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 lark Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears; Or shut me nightly in a charnel-house, O'er-cover'd quite with dead men's rattling bones, With reeky shanks, and yellow chapless sculls; 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. Fri. Hold, then; go home, be merry, give consent To marry Paris: Wednesday is to-morrow; And in this borrow'd likeness of shrunk death Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift; Jul. Give me, O give me! tell me not of fear. Fri. Hold; get you gone, be strong and prosperous In this resolve: I'll send a friar with speed Jul. Love, give me strength! and strength shall help afford. Farewell, dear father! [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Room in Capulet's House. Enter CAPULET, LADY CAPULET, Nurse, and Cap. So many guests invite as here are writ.— [Exit Servant. Sirrah, go hire me twenty cunning cooks. 2 Serv. You shall have none ill, sir; for I'll try if they can lick their fingers. Cap. How canst thou try them so ? 2 Serv. Marry sir, 'tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers: therefore he, that cannot lick his fingers, goes not with me. Cap. Go, begone.[Exit Servant. We shall be much unfurnished for this time.What, is my daughter gone to friar Laurence? Nurse. Ay, forsooth. Cap. Well, he may chance to do some good on her: A peevish self-will'd harlotry it is. Enter JULIET. Nurse. See, where she comes from shrift with merry look. Cap. How now, my headstrong? where have you been gadding? Jul. Where I have learn'd me to repent the sin Of disobedient opposition To you, and your behests; and am enjoin'd And beg your pardon:-Pardon, I beseech you! Henceforward I am ever rul'd by you. Cap. Send for the county: go tell him of this; I'll have this knot knit up to-morrow morning. Jul. I met the youthful lord at Laurence' cell; And gave him what becomed love I might, Not stepping o'er the bounds of modesty. [np: Cap. Why, I am glad on't; this is well,-stand This is as't should be.-Let me see the county; Ay, marry, go, I say, and fetch him hither.Now, afore God, this reverend holy friar, All our whole city is much bound to him. Jul. Nurse, will you go with me into my closet, To help me sort such needful ornaments As you think fit to furnish me to-morrow? La. Cap. No, not till Thursday; there is time enough. Cap. Go, nurse, go with her:-we'll to church to-morrow. [Exeunt JULIET and Nurse. La. Cap. We shall be short in our provision; 'Tis now near night. Cap. Tush! I will stir about, And all things shall be well, I warrant thee, wife: Go thou to Juliet, help to deck up her; I'll not to bed to-night;-let me alone;' I'll play the housewife for this once.-What, ho! They are all forth: Well, I will walk myself To county Paris, to prepare him up Against to-morrow: my heart is wondrous light, Since this same wayward girl is so reclaim'd. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Juliet's Chamber. Enter JULIET and Nurse. Jul. Ay, those attires are best :-But, gentle nurse, I pray thee, leave me to myself to night; To move the heavens to smile upon my state, La. Cap. What, are you busy? do you need my help? Jul. No, madam; we have cull'd such necessaries As are behoveful for our state to-morrow; La. Cap. Good night! Get thee to bed, and rest; for thou hast need. [Exeunt LADY CAPULET and Nurse. Jul. Farewell!-God knows, when we shall meet again. I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins My dismal scene I needs must act alone.- What if this mixture do not work at all? Come to redeem me? there's a fearful point! To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in, And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes? The horrible conceit of death and night, Where, for these many hundred years, the bones So early waking,-what with loathsome smells, That living mortals hearing them run mad As with a club, dash out my desperate brains? [She throws herself on the Bed. SCENE IV. Capulet's Hall. Enter LADY CAPULET and Nurse. La. Cap. Hold, take these keys, and fetch more spices, nurse. Nurse. They call for dates and quinces in the pastry. [Exit Nurse. Enter CAPULET. Cap. Come, stir, stir, stir! the second cock hath crow'd, The curfew bell hath rung, 'tis three o'clock:- La. Cap. Go, go, you cot-quean, go, Get you to bed; 'faith, you'll be sick to-morrow For this night's watching. Cap. No, not a whit; What! I have watch'd ere now All night for lesser cause, and ne'er been sick. La. Cap. Ay, you have been a mouse-hunt in your time; But I will watch you from such watching now. [Exit LADY CAPULET. Cap. A jealous-hood, a jealous-hood!-Now, fellow, What's there? Enter Servants, with Spits, Logs, and Baskets. 1 Serv. Things for the cook, sir; but I know not what. Cap. Make haste, make haste. [Exit 1 Serv. -Sirrah, fetch drier logs; Call Peter, he will show thee where they are. |