis a stain upon our souls!
MALCOLM What?
’Tis not true. I never touched you, Banquo.
LADY MALCOLM To whom do you speak? My lord, you are
not well. I pray you!
MALCOLM Why, here’s your mother,
come to accompany.
LADY MALCOLM My lord!
Exit Malcolm. Lady Malcolm weeps.