The Highland Tale; The King Act Three Scene Three Sub Act Three

 

A HAUNTING COMETH

ACT THREE

SCENE THREE

SUB ACT THREE

 

“MacBeth, you hoatching (Scottish slang for busy) here while the other tables called for you. Lady Elleanor approached the King. “If you do not regularly make clear that your guests are welcome, they will start to feel as if they’re paying for their meal”

Lady Elleanor saw the unfinished pudding and sighed.

“If you simply want to eat, itis best to do that at your other time. When you are eating out, you need some ceremony to act as an extra sauce for the meat. Without it, the party will be dull.”

“Thank you for reminding me!” The King got up from the table. He took up the glass of whiskey. “Good digestion requires a good appetite, and good health requires both those things.”

“To good appetite, good digestion, and good health!” The King gulped down the whiskey. The blended drink went down fast and then he grabbed another glass. He looked around and saw the apparition that was seated on the King’s seat. It was the same apparition that he saw at the river.

Headless.

“Father of all, who art thou?” The King was stunned. He recalled the words of another play that held the same fear as it was to him

“I am thy father’s spirit,
  Doomed for a certain term to walk the night
 And for the day confined to fast in fires
 Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
 Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid
 To tell the secrets of my prison house…...:”

(Act One Scene 5 HAMLET)

The King expression was white like the snow.

“King ….”  King MacBeth had a vision of the previous King seated there. As it was in Hamlet, he was visited by a ghost. “Nay, you cannot be.”

“Please sit, your Highness.” It was Lennox who aided MacBeth to be seated. “You may have one too many drinks, my Highness.”

“The Ghost ….” The King was interrupted by Lady Elleanor. “Your guests await your toast.”

“Toast?” The King was baffled.

“Yes, as King. You must say something/” Lady Elleanor looked at the other. “You have one too many.”

“Never enough.” The King pushed himself. He looked to the gathered and pulled his courage to the tone.

“All the nobility of Scotland would be gathered under one roof, united and unfearful of any. I will lead all of you …... better than before” MacBeth drew his courageous words to deny any claims done by Duncan or the King’s before Duncan.

“Banquo, where art thou? We rode far and wide but where are you now?” MacBeth roared in his voice. “We were to ride today.”

“He not here. If only the noble Banquo were also here. I hope I can scold him for rudeness, and not have to grieve because something may had happened to him.” The King took another wine of glass down his throat.

“Pour him no more.” Lady Elleanor stopped the servant. “He had one too many today.”

“Banquo’s absence means only that he has broken his promise to attend. If it pleases you, your Highness, won’t you sit and grace us with your royal company?” It was Ross who spoke.

“Your table is full, Ross.”

“Yours is not.” Lennox motioned to the King’s seat. The King saw what the others could not see; the apparition sat there.

“Here, my King. What is bothering you, your highness?” Lennox asked.

“Tell me. Which one of you did this?” The King looked at the gathered. “He sits there.”

“Did what, my good King? And who is seated there?” Lennox approached the King.
“The seat is yours and only yours.”

“You cannot say I did it. You were dead. Do not shake your bloody head at me.” The King looked at the seat. “I …”
 “My Lords and the gathered. His Highness is not well. We shall adjourn.” Ross took the gathered to his voice.

“Sit, noble friends. My King is at moments like this, and has been since childhood. Please, stay seated. This is a momentary fit. He will be well again in just a second. If you pay too much attention to him, you will offend him, which will prolong the fit. Eat, and pay no attention to him.” Lady Elleanor herself pale but tried to assure the guests to remain.

“Let me attend to him in the chamber.” Lady Elleanor told Ross. The latter nodded and arrange for the King to retire to his chamber but the King was unmoving.