MRS. S1DDONS AS LADY MACBETH 65 



Lady. A kind good night to all ! 



[Exeunt all but MACBETH and LADY MACBETH. 



Macbeth. It will have blood : they say blood will have blood : 

 Stones have been known to move and trees to speak ; 

 Augurs and understood relations have 

 By maggot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth 

 The secret'st man of blood. What is the night ? 



Lady. 60 Almost at odds with morning, which is which. 



Macbeth. How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person 

 At our great bidding ? 



Lady. Did you send to him, sir ? 



Macbeth. I hear it by the way, but I will send : 

 There's not a one of them but in his house 

 I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow, 

 And betimes I will, unto the weird sisters : 

 More shall they speak, for now I am bent to know, 

 By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good 

 All causes shall give way : I am in blood 

 Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, 

 Returning were as tedious as go o'er. 



LadySl You lack the season of all natures, sleep. 



Macbeth. Come, we'll to sleep. My strange and self-abuse 

 Is the initiate fear that wants hard use : 

 We are yet but young in deed. [Exeunt. 



It is curious to see by these last two notes, as by the intro- 

 ductory remarks, that Mrs. Siddons conveyed by her demeanour 

 the impression of being already almost broken down, and quite as 

 much in need of sleep as Macbeth.- This preparation for the sleep- 

 ing scene is a very fine idea, and hardly seems to be suggested in 

 the insignificant remarks given by Shakespeare to Lady Macbeth 

 at the close of this scene. We now come to the fifth act. 



Gentlewoman. Lo you, here she comes ! This is her very guise ; 

 and, upon my life, fast asleep. Observe her ; stand close. 



Enter LADY MACBETH, with a taper , 62 

 Physician. How came she by that light ? 



60 Very sorrowful. Quite exhausted. 



61 Feeble now, and as if preparing for her last sickness and final doom. 



62 I should like her to enter less suddenly. A slower and more interrupted 

 step more natural. She advances rapidly to the table, sets down the light 

 and rubs her hand, making the action of lifting up water in one hand at 

 intervals. 



VOL. I. F 



