Reading Help THE TRAGEDY OF ROMEO AND JULIET
And that we have a curse in having her. `
` Out on her, hilding! `
` Nurse. God in heaven bless her! `
` You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so. `
` Cap. And why, my Lady Wisdom? Hold your tongue, `
` Good Prudence. Smatter with your gossips, go! `
` Nurse. I speak no treason. `
` Cap. O, God-i-god-en! `
` Nurse. May not one speak? `
` Cap. Peace, you mumbling fool! `
` Utter your gravity o'er a gossip's bowl, `
` For here we need it not. `
` Lady. You are too hot. `
` Cap. God's bread I it makes me mad. Day, night, late, early, `
` At home, abroad, alone, in company, `
` Waking or sleeping, still my care hath been `
` To have her match'd; and having now provided `
` A gentleman of princely parentage, `
` Of fair demesnes, youthful, and nobly train'd, `
` Stuff'd, as they say, with honourable parts, `
` Proportion'd as one's thought would wish a man- `
` And then to have a wretched puling fool, `
` A whining mammet, in her fortune's tender, `
` To answer 'I'll not wed, I cannot love; `
` I am too young, I pray you pardon me'! `
` But, an you will not wed, I'll pardon you. `
` Graze where you will, you shall not house with me. `
` Look to't, think on't; I do not use to jest. `
` Thursday is near; lay hand on heart, advise: `
` An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend; `
` An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, `
` For, by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee, `
` Nor what is mine shall never do thee good. `
` Trust to't. Bethink you. I'll not be forsworn. Exit. `
` Jul. Is there no pity sitting in the clouds `
` That sees into the bottom of my grief? `
` O sweet my mother, cast me not away! `
` Delay this marriage for a month, a week; `
` Or if you do not, make the bridal bed `
` In that dim monument where Tybalt lies. `
` Lady. Talk not to me, for I'll not speak a word. `
` Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee. Exit. `
` Jul. O God!- O nurse, how shall this be prevented? `
` My husband is on earth, my faith in heaven. `
` How shall that faith return again to earth `
` Unless that husband send it me from heaven `
` By leaving earth? Comfort me, counsel me. `
` Alack, alack, that heaven should practise stratagems `
` Upon so soft a subject as myself! `
` What say'st thou? Hast thou not a word of joy? `
` Some comfort, nurse. `
` Nurse. Faith, here it is. `
` Romeo is banish'd; and all the world to nothing `
` That he dares ne'er come back to challenge you; `
` Or if he do, it needs must be by stealth. `
` Then, since the case so stands as now it doth, `
` I think it best you married with the County. `
` O, he's a lovely gentleman! `
` Romeo's a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam, `
` Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye `
` As Paris hath. Beshrew my very heart, `
` I think you are happy in this second match, `
` For it excels your first; or if it did not, `
` Your first is dead- or 'twere as good he were `
` As living here and you no use of him. `
` Jul. Speak'st thou this from thy heart? `
` Nurse. And from my soul too; else beshrew them both. `
` Jul. Amen! `
` Nurse. What? `
` Jul. Well, thou hast comforted me marvellous much. `
` Go in; and tell my lady I am gone, `
` Having displeas'd my father, to Laurence' cell, `
` To make confession and to be absolv'd. `
` Nurse. Marry, I will; and this is wisely done. Exit. `
` Jul. Ancient damnation! O most wicked fiend! `
` Is it more sin to wish me thus forsworn, `
` Or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue `
` Which she hath prais'd him with above compare `
` So many thousand times? Go, counsellor! `
` Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain. `
` I'll to the friar to know his remedy. `
` If all else fail, myself have power to die. Exit. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` <<THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM `
` SHAKESPEARE IS COPYRIGHT 1990-1993 BY WORLD LIBRARY, INC., AND IS `
` PROVIDED BY PROJECT GUTENBERG ETEXT OF CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY `
` WITH PERMISSION. ELECTRONIC AND MACHINE READABLE COPIES MAY BE `
` DISTRIBUTED SO LONG AS SUCH COPIES (1) ARE FOR YOUR OR OTHERS `
` PERSONAL USE ONLY, AND (2) ARE NOT DISTRIBUTED OR USED `
` COMMERCIALLY. PROHIBITED COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION INCLUDES BY ANY `
` SERVICE THAT CHARGES FOR DOWNLOAD TIME OR FOR MEMBERSHIP.>> `
` `
` `
` `
` ACT IV. Scene I. `
` Friar Laurence's cell. `
` `
` Enter Friar, [Laurence] and County Paris. `
` `
` Friar. On Thursday, sir? The time is very short. `
