t night,
with his memory full of Duncan's kind words, he would fain have spared
his guest.

"Would you live a coward?" demanded Lady Macbeth, who seems to have
thought that morality and cowardice were the same.

"I dare do all that may become a man," replied Macbeth; "who dare do
more is none."

"Why did you write that letter to me?" she inquired fiercely, and with
bitter words she egged him on to murder, and with cunning words she
showed him how to do it.

After supper Duncan went to bed, and two grooms were placed on guard at
his bedroom door. Lady Macbeth caused them to drink wine till they were
stupefied. She then took their daggers and would have killed the King
herself if his sleeping face had not looked like her father's.

Macbeth came later, and found the daggers lying by the grooms; and soon
with red hands he appeared before his wife, saying, "Methought I heard a
voice cry, 'Sleep no more! Macbeth destroys the sleeping.'"

"Wash your hands," said she. "Why did you not leave the daggers by the
grooms? Take them back, and smear the grooms with blood."

"I dare not," said Macbeth.

His wife dared, and she returned to him with hands red as his own, but a
heart less white, she proudly told him, for she scorned his fear.

The murderers heard a knocking, and Macbeth wished it was a knocking
which could wake the dead. It was the knocking of Macduff, the chieftain
of Fife, who had been told by Duncan to visit him early. Macbeth went to
him, and showed him the door of the King's room.

Macduff entered, and came out again crying, "O horror! horror! horror!"

Macbeth appeared as horror-stricken as Macduff, and pretending that he
could not bear to see life in Duncan's murderers, he slew the two grooms
with their own daggers before they could proclaim their innocence.

These murders did not shriek out, and Macbeth was crowned at Scone.
One of Duncan's sons went to Ireland, the other to England. Macbeth was
King. But he was discontented. The prophecy concerning Banquo oppressed
his mind. If Fleance were to rule, a son of Macbeth would not rule.
Macbeth determined, therefore, to murder both Banquo and his son. He
hired two ruffians, who slew Banquo one night when he was on his way
with Fleance to a banquet which Macbeth was giving to his nobles.
Fleance escaped.

Meanwhile Macbeth and his Queen received their guests very graciously,
and he expressed a wish for them which has been uttered thousands of
times sinc