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Scene III] Macbeth 45 

about you ; here you'll sweat for't. [Knocking with- 
in.] Knock, knock ! Who's there, in tlr other 
devil's name? Faith, here's an equivocator, that 
could swear in both the scales against either scale ; 10 
who committed treason enough for God's sake, 
yet could not equivocate to heaven : O, come in, 
equivocator. [Knocking within.] Knock, knock, 
knock ! Who's there ? Faith, here's an English 
tailor come hither, for stealing out of a French 
hose : come in, tailor ; here you may roast your 
goose. [Knocking within.] Knock, knock; never 
at quiet! What are you? But this place is too 
cold for hell. I'll devil-porter it no further: I 
had thought to have let in some of all professions, 20 
that go the primrose way to the everlasting bon- 
fire. [Knocking within.] Anon, anon! I pray 
you, remember the porter. [Opens the gate. 

Enter Macduff and Lennox 

Macduff. Was it so late, friend, ere you went 
to bed, 
That you do lie so late? 

Porter. Faith, sir, we were carousing till the 
second cock. 

Macduff. Is thy master stirring? 

1-23. Is the horror of the situation emphasized or re- 
lieved by the Porter scene? See De Quincey's essay on 
The Knockinq at the Gate in Macbeth.