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That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold

Lady Macbeth
That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold.
What hath quenched them hath given me fire.
Hark!—Peace.
It was the owl that shrieked, the fatal bellman,
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 drugged their possets,
That death and nature do contend about them
Whether they live or die.

It was the owl that shrieked, the fatal bellman,
Which gives the stern’st good-night

Macbeth, within
Who’s there? what, ho!
Lady Macbeth
Alack, I am afraid they have awaked,
And ’tis not done. Th’ attempt and not the deed
Confounds us. Hark!—I laid their daggers ready;
He could not miss ’em. Had he not resembled
My father as he slept, I had done ’t.
  Enter Macbeth with bloody daggers.
My husband?
Macbeth
I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise?
Lady Macbeth
I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry.
Did not you speak?
Macbeth
When?
Lady Macbeth
Now.
Macbeth
As I descended?
Lady Macbeth
Ay.
Macbeth
Hark!—Who lies i’ th’ second chamber?
Lady Macbeth
Donalbain.
Macbeth
This is a sorry sight.
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.
But they did say their prayers and addressed 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,
List’ning 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”
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,
Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care,
The death of each day’s life, sore labor’s bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course,
Chief nourisher in life’s feast.
Lady Macbeth
What do you mean?
Macbeth
Still it cried “Sleep no more!” to all the house.
“Glamis hath murdered 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
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.
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
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.
  She exits with the daggers.

Source:
Act 2
Scene 2
Line 1

Source Type:

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