The Real Inspector Hound and Other Plays (32 page)

(
He recovers somewhat
.)
Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends:
I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing
To those that know me. Come love and health to
   all!
Then I’ll sit down. Give me some wine; Fill full!
I drink to the general joy o’ the whole table,
And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss.
Would he were here! To all—and him—we thirst,
And all to all.

GUESTS
:

Our duties and the pledge!
(
However
,
EASY
tries again, reappearing in
MACBETH
’
s sight above screen stage right
.)

MACBETH
:

Avaunt, and quit my sight!
(
EASY
quits his sight
.)
Let the earth hide thee!
Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold.

LADY MACBETH
:

Think of this, good peers,
But as a thing of custom; ’tis no other;
Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.
(
EASY
appears at the window again
.)

MACBETH
:

Hence, horrible shadow!
Unreal mockery, hence!
(
He closes shutters. He recovers again
.)
Why, so; being gone,
I am a man again. Pray you sit still.

LADY MACBETH
:

(
Aside to
MACBETH.
) You have displaced the
   mirth, broke the good meeting
With most admired disorder.
(
To the
GUESTS.
) At once, good night.
Stand not upon the order of your going;
But go at once.
(
The
GUESTS
rise and depart
.)

ROSS
:

Good night; and better health
Attend his majesty!

LADY MACBETH
:

A kind good-night to all!
(
Lights down
.)

MACBETH
:

It will have blood, they say; blood will have blood.
Stones have been known to move and trees to
   speak;
And betimes I will—to the weird sisters.
More shall they speak; for now I am bent to
   know
By the worst means the worst.
(
Thunder and lightning. Three
WITCHES
.)

WITCHES
:

Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

1ST WITCH
:

By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.
(
Enter
MACBETH
.)

MACBETH
:

How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!
What is’t you do?

WITCHES
:

A deed without a name.

MACBETH
:

I conjure you, by that which you profess,
Howe’er you come to know it, answer me—

1ST WITCH
:

Say if thou’dst rather hear it from our mouths
Or from our masters.

MACBETH
:

Call ’em. Let me see ’em.
(
The ‘Apparitions’ of Shakespeare’s play are here
translated into voices, amplified and coming from
different parts of the auditorium. Evidently
MACBETH
can see the ‘Apparition’ from
which each voice comes. Thunder
.)

1ST VOICE
:

Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware Macduff!
Beware the Thane of Fife! Dismiss me. Enough.

MACBETH
:

Whate’er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks;
Thou hast harped my fear aright.

2ND VOICE
:

Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth!

MACBETH
:

Had I three ears, I’d hear thee.

2ND VOICE
:

Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn
The power of man; for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.

MACBETH
:

Then live Macduff; What need I fear of thee?
(
Thunder.
Exit
WITCHES
.)
What is this
That rises like the issue of a king,
And wears upon his baby brow the round
And top of a sovereignty?

CHILD’S VOICE
:

Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are;
Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until
Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill
Shall come against him.

MACBETH
:

That will never be.
Who can impress the forest, bid the tree
Unfix his earth-bound root? Yet my heart
Throbs to know one thing:

WITCHES
:

(
Off-stage
) Seek to know no more.
Show his eyes and grieve his heart;
Come like shadows, so depart.

MACBETH
:

Where are they? Gone! Let this pernicious hour
Stand aye accursed in the calendar.
Come in, without there.
(
Enter
LENNOX
.)

LENNOX
:

What is your grace’s will.

MACBETH
:

Saw you the weird sisters?

LENNOX
:

No my lord.
(
EASY
passes window
.)

MACBETH
:

Who was’t come by?

LENNOX
:

’Tis two or three my lord, that bring you word
   that
Macduff’s fled to England.

MACBETH
:

Fled to England?
(
EASY
enters timidly
.)

(
Everybody leaves.
Enter
MALCOLM AND MACDUFF
.)

MALCOLM
:

Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there
Weep our sad bosoms empty.

MACDUFF
:

Let us rather
Hold fast the mortal sword; and like good men
Bestride our down-fallen birthdom. Each new morn
New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows
Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds
As if it felt with Scotland, and yelled out
Like syllable of dolour.

MALCOLM
:

This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues,
Was once thought honest.

MACDUFF
:

Bleed, bleed, poor country!
(
Police siren is heard in distance
.)

MALCOLM
:

It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash
Is added to her wounds.

MACDUFF
:

O Scotland, Scotland!
O nation miserable,
With an untitled tyrant, bloody-sceptred,
When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again.
See who comes here.
(
Siren stops
.)

MALCOLM
:

My countryman; but yet I know him not.
(
The police car has been mailing on its way back
.
INSPECTOR
enters
.)

MACDUFF
:

Stands Scotland where it did?