.
It all happened quickly from then on. There was no time for further thought, only action. Everything was falling into place. Duncan was to come to stay at our home that night. If the deed were to be done, then it would need to be done quickly and the opportunity was there. I hurried on to Inverness ahead of the king's entourage, to make preparations. On returning home it appeared that Lady Macbeth had thought of nothing else but the plan to murder Duncan. It was almost as if she had lost all her womanly gentleness as her words were more of that of a monster! It was almost alarming to find her enthusiastic about what must be done that night if we were to gain the power we desired. The reality of the situation shook me for a moment. We were actually planning to murder Duncan! To take a life and most of all one I would call a dear friend of mine, all because of the position he held. He was a man for whom I held great respect, yet here I was planning his cold-blooded murder! .
The horror of these thoughts brought me to my senses and I told Lady Macbeth that we would proceed no further in this business. However, my ambition was too great and my will too weak as the words she spoke at this time convinced me that it was too late to cancel our plans and that we were now committed to the deed of murder that night. .
Anyway, it would all be over the next day. We would be well on our way to achieving the kingdom for our own, the weird sisters had foretold of this after all. It would be only too easy to make it look as if the king's guards had murdered him in a drunken frenzy. Yes, there was no need for further thought, it was all quite simple now. .
If only I could have predicted the pain I felt after the deed was done. I deeply regretted my crime as soon as I"d done it. I prayed that Duncan would wake from his sleep but from that night even sleep was murdered as my conscience would not allow me the comfort of sleep.
