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

 

THE TEST OF LOYALTY

ACT FOUR

SCENE THREE

SUB ACT TWO

 

“I do ……. I shall draw myself. Tell your wives, your daughters, your old women, and your young women could not satisfy the depths of my lust. My desire would overwhelm anything and everyone who opposed me. It is better that MacBeth rule rather than someone like me.”

“You belittle yourself,” MacDuff laughed. “Extreme lust can overwhelm a man, I may agree. It has caused the downfall of many Kings in previously happy Kingdoms.”

“Their fate was not told by their wives or they would have avoided it. They did not avoid it. They cherished it all.” Malcolm laughed.  “But do not be afraid to take the crown that is yours. You can satisfy your desires in secret, while still appearing virtuous in public.”

“You can hide the truth from everyone. The Highland has more than enough willing women. It is not possible that your lust could be so great that you had go through all the women willing to sleep with the King once they find out his interest in them.” MacDuff added.

“In addition to my lust, I’m also insatiably greedy.” Malcolm confessed. “If I were King, I had taken the nobles’ lands, steal the jewels of one, and take the house of another. And everything I took would make me hungrier to steal even more, until I had created unjustified arguments with my good and loyal subjects so that I could take their wealth.”

“This greed you describe is even worse than lust because it will not pass as you leave your youth, and it has led to the death of numerous Kings. But do not be afraid. The Highland has enough wealth that you will be satisfied, even by your own income alone. These bad qualities are bearable when weighed against your good qualities.” MacDuff said.

“I have no good qualities. I have none of the qualities necessary for a King ……. such as justice, truthfulness, moderation, consistency, generosity, perseverance, mercy, humility, devotion, patience, courage, and bravery. Instead, I am full of every type of sin, and each of those in a variety of ways. No, if I had power, I would take the sweet milk of peace and pour it into hell. I would destroy all peace, end all unity on earth.”

“Oh, my dear Highlands ……. Highlands!” MacDuff roared.

“If someone like me is fit to rule, tell me. I am exactly as I have described myself.” Malcolm looked hard at the other.

“Fit to rule? No, not even fit to live.” MacDuff sighed. “Oh, my miserable country, ruled by a murderous tyrant with no right to rule …… when will you possibly see peaceful days if your legal heir to the throne indicts himself as a cursed man and a disgrace to the royal family? Your royal father Duncan was a virtuous King. The queen your mother was more often kneeling in prayer than standing up, and lived a pious life. Goodbye. The evils of which you accuse yourself have driven me from Scotland forever. Oh, my heart, your hope ends here!”

MacDuff fell to his knees. Malcolm reached with his hands to bring the other up to the seat.

“I consider violence an uneconomical way of attaining an end. There are always better substitutes, though they may sometimes be a little less direct.” Malcolm said (Excepts from FOUNDATION by ISSAC ASIMOV.)

“The true wealth is the love of one’s people.” (Excepts from FOUNDATION by ISSAC ASIMOV again.) MacDuff remained on his knees. “Be true to your cause…. Be the King they wanted.”

“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” (Excepts from FOUNDATION by ISSAC ASIMOV again.) Malcolm rebuffed the other.

“Nothing good ever comes of violence.” (quote from Martin Luther) MacDuff sighed. “As a soldier, violence to myself is an extension of my oath to protect my people and land, and King. I can only ask for penance later.”

“MacDuff, these noble words can only be a product of integrity, and has removed from my soul the doubts I had about you, proving your honour and truthfulness to me.”

“I am baffled, young prince.” MacDuff still on his knees, looked to the one he had come to offer his loyalty. “Did you doubt me?”

“Rise, MacDuff. I heed your words, but the ruse of many had I met to get me back there. From the Highland nobles to the friends’, I once knew. They came, they met and they left; all with words sweeter than the nectar yet I found disbelief in their intentions.”

“I am not of them, my prince.” MacDuff swore on his loyalty. “You are Duncan’s appointed.”

“The true me is ready to serve you and our poor country.” Malcolm made his oath there.

“The devilish MacBeth has tried many plots to lure me into his power, so I must be cautious and not too quick to trust anyone.” Malcolm looked at MacDuff. “Many that included the friends of Duncan. I was wary and shall be there. But today God show your truthfulness now to me!”

“I will let myself be guided by you, and I take back all the terrible things I said about myself. All the flaws I described myself as having are in fact alien to my character. I have not slept with a woman yet, and I have never broken a vow.” Malcolm confessed. “I barely even care about my own possessions, much less what anyone else owns. I have never broken a promise and would not even betray the devil. I love truth as much as I love life. Those lies I talked about myself are false words I have ever said.”

“My prince, you are our hope at the Highlands.” MacDuff had tears on his eyes.