Fife. A Room in Macduff's Castle.
 Enter LADY MACDUFF, her SON, and ROSS.

Lady Macduff	What had he done to make him fly the land?

Ross	You must have patience, madam.

Lady Macduff										He had none.
	His flight was madness. When our actions do not,
	Our fears do make us traitors.

Ross										You know not
	Whether it was his wisdom or his fear.

Lady Macduff	Wisdom! - to leave his wife, to leave his babes,
	His mansion, and his titles, in a place
	From whence himself does fly? He loves us not.
	He wants the natural touch; for the poor wren,
	The most diminutive of birds, will fight,
	Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.
	All is the fear and nothing is the love;
	As little is the wisdom, where the flight
	So runs against all reason.

Ross									My dearest coz,
	I pray you, school yourself. But, for your husband,
	He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows
	The fits o'th' season. I dare not speak much further;
	But cruel are the times when we are traitors
	And do not know ourselves; when we hold rumour
	From what we fear, yet know not what we fear,
	But float upon a wild and violent sea
	Each way and move. I take my leave of you;
	Shall not be long but I'll be here again.
	Things at the worst will cease, or else climb upward
	To what they were before. [To BOY.] My pretty cousin,
	Blessing upon you!

Lady Macduff	Fathered he is, and yet he's fatherless.

Ross	I am so much a fool, should I stay longer
	It would be my disgrace and your discomfort.
	I take my leave at once.
												[Exit.
Lady Macduff								Sirrah, your father's dead;
	And what will you do now? How will you live?

Son	As birds do, mother.

Lady Macduff							What, with worms and flies?

Son	With what I get, I mean; and so do they.

Lady Macduff	Poor bird, thou'dst never fear the net nor lime,
	The pitfall nor the gin.

Son	Why should I, mother? Poor birds they are not set for.
	My father is not dead, for all your saying.

Lady Macduff	Yes, he is dead. How wilt thou do for a father?

Son	Nay, how will you do for a husband?

Lady Macduff	Why, I can buy me twenty at any market.

Son	Then you'll buy 'em to sell again.

Lady Macduff	Thou speak'st with all thy wit; and yet, i'faith,
	With wit enough for thee.

Son	Was my father a traitor, mother?

Lady Macduff	Ay, that he was.

Son	What is a traitor?

Lady Macduff	Why, one that swears and lies.

Son	And be all traitors that do so?

Lady Macduff	Every one that does so is a traitor, and must be hanged.

Son	And must they all be hanged that swear and lie?

Lady Macduff	Every one.

Son	Who must hang them?

Lady Macduff	Why, the honest men.

Son	Then the liars and swearers are fools, for there are liars 
	and swearers enow to beat the honest men and hang up them.

Lady Macduff	Now God help thee, poor monkey! But how wilt thou do for a 
	father?

Son	If he were dead you'd weep for him; if you would not, it 
	were a good sign that I should quickly have a new father.

Lady Macduff	Poor prattler, how thou talk'st!

                            Enter a MESSENGER.

Messenger	Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known,
	Though in your state of honour I am perfect.
	I doubt some danger does approach you nearly.
	If you will take a homely man's advice,
	Be not found here. Hence, with your little ones.
	To fright you thus, methinks, I am too savage;
	To do worse to you were fell cruelty,
	Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve you!
	I dare abide no longer.
												[Exit.

Lady Macduff								Whither should I fly?
	I have done no harm. But I remember now
	I am in this earthly world, where to do harm
	Is often laudable, to do good sometime
	Accounted dangerous folly. Why then, alas,
	Do I put up that womanly defence
	To say I have done no harm?

                             Enter MURDERERS.

								What are these faces?

Murderer	Where is your husband?

Lady Macduff	I hope in no place so unsanctified
	Where such as thou mayst find him.

Murderer									He's a traitor.

Son	Thou liest, thou shag-haired villain!

Murderer										What, you egg?
	Young fry of treachery!
												[Stabbing him.
Son							He has killed me, mother!
	Run away, I pray you.
												[Dies.
							[Exit LADY MACDUFF, crying 'Murder!'
										 pursued by the MURDERERS.
