end.' With
these desperate speeches he sallied forth upon the besiegers, who had
now come up to the castle.

The strange appearance which had given the messenger an idea of a wood
moving is easily solved. When the besieging army marched through the
wood of Birnam, Malcolm, like a skilful general, instructed his
soldiers to hew down every one a bough and bear it before him, by way
of concealing the true numbers of his host. This marching of the
soldiers with boughs had at a distance the appearance which had
frightened the messenger. Thus were the words of the spirit brought to
pass, in a sense different from that in which Macbeth had understood
them, and one great hold of his confidence was gone.

And now a severe skirmishing took place, in which Macbeth, though
feebly supported by those who called themselves his friends, but in
reality hated the tyrant and inclined to the party of Malcolm and
Macduff, yet fought with the extreme of rage and velour, cutting to
pieces all who were opposed to him, till he came to where Macduff was
fighting. Seeing Macduff, and remembering the caution of the spirit who
had counselled him to avoid Macduff, above all men, he would have
turned, but Macduff, who had been seeking him through the whole fight,
opposed his turning, and a fierce contest ensued; Macduff giving him
many foul reproaches for the murder of his wife and children. Macbeth,
whose soul was charged enough with blood of that family already, would
still have declined the combat: but Macduff still urged him to it,
calling him tyrant, murderer, hell-hound, and villain.

Then Macbeth remembered the words of the spirit, how none of woman born
should hurt him; and smiling confidently he said to Macduff: 'Thou
losest thy labour, Macduff. As easily thou mayest impress the air with
thy sword, as make me vulnerable. I bear a charmed life, which must not
yield to one of woman born.'

'Despair thy charm,' said Macduff, 'and let that lying spirit whom thou
hast served, tell thee, that Macduff was never born of woman, never as
the ordinary manner of men is to be born, but was untimely taken from
his mother.'

'Accursed be the tongue which tells me so,' said the trembling Macbeth,
who felt his last hold of confidence give way; 'and let never man in
future believe the lying equivocations of witches and juggling spirits,
who deceive us in words which have double senses, and while they keep
their promise literally, disappoint our hopes wi