Languages & literature > Key to the drama

C 219 )
dreaded the moft, but which would not:
have been deferred a fingle moment by any
thing lefs than the terrible pidhire which;
their cankered confciences had formed ot it.
They flew, defpondent, from the hateful
fight of one another ; a id in fine, he,, and
the whole of his party, being overwhelmed
in the fame marks of defpair, became the
moft hideous objects of one another. Dun-
finane now was hell in epitome ! every mov¬
ing figure bore the refemblance of a devil !’
At length the enemy being juft ready,, with
fword in hand, to force the gates, Macbeth'
difguifed himfelf in the habit of a commort
trooper, and leaving his friends at the mercy
©f the conquerors, and anxious, as a con¬
demned malefactor, to poftpone the awful
plunge, fought his efcape through a private
poftern. By this time the royal troops had
entered the caftle: Macduff, from whofe
breaft the ideas of fpoiled honour, the un¬
pitied fighs of a ravilhed and murdered,
wife, and the unmoving cries of maflacred
children, could never be banilhed, was the
firft that forced his way •, he ran, fearlefs,,
to and fro, in fearch of the fpoiler at length
one of the banditti, hoping to recommend
himfelf to mercy, pointed out the little back
gate through which the monfter had fled ;
Macduff and found him,, with a
few of his partifans, attempting to fcramble
U %■ over.