The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (965 page)

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

Look, here she comes! This is how she is awake, but—upon

my life—she is sound asleep. Watch her. Stay near.

Doctor

How came she by that light?

How did she get that candle?

Gentlewoman

Why, it stood by her: she has light by her

continually; 'tis her command.

It was by her bedside. She has light by her all the time.

She requests it.

Doctor

You see, her eyes are open.

You see, her eyes are open.

Gentlewoman

Ay, but their sense is shut.

Yes, but they don’t see anything.

Doctor

What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands.

What is she doing now? Look at how she rubs her hands together.

Gentlewoman

It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus

washing her hands: I have known her continue in

this a quarter of an hour.

It’s a common action with her. She seems to be

washing her hands. I have witnessed her doing this

for at least fifteen minutes.

LADY MACBETH

Yet here's a spot.

There’s still a spot.

Doctor

Hark! she speaks: I will set down what comes from

her, to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly.

Listen! She speaks! I will write down what she says

to help me remember it better.

LADY MACBETH

Out, damned spot! out, I say!--One: two: why,

then, 'tis time to do't.--Hell is murky!--Fie, my

lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we

fear who knows it, when none can call our power to

account?--Yet who would have thought the old man

to have had so much blood in him.

Out, damned spot! Out, I say!—one, two, why

it is time to do it. –Hell is murky!—Nonsense, my

lord, nonsense! A soldier, and afraid? Why should

we be afraid, when none can call our power

into account?—Who knew the old man would

have so much blood in him?

Doctor

Do you mark that?

Did you hear that?

LADY MACBETH

The thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now?--

What, will these hands ne'er be clean?--No more o'

that, my lord, no more o' that: you mar all with

this starting.

The thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now?—

What, will these hands never be clean?—No more

of that, my lord, no more of that: you’ll ruin everything

with acting startled.

Doctor

Go to, go to; you have known what you should not.

Go on, go on—you have known what you should not know.

Gentlewoman

She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of

that: heaven knows what she has known.

She has spoken what she should not, I am sure

of it. Heaven knows what she has known.

LADY MACBETH

Here's the smell of the blood still: all the

perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little

hand. Oh, oh, oh!

The smell of the blood is still here. All the perfumes

of Arabis will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, oh, oh!

Doctor

What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged.

What a sigh there is. Her heart is very heavy.

Gentlewoman

I would not have such a heart in my bosom for the

dignity of the whole body.

I would not have such a heart in my chest even

if my whole body was dignity.

Doctor

Well, well, well,--

Well, well, well—

Gentlewoman

Pray God it be, sir.

If only it were so, sir.

Doctor

This disease is beyond my practise: yet I have known

those which have walked in their sleep who have died

holily in their beds.

This disease is beyond me. Still, I have known

of those who walk in their sleep who died pure in their beds.

LADY MACBETH

Wash your hands, put on your nightgown; look not so

pale.--I tell you yet again, Banquo's buried; he

cannot come out on's grave.

Wash your hands and put on your nightgown. Don’t look

so pale—I tell you once again: Banquo’s buried. He

cannot come out of his grave.

Doctor

Even so?

However?

LADY MACBETH

To bed, to bed! there's knocking at the gate:

come, come, come, come, give me your hand. What's

done cannot be undone.--To bed, to bed, to bed!

Go to bed, to bed! There’s a knocking at the gate:

come, come, come, come—give me your hand. What’s

done cannot be undone.—To bed, to bed, to bed!

Exit

Doctor

Will she go now to bed?

Will she go to bed now?

Gentlewoman

Directly.

Immediately.

Doctor

Foul whisperings are abroad: unnatural deeds

Do breed unnatural troubles: infected minds

To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets:

More needs she the divine than the physician.

God, God forgive us all! Look after her;

Remove from her the means of all annoyance,

And still keep eyes upon her. So, good night:

My mind she has mated, and amazed my sight.

I think, but dare not speak.

Filthy rumors are going around. Unnatural acts

cause unnatural troubles. Worried minds

will confess their secrets to unhearing pillows.

She needs more help than a doctor can give.

God, God forgive us all! Look after her.

Remove anything that she could use to harm

herself, and keep a watch on her. Good night.

Her actions have bred thoughts in my mind

and amazed my eyes. I am thinking about

what I have witnessed, but dare not speak.

Gentlewoman

Good night, good doctor.

Good night, good doctor.

Exeunt

The Country Near Dunsinane.

Drum and colours. Enter MENTEITH, CAITHNESS, ANGUS, LENNOX, and Soldiers

MENTEITH

The English power is near, led on by Malcolm,

His uncle Siward and the good Macduff:

Revenges burn in them; for their dear causes

Would to the bleeding and the grim alarm

Excite the mortified man.

The English army is drawing near, led by Malcolm,

his uncle Siward, and the good Macduff.

Revenge burns in them. Their causes

would incite the bloody and dead

to rise and fight.

ANGUS

Near Birnam wood

Shall we well meet them; that way are they coming.

We will meet them near Birnam wood.

They are coming that way.

CAITHNESS

Who knows if Donalbain be with his brother?

Is Donalbain with his brother?

LENNOX

For certain, sir, he is not: I have a file

Of all the gentry: there is Siward's son,

And many unrough youths that even now

Protest their first of manhood.

For sure, sir, he is not with him. I have a record

of all the gentry: there is Siward’s son,

and many men who are too young to have

their first beards.

MENTEITH

What does the tyrant?

What is Macbeth doing?

CAITHNESS

Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies:

Some say he's mad; others that lesser hate him

Do call it valiant fury: but, for certain,

He cannot buckle his distemper'd cause

Within the belt of rule.

He is fortifying his castle at Dunsinane.

Some say he’s insane, while those who don’t

hate him so much call it determined anger.

But, to be sure, he cannot control his rage

within his range of rule.

ANGUS

Now does he feel

His secret murders sticking on his hands;

Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-breach;

Those he commands move only in command,

Nothing in love: now does he feel his title

Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe

Upon a dwarfish thief.

Now he feels the blood of his secret murders on his hands.

Now small armies punish his breach of faith.

Those soldiers he commands respond only by duty,

not out of love. He feels his title hanging loose

on him, like a giant’s robe on a dwarfish thief.

MENTEITH

Who then shall blame

His pester'd senses to recoil and start,

When all that is within him does condemn

Itself for being there?

Who can blame his senses for drawing back and starting

again, when all that is within him condemns him to himself?

CAITHNESS

Well, march we on,

To give obedience where 'tis truly owed:

Meet we the medicine of the sickly weal,

And with him pour we in our country's purge

Each drop of us.

Well, let’s march on

and give obedience where it is deserved.

We are going to meet the medicine

that will cure our country of this illness—

Malcolm. We will give every drop of our blood to him.

LENNOX

Or so much as it needs,

To dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds.

Make we our march towards Birnam.

However much is required to water the royal flower

and drown the weeds. Let’s march towards Birnam.