Languages & literature > Key to the drama

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advocate, until the arrival of a circumftance
fo affefting to this devotee of wealth, as at
once relieved me from his loathfome pur-
fuits. It was juft at the juncture when
Macbeth was projecting the fortification of
Dunfinane i and finding, upon examination,
that his finances were rather low at the
time, he was calling about how he might
raife a fund for that purpofe, when fome of
his worthy counfellors direCled him to the
rich Bernard. Bernard was immediately
fummoned to court, to which he had been
all his lifetime an utter ftranger; he would
fain have excufed his attendance, by pre¬
tending indifpofition j but the King inftantly
ordered a detachment of his guards to fetch
him before him, dead or alive. The officer
making no fort of ceremony, entered ab¬
ruptly the apartment of the advocate, and
found him earneftly occupied in difpofing
his money into feparate bags, for the better
concealing of it: if the indifpofition of this
wretch was at firft only counterfeited, it
became now indeed real: the officer fecured
immediately all the money he law, and had
it tranfported, alongft with its owner, to the
p;efence of the King. Macbeth, upon fee¬
ing 'J.e ghauimefs which then appeared in
the advocate’s figure, and the terrible tre¬
mor which Ihook every joint of him, did
not doubt but he had been really valetudi-
nary.