ooms (the dagger being produced against
them and their faces smeared with blood) were sufficiently strong, yet
the entire suspicion fell upon Macbeth, whose inducements to such a
deed were so much more forcible than such poor silly grooms could be
supposed to have; and Duncan's two sons fled. Malcolm, the eldest,
sought for refuge in the English court; and the youngest, Donalbain,
made his escape to Ireland.

The king's sons, who should have succeeded him, having thus vacated the
throne, Macbeth as next heir was crowned king, and thus the prediction
of the weird sisters was literally accomplished.

Though placed so high, Macbeth and his queen could not forget the
prophecy of the weird sisters, that, though Macbeth should be king, yet
not his children, but the children of Banquo, should be kings after
him. The thought of this, and that they had defiled their hands with
blood, and done so great crimes, only to place the posterity of Banquo
upon the throne, so rankled within them, that they determined to put to
death both Banquo and his son, to make void the predictions of the
weird sisters, which in their own case had been so remarkably brought
to pass.

For this purpose they made a great supper, to which they invited all
the chief thanes; and, among the rest, with marks of particular
respect, Banquo and his son Fleance were invited. The way by which
Banquo was to pass to the palace at night was beset by murderers
appointed by Macbeth, who stabbed Banquo; but in the scuffle Fleance
escaped. From that Fleance descended a race of monarchs who afterwards
filled the Scottish throne, ending with James the Sixth of Scotland and
the First of England, under whom the two crowns of England and Scotland
were united.

At supper, the queen, whose manners were in the highest degree affable
and royal, played the hostess with a gracefulness and attention which
conciliated every one present, and Macbeth discoursed freely with his
thanes and nobles, saying, that all that was honourable in the country
was under his roof, if he had but his good friend Banquo present, whom
yet he hoped he should rather have to chide for neglect, than to lament
for any mischance. Just at these words the ghost of Banquo, whom he had
caused to be murdered, entered the room and placed himself on the chair
which Macbeth was about to occupy. Though Macbeth was a bold man, and
one that could have faced the devil without trembling, at this horrible
sight his che