` Par. My father Capulet will have it so, `
` And I am nothing slow to slack his haste. `
` Friar. You say you do not know the lady's mind. `
` Uneven is the course; I like it not. `
` Par. Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt's death, `
` And therefore have I little talk'd of love; `
` For Venus smiles not in a house of tears. `
` Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous `
` That she do give her sorrow so much sway, `
` And in his wisdom hastes our marriage `
` To stop the inundation of her tears, `
` Which, too much minded by herself alone, `
` May be put from her by society. `
` Now do you know the reason of this haste. `
` Friar. [aside] I would I knew not why it should be slow'd.- `
` Look, sir, here comes the lady toward my cell. `
` `
` Enter Juliet. `
` `
` Par. Happily met, my lady and my wife! `
` Jul. That may be, sir, when I may be a wife. `
` Par. That may be must be, love, on Thursday next. `
` Jul. What must be shall be. `
` Friar. That's a certain text. `
` Par. Come you to make confession to this father? `
` Jul. To answer that, I should confess to you. `
` Par. Do not deny to him that you love me. `
` Jul. I will confess to you that I love him. `
` Par. So will ye, I am sure, that you love me. `
` Jul. If I do so, it will be of more price, `
` Being spoke behind your back, than to your face. `
` Par. Poor soul, thy face is much abus'd with tears. `
` Jul. The tears have got small victory by that, `
` For it was bad enough before their spite. `
` Par. Thou wrong'st it more than tears with that report. `
` Jul. That is no slander, sir, which is a truth; `
` And what I spake, I spake it to my face. `
` Par. Thy face is mine, and thou hast sland'red it. `
` Jul. It may be so, for it is not mine own. `
` Are you at leisure, holy father, now, `
` Or shall I come to you at evening mass `
` Friar. My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now. `
` My lord, we must entreat the time alone. `
` Par. God shield I should disturb devotion! `
` Juliet, on Thursday early will I rouse ye. `
` Till then, adieu, and keep this holy kiss. Exit. `
` Jul. O, shut the door! and when thou hast done so, `
` Come weep with me- past hope, past cure, past help! `
` Friar. Ah, Juliet, I already know thy grief; `
` It strains me past the compass of my wits. `
` I hear thou must, and nothing may prorogue it, `
` On Thursday next be married to this County. `
` Jul. Tell me not, friar, that thou hear'st of this, `
` Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it. `
` If in thy wisdom thou canst give no help, `
` Do thou but call my resolution wise `
` And with this knife I'll help it presently. `
` God join'd my heart and Romeo's, thou our hands; `
` And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo's seal'd, `
` Shall be the label to another deed, `
` Or my true heart with treacherous revolt `
` Turn to another, this shall slay them both. `
` Therefore, out of thy long-experienc'd time, `
` Give me some present counsel; or, behold, `
` 'Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife `
` Shall play the empire, arbitrating that `
` Which the commission of thy years and art `
` Could to no issue of true honour bring. `
` Be not so long to speak. I long to die `
` If what thou speak'st speak not of remedy. `
` Friar. Hold, daughter. I do spy a kind of hope, `
` Which craves as desperate an execution `
` As that is desperate which we would prevent. `
` If, rather than to marry County Paris `
` Thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself, `
` Then is it likely thou wilt undertake `
` A thing like death to chide away this shame, `
` That cop'st with death himself to scape from it; `
` And, if thou dar'st, I'll give thee remedy. `
` Jul. O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris, `
` From off the battlements of yonder tower, `
` Or walk in thievish ways, or bid me lurk `
` Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears, `
` Or shut me nightly in a charnel house, `
` O'ercover'd quite with dead men's rattling bones, `
` With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls; `
` Or bid me go into a new-made grave `
` And hide me with a dead man in his shroud- `
` Things that, to hear them told, have made me tremble- `
` And I will do it without fear or doubt, `
` To live an unstain'd wife to my sweet love. `
` Friar. Hold, then. Go home, be merry, give consent `
` To marry Paris. Wednesday is to-morrow. `
` To-morrow night look that thou lie alone; `
` Let not the nurse lie with thee in thy chamber. `
` Take thou this vial, being then in bed, `
` And this distilled liquor drink thou off; `
