At the
beginning, your Macbeth is a respectable trustworthy sort of person,
anxious to get on in life, and so on, and that's all; but no sooner has
he made an end of poor old Duncan, than he lays about him right and
left--Banquo, Fleance, anybody and everybody that happens to be in his
way. It was lucky for that Tartar of a wife of his that _she_ hook'd it,
or he'd soon have put a stop to her sleep-walking. There's no such wide
difference between a man and a tiger, after all. The tiger's a decent
fellow enough till he has tasted human blood; but when once he _has_,
Lord save the country-side from the jaws of the man-eater!"
"For Heaven's sake let us waste no time in talk!" Valentine cried,
impetuously. "I am to meet Burkham in Burlington Row directly I have got
your advice."
"What for?"
"To see Dr. Jedd, and take him down to Hastings, if possible."
"That won't do."
"Why not?"
"Because Jedd's appearance would give Phil the office. Jedd gave evidence
on the Fryar trial, and must be a marked man to him. All Jedd can tell
you is that Charlotte is being poisoned. You know that already. Of course
she'll want medical treatment, and so on, to bring her round; but she
can't get that under my brother's roof. What you have to do is to get her
away from that house."
"You do not know how ill she is. I doubt if she could bear the removal."
"Anything is better than to remain.
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