Chapter: SCENE III.

The same. A Park or Lawn, with a gate leading to the Palace.

[Enter three Murderers.]

FIRST MURDERER.
But who did bid thee join with us?

THIRD MURDERER.
Macbeth.

SECOND MURDERER.
He needs not our mistrust; since he delivers
Our offices and what we have to do
To the direction just.

FIRST MURDERER.
Then stand with us.
The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day:
Now spurs the lated traveller apace,
To gain the timely inn; and near approaches
The subject of our watch.

THIRD MURDERER.
Hark! I hear horses.

BANQUO.
[Within.] Give us a light there, ho!

SECOND MURDERER.
Then 'tis he; the rest
That are within the note of expectation
Already are i' the court.

FIRST MURDERER.
His horses go about.

THIRD MURDERER.
Almost a mile; but he does usually,
So all men do, from hence to the palace gate
Make it their walk.

SECOND MURDERER.
A light, a light!

THIRD MURDERER.
'Tis he.

FIRST MURDERER.
Stand to't.

[Enter Banquo, and Fleance with a torch.]

BANQUO.
It will be rain to-night.

FIRST MURDERER.
Let it come down.

[Assaults Banquo.]

BANQUO.
O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!
Thou mayst revenge.--O slave!

[Dies. Fleance escapes.]

THIRD MURDERER.
Who did strike out the light?

FIRST MURDERER.
Was't not the way?

THIRD MURDERER.
There's but one down: the son is fled.

SECOND MURDERER.
We have lost best half of our affair.

FIRST MURDERER.
Well, let's away, and say how much is done.

[Exeunt.]

 Banquo and Fleance approach on horseback and dismount to walk the mile to the palace, as usual. Conveniently, they have a torch--good for seeing by. Banquo starts up with a friendly "it looks like rain" conversation and is promptly stabbed. While being stabbed, he denounces the treachery and encourages Fleance to run away and eventually take revenge. In the meantime, the torch has gone out, and Fleance takes advantage of the darkness to escape. With Banquo dead and Fleance on the run, the murderers head off to the dinner party to report the half of the job they've done.