` When presently through all thy veins shall run `
`
` Out on her, hilding! `
` Nurse. God in heaven bless her! `
` You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so. `
` Cap. And why, my Lady Wisdom? Hold your tongue, `
` Good Prudence. Smatter with your gossips, go! `
` Nurse. I speak no treason. `
` Cap. O, God-i-god-en! `
` Nurse. May not one speak? `
` Cap. Peace, you mumbling fool! `
` Utter your gravity o'er a gossip's bowl, `
` For here we need it not. `
` Lady. You are too hot. `
` Cap. God's bread I it makes me mad. Day, night, late, early, `
` At home, abroad, alone, in company, `
` Waking or sleeping, still my care hath been `
` To have her match'd; and having now provided `
` A gentleman of princely parentage, `
` Of fair demesnes, youthful, and nobly train'd, `
` Stuff'd, as they say, with honourable parts, `
` Proportion'd as one's thought would wish a man- `
` And then to have a wretched puling fool, `
` A whining mammet, in her fortune's tender, `
` To answer 'I'll not wed, I cannot love; `
` I am too young, I pray you pardon me'! `
` But, an you will not wed, I'll pardon you. `
` Graze where you will, you shall not house with me. `
` Look to't, think on't; I do not use to jest. `
` Thursday is near; lay hand on heart, advise: `
` An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend; `
` An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, `
` For, by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee, `
` Nor what is mine shall never do thee good. `
` Trust to't. Bethink you. I'll not be forsworn. Exit. `
` Jul. Is there no pity sitting in the clouds `
` That sees into the bottom of my grief? `
` O sweet my mother, cast me not away! `
` Delay this marriage for a month, a week; `
` Or if you do not, make the bridal bed `
` In that dim monument where Tybalt lies. `
` Lady. Talk not to me, for I'll not speak a word. `
` Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee. Exit. `
` Jul. O God!- O nurse, how shall this be prevented? `
` My husband is on earth, my faith in heaven. `
` How shall that faith return again to earth `
` Unless that husband send it me from heaven `
` By leaving earth? Comfort me, counsel me. `
` Alack, alack, that heaven should practise stratagems `
` Upon so soft a subject as myself! `
` What say'st thou? Hast thou not a word of joy? `
` Some comfort, nurse. `
` Nurse. Faith, here it is. `
` Romeo is banish'd; and all the world to nothing `
` That he dares ne'er come back to challenge you; `
` Or if he do, it needs must be by stealth. `
` Then, since the case so stands as now it doth, `
` I think it best you married with the County. `
` O, he's a lovely gentleman! `
` Romeo's a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam, `
` Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye `
` As Paris hath. Beshrew my very heart, `
` I think you are happy in this second match, `
` For it excels your first; or if it did not, `
` Your first is dead- or 'twere as good he were `
` As living here and you no use of him. `
` Jul. Speak'st thou this from thy heart? `
` Nurse. And from my soul too; else beshrew them both. `
` Jul. Amen! `
` Nurse. What? `
` Jul. Well, thou hast comforted me marvellous much. `
` Go in; and tell my lady I am gone, `
` Having displeas'd my father, to Laurence' cell, `
` To make confession and to be absolv'd. `
` Nurse. Marry, I will; and this is wisely done. Exit. `
` Jul. Ancient damnation! O most wicked fiend! `
` Is it more sin to wish me thus forsworn, `
` Or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue `
` Which she hath prais'd him with above compare `
` So many thousand times? Go, counsellor! `
` Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain. `
` I'll to the friar to know his remedy. `
` If all else fail, myself have power to die. Exit. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` <<THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM `
` SHAKESPEARE IS COPYRIGHT 1990-1993 BY WORLD LIBRARY, INC., AND IS `
` PROVIDED BY PROJECT GUTENBERG ETEXT OF CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY `
` WITH PERMISSION. ELECTRONIC AND MACHINE READABLE COPIES MAY BE `
` DISTRIBUTED SO LONG AS SUCH COPIES (1) ARE FOR YOUR OR OTHERS `
` PERSONAL USE ONLY, AND (2) ARE NOT DISTRIBUTED OR USED `
` COMMERCIALLY. PROHIBITED COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION INCLUDES BY ANY `
` SERVICE THAT CHARGES FOR DOWNLOAD TIME OR FOR MEMBERSHIP.>> `
` `
` `
` `
` ACT IV. Scene I. `
` Friar Laurence's cell. `
` `
` Enter Friar, [Laurence] and County Paris. `
` `
` Friar. On Thursday, sir? The time is very short. `
` Par. My father Capulet will have it so, `
