ACT FOUR
SCENE ONE
SUB ACT THREE
“Speak,
Duncan. Come back, Duncan.” MacBeth called out.
“Were
you there at the castle that night? Why do you taunt me? I did not kill you.
You were dead when I arrived.” MacBeth spoke the truth of that night. “Who kill
you?”
“Duncan!
Speak to me.” MacBeth was upset. “Why do you do this to me? I know you had
secrets.”
“Tell
me of one. Do tell me of MacDuff. I need to know.” MacBeth called out. “Why is
he with the prince?”
“Malcolm
lives and MacDuff ……. Why should I fear him? Yet, I will make doubly sure
and guarantee my fate. You will die, MacDuff, and by killing you I will
defeat my fear and always sleep easily.”
”
Tell me. Am I right?” MacBeth was insistent.
“You
cannot command him.” Main voiced out.
“I
desist. Whatever you are, thanks for your good advice. You have described
exactly what I feared. MacDuff is my immediate concern.” MacBeth sounded
relief.
“But
one more thing …….” MacBeth was pressing on.
The
second apparition appeared in the form of a figure known to MacBeth.
“Esther??”
MacBeth was calling out. His dead lover was holding the bloodied child.
“MacBeth!
MacBeth! MacBeth!” The apparition voiced.
“I
hear thee. If I had three ears, I had use all three to listen.” MacBeth moaned.
“Be
violent, bold, and determined. Mock the strength of other men, because no
man born from a woman will ever harm King MacBeth.”
The
second apparition vanished and a third one appeared in the form of a child
wearing a crown and holding a tree in his hand.
“Who
is that? Which spirit that appears like the child of a King, wearing a
royal crown on his young head?” MacBeth was baffled.
“Silence!”
Main voiced sternly. “Listen, but do not speak to it.”
“Be
as courageous and proud as a lion. Do not worry about who dislikes you, who
resents you, and who conspires against you. MacBeth will never be beaten
until Great Birnam Wood comes to fight you at Dunsinane Hill.” The third
apparition voiced and then vanished.
“Who
was that? A child with crown? I have no heir.” MacBeth said.
“Not
yet.” MacBeth mumbled. He had waited on Elleanor but it was not forthcoming.
“Great
Birnam Wood?’ MacBeth tried to recall the name. He heard tales of the trees
there.
“There
seats an ancient tree, the Birnam Oak, it was named the "Hangman's
Tree". on a strip of
woodland on the south bank of the River Tay. The trunk is wide and its
large spreading branches have latterly been supported on a number of struts to
prevent them from collapsing under their own weight. The exact age is
unknown, but the girth suggests an age of very old.”
“The
mortals of Man will be gone but not the tree.” Another said of the tree.
“That
will never happen.” MacBeth was disbelieving. “Who can command the forest so
that the trees lift their roots from the earth?”
“Can
it be sweet prophecies? Good! My murders will never rise until the forest of
Birnam rises, and I will live a full life and die only of old age, as is
customary.” MacBeth was delighted.
“But
my heart still throbs to know one thing. Tell me, if your dark powers can
see it: will Banquo’s sons ever reign in this Kingdom? He is my nemesis.”
“Do
not try to learn more.” Main voiced but MacBeth was unwilling to back down.
“I
demand to be satisfied. If you deny me, may an eternal curse fall on you! Let
me know.”
“Show
him so his heart grieves. Come like shadows and depart as shadows too!” Main
roared out. Over the top of the crystal, the parade of eight Kings appeared across
the ceiling, the last one holds a mirror in his hand, followed by the last who
was not a King but one that appeared to be a follower.
Banquo
was the name.
‘Unworthy
angels! Why do you show me this? Will this line of Kings stretch on to
infinity? Yet another one? And a seventh? I want to see no more.” MacBeth was
staring at Banquo. “How is he here? And yet an eighth appears, holding a mirror
in which I see many more Kings.”
“Some
of those Kings carry double orbs and triple sceptres! Horrible sight!
Now I see it is true: blood-splattered Banquo smiles at me and points at them,
identifying them as his descendants.” MacBeth was upset. “What of mine?”
The
spirits of the Kings with Banquo vanished.
“What?
Is this true?” MacBeth asked.
“Yes,
it is all true. But why do you stand there so amazed?” Main voiced.
“Let
us conjure up some spirits and show him what we can do. I will charm the
air to make music while you perform your wild dance.” The crystals them hummed
and shades of aura appeared over the place.
“Then
this noble King will say that our ceremonies repaid his friendly welcome.” The
crystals then went quiet.
“My
King!” The voice called to MacBeth from outside the Citadel. It woke him then.
“Was
I asleep?” MacBeth shook his head. He then heard the voice once more.
“Are
you there?”
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