Page 36 - Macbeth Modern Translation

chair beside Lady Macbeth’s. ‘Will it please your Highness to grace us with
your royal company?’

‘The table’s full,’ said Macbeth.

Lennox pointed to the empty chair. ‘There’s your place, reserved for you,’ he

said.

Macbeth looked up. All the colour in his cheeks drained away. He swayed.

‘What’s the matter?’ said Lennox.

Macbeth backed away, not taking his eyes off his chair. Then: ‘Which of you
have done this?’ he shouted.
There was a change of atmosphere as people stopped eating and talking
and looked at him. ‘Done what?’ they asked each other.

They watched as the King pointed to the empty chair.

‘You can’t say I did it!’ he screamed. ‘Don’t shake your gory locks at me!’

Ross sprang to his feet. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, rise: his Highness is not well.’

‘Sit!’ cried Lady Macbeth. She was moving fast to her husband. ‘Sit, worthy
friends. His Majesty is often like this – has been since childhood. Please, just
stay seated. It’s only a brief fit. He’ll be himself again in an instant. Take no
notice of him: if you give it too much attention it will make him worse. Carry
on eating and take no notice of him.’

She reached his side: she took his arm and spoke urgently into his ear. ‘Are

you a man?’

‘Yes, and a bold one, daring to look at something that would frighten the
devil!’

Lady Macbeth dragged him to the side of the hall. The guests had turned
back to their conversations.
‘What nonsense!’ she said. ‘This is just a picture of your fear – the same thing
as the dagger which you told me led you to Duncan. Come on, now – these
outbursts are ridiculous, far more suitable for women telling winter’s tales. You
should be ashamed of yourself.’

Macbeth was even paler now, and his face showed real fear.

‘Why are you pulling faces?’ she said. ‘When all’s said and done, you’re only
looking at a chair.’
‘Oh yes?’ said Macbeth. ‘Look! Look there! What do you say now?’ He
stepped forward and shook his finger at the chair. ‘Why, what do I care? If
you can sit there nodding then you can speak, too, so say something! If the

dead won’t stay in their graves then we should feed them to birds of prey.
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