` And I am nothing slow to slack his haste. `
` Friar. You say you do not know the lady's mind. `
` Uneven is the course; I like it not. `
` Par. Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt's death, `
` And therefore have I little talk'd of love; `
` For Venus smiles not in a house of tears. `
` Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous `
` That she do give her sorrow so much sway, `
` And in his wisdom hastes our marriage `
` To stop the inundation of her tears, `
` Which, too much minded by herself alone, `
` May be put from her by society. `
` Now do you know the reason of this haste. `
` Friar. [aside] I would I knew not why it should be slow'd.- `
` Look, sir, here comes the lady toward my cell. `
` `
` Enter Juliet. `
` `
` Par. Happily met, my lady and my wife! `
` Jul. That may be, sir, when I may be a wife. `
` Par. That may be must be, love, on Thursday next. `
` Jul. What must be shall be. `
` Friar. That's a certain text. `
` Par. Come you to make confession to this father? `
` Jul. To answer that, I should confess to you. `
` Par. Do not deny to him that you love me. `
` Jul. I will confess to you that I love him. `
` Par. So will ye, I am sure, that you love me. `
` Jul. If I do so, it will be of more price, `
` Being spoke behind your back, than to your face. `
` Par. Poor soul, thy face is much abus'd with tears. `
` Jul. The tears have got small victory by that, `
` For it was bad enough before their spite. `
` Par. Thou wrong'st it more than tears with that report. `
` Jul. That is no slander, sir, which is a truth; `
` And what I spake, I spake it to my face. `
` Par. Thy face is mine, and thou hast sland'red it. `
` Jul. It may be so, for it is not mine own. `
` Are you at leisure, holy father, now, `
` Or shall I come to you at evening mass `
` Friar. My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now. `
` My lord, we must entreat the time alone. `
` Par. God shield I should disturb devotion! `
` Juliet, on Thursday early will I rouse ye. `
` Till then, adieu, and keep this holy kiss. Exit. `
` Jul. O, shut the door! and when thou hast done so, `
` Come weep with me- past hope, past cure, past help! `
` Friar. Ah, Juliet, I already know thy grief; `
` It strains me past the compass of my wits. `
` I hear thou must, and nothing may prorogue it, `
` On Thursday next be married to this County. `
` Jul. Tell me not, friar, that thou hear'st of this, `
` Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it. `
` If in thy wisdom thou canst give no help, `
` Do thou but call my resolution wise `
` And with this knife I'll help it presently. `
` God join'd my heart and Romeo's, thou our hands; `
` And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo's seal'd, `
` Shall be the label to another deed, `
` Or my true heart with treacherous revolt `
` Turn to another, this shall slay them both. `
` Therefore, out of thy long-experienc'd time, `
` Give me some present counsel; or, behold, `
` 'Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife `
` Shall play the empire, arbitrating that `
` Which the commission of thy years and art `
` Could to no issue of true honour bring. `
` Be not so long to speak. I long to die `
` If what thou speak'st speak not of remedy. `
` Friar. Hold, daughter. I do spy a kind of hope, `
` Which craves as desperate an execution `
` As that is desperate which we would prevent. `
` If, rather than to marry County Paris `
` Thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself, `
` Then is it likely thou wilt undertake `
` A thing like death to chide away this shame, `
` That cop'st with death himself to scape from it; `
` And, if thou dar'st, I'll give thee remedy. `
` Jul. O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris, `
` From off the battlements of yonder tower, `
` Or walk in thievish ways, or bid me lurk `
` Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears, `
` Or shut me nightly in a charnel house, `
` O'ercover'd quite with dead men's rattling bones, `
` With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls; `
` Or bid me go into a new-made grave `
` And hide me with a dead man in his shroud- `
` Things that, to hear them told, have made me tremble- `
` And I will do it without fear or doubt, `
` To live an unstain'd wife to my sweet love. `
` Friar. Hold, then. Go home, be merry, give consent `
` To marry Paris. Wednesday is to-morrow. `
` To-morrow night look that thou lie alone; `
` Let not the nurse lie with thee in thy chamber. `
` Take thou this vial, being then in bed, `
` And this distilled liquor drink thou off; `
` When presently through all thy veins shall run `
`