face be better than any man's, yet his leg excels all men's; and for a hand, and a foot, and a body, though they be not to be talked on, yet they are past compare: he is not the flower of courtesy, but, I'll warrant him, as gentle as a lamb. Go thy ways, wench; serve God. What, have you dined at home? Jul. No, no: but all this did I know before. What says he of our marriage? what of that? Nurse. Lord, how my head aches! what a head have I! It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces. My back o' t'other side,-O, my back, my back! To catch my death with jaunting up and down! 50 Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love? Nurse. Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I warrant, a virtuous,-where is your mother? Jul. Where is my mother! why, she is within; Nurse. Jul. Here's such a coil! come, what says Romeo? Jul. I have. GO Nurse. Then hie you hence to Friar Laurence' cell; 70 There stays a husband to make you a wife: Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks, Hie you to church; I must another way, To fetch a ladder, by the which your love Must climb a bird's nest soon when it is dark: I am the drudge and toil in your delight, Jul. Hie to high fortune! Honest nurse, farewell. [Exeunt, 80 SCENE VI. Friar Laurence's cell. Enter FRIAR LAURENCE and ROMEO. Fri. L. So smile the heavens upon this holy act, Rom. Amen, amen! but come what sorrow can, Fri. L. These violent delights have violent ends And in the taste confounds the appetite: Enter JULIET. Here comes the lady: O, so light a foot 10 And yet not fall; so light is vanity. 20 Jul. Good even to my ghostly confessor. Fri. L. Romeo shall thank thee, daughter, for us both. Jul. As much to him, else is his thanks too much. Rom. Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy Be heap'd like mine and that thy skill be more Jul. Conceit, more rich in matter than in words, Brags of his substance, not of ornament: They are but beggars that can count their worth; But my true love is grown to such excess I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth. 30 Fri. L. Come, come with me, and we will make short work; For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone Till holy church incorporate two in one. [Exeunt. ACT III. SCENE I. A public place. Enter MERCUTIO, BENVOLIO, Page, and Servants. Ben. I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire: The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, And, if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl; For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring. Mer. Thou art like one of those fellows that when he enters the confines of a tavern claps me his sword upon the table and says "God send me no need of thee!" and by the operation of the second cup draws it on the drawer, when indeed there is no need. 10 Ben. Am I like such a fellow? Mer. Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy, and as soon moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved. Ben. And what to? Mer. Nay, an there were two such, we should have none shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou! why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more, or a hair less, in his beard, than thou hast: thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes: what eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel? Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling: thou hast quarrelled with a man for coughing in the street, because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun: didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter? with another, for tying his new shoes with old riband? and yet thou wilt tutor me from quarrelling! Ben. An I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy the fee-simple of my life for an hour and a quarter. Mer. The fee-simple! O simple! Ben. By my head, here come the Capulets. Mer. By my heel, I care not. Enter TYBALT and others. 39 Tyb. Follow me close, for I will speak to them. Gentlemen, good den: a word with one of you. Mer. And but one word with one of us? couple it with something; make it a word and a blow. Tyb. You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, an you will give me occasion. Mer. Could you not take some occasion without giving? Tyb. Mercutio, thou consort'st with Romeo,— Mer. Consort! what, dost thou make us minstrels? an thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords; here's my fiddlestick; here's that shall make you dance. 'Zounds, consort! Ben. We talk here in the public haunt of men: Either withdraw unto some private place, And reason coldly of your grievances, Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us. Mer. Men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze; I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I. Enter ROMEO. 60 Tyb. Well, peace be with you, sir: here comes my man. Mer. But I'll be hang'd, sir, if he wear your livery: Marry, go before to field, he'll be your follower; Your worship in that sense may call him "man.' Tyb. Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford No better term than this,-thou art a villain. Rom. Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage To such a greeting: villain am I none; Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not. Tyb. Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries But love thee better than thou canst devise, Mer. O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk? Tyb. What wouldst thou have with me? 70 [Draws. 79 Mer. Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and, as you shall use me hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your cars ere it be out. Tyb. I am for you. Rom. Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up. [Drawing. [They fight. 90 Rom. Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons. Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage! Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath [Tybalt under Romeo's arm stabs Mercutio, and files v2ī A plague o' both your houses! I am sped. Ben. his followers. What, art thou hurt? Mer. Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough. Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon. [Erit Page. Rom. Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much. Mer. No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am pep pered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o' both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm. Rom. I thought all for the best. Mer. Help me into some house, Benvolio, 110 [Exeunt Mercutio an! Deavalio. With Tybalt's slander,-Tybalt, that an hour And in my temper soften'd valour's steel! Re-enter BENVOLIO. Ben. O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio's dead! That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds, Which too untimely here did scorn the earth. 120 Rom. This day's black fate on more days doth depend; This but begins the woe others must end. Ben. Here comes the furious Tybalt back again. Rom. Alive, in triumph! and Mercutio slain! Away to heaven, respective lenity, And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now! Re-enter TYBALT. |