 | Romeo and Juliet |  |
SCENE Capulet's House
Enter Juliet.
Jul.
The Clock struck Nine, when I did send the Nurse;
In half an Hour she promis'd to return:
Perchance she cannot meet him—that's not so.
She is old and lame: Love's Heralds shou'd be Thoughts,
Which ten Times faster glide, than the Sun Beams,
Driving back Shadows over low'ring Hills.
Therefore do nimble-pinion'd Doves draw Love;
And therefore hath the swift-wing'd Cupid Wings.
Now is the Sun upon the highmost Hill
Of this Day's Journey; and from nine till twelve
Is three long Hours—and yet she is not come;
Had she Affections, and warm youthful Blood,
She'd be as swift in Motion as a Ball;
My Words would bandy her to my sweet Love,
And his to me.
Enter Nurse.
O! she comes, what News?
Hast thou met with him? Send thy Man away.
Nurse.
Peter, stay at the Gate.
Jul.
How now, sweet Nurse,
O Lord! why look'st thou sad?
Nurse.
Jul.
I wou'd thou had'st my Bones, and I thy News:
Nay, come, I pray thee speak, good Nurse, speak.
Nurse.
Give me some Aquavitæ.
Enter Peter with a Bottle and Cup.
Jul.
Is thy News good or bad? Answer to that;
Say either, and I'll stay the Circumstance:
Let me be satisfied, is it good or bad?
Nurse.
not he. Though his Face be better than any Man's,
yet his Legs excel all Men's; and for a Hand, and a
Foot, and a Body; tho' they be not to be talk'd on,
yet they are past Compare; he is not the Flower of
Courtesy, but I warrant him as gentle as a Lamb.
Go thy ways, Wench, say thy Prayers. 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.
Jul.
I'faith, I am sorry that thou art so ill,
Do, sweet, sweet Nurse, tell me, what says my Love?
Nurse.
Jul.
Where is your Mother? Why, she is within:
Where shou'd she be? How odly thou reply'st!
Your Love says like an honest Gentleman:
Where is your Mother?—
Nurse.
O Lady dear!
Are you so hot? marry come up I trow:
Is this the Poultice for my aking Bones?
Hence-forward do your Messages yourself.
Jul.
Here's such a Coil: Come, what says Romeo?
Nurse.
Have you got leave to go to shrift To-day?
Jul.
I have.
Nurse.
Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence Cell,
There stays a Husband to make you a Wife:
Now comes the wanton Blood up in your Cheeks;
They'll be in Scarlet strait at any News:
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,
But you shall bear the Burden soon at Night.
Go, I'll to Dinner, hie you to the Cell.
[Exit.
Jul.
With Wings of Love I fly; good Nurse, farewell.
[Exit.
Enter Juliet.
Jul.
The Clock struck Nine, when I did send the Nurse;
In half an Hour she promis'd to return:
Perchance she cannot meet him—that's not so.
She is old and lame: Love's Heralds shou'd be Thoughts,
Which ten Times faster glide, than the Sun Beams,
Driving back Shadows over low'ring Hills.
Therefore do nimble-pinion'd Doves draw Love;
And therefore hath the swift-wing'd Cupid Wings.
Now is the Sun upon the highmost Hill
Of this Day's Journey; and from nine till twelve
Is three long Hours—and yet she is not come;
Had she Affections, and warm youthful Blood,
She'd be as swift in Motion as a Ball;
My Words would bandy her to my sweet Love,
And his to me.
Enter Nurse.
O! she comes, what News?
Hast thou met with him? Send thy Man away.
Nurse.
Peter, stay at the Gate.
Jul.
How now, sweet Nurse,
O Lord! why look'st thou sad?
Nurse.
I am a-weary, let me rest a while: Fie how
my Bones ake! what a jaunt have I had?
Jul.
I wou'd thou had'st my Bones, and I thy News:
Nay, come, I pray thee speak, good Nurse, speak.
Nurse.
Give me some Aquavitæ.
Enter Peter with a Bottle and Cup.
Jul.
Is thy News good or bad? Answer to that;
Say either, and I'll stay the Circumstance:
Let me be satisfied, is it good or bad?
Nurse.
Well; you have made a simple Choice;
you know not how to chuse a Man—Romeo! no
26
yet his Legs excel all Men's; and for a Hand, and a
Foot, and a Body; tho' they be not to be talk'd on,
yet they are past Compare; he is not the Flower of
Courtesy, but I warrant him as gentle as a Lamb.
Go thy ways, Wench, say thy Prayers. 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 akes! what a Head
have I! it beats as it wou'd fall in twenty Pieces!
my Back a-t'other Side; O my Back, my Back!
Beshrew your Heart, for sending me about to catch
my Death, with jauuting up and down.
Jul.
I'faith, I am sorry that thou art so ill,
Do, 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 Gentleman—Where is your
Mother?
Jul.
Where is your Mother? Why, she is within:
Where shou'd she be? How odly thou reply'st!
Your Love says like an honest Gentleman:
Where is your Mother?—
Nurse.
O Lady dear!
Are you so hot? marry come up I trow:
Is this the Poultice for my aking Bones?
Hence-forward do your Messages yourself.
Jul.
Here's such a Coil: Come, what says Romeo?
Nurse.
Have you got leave to go to shrift To-day?
Jul.
I have.
Nurse.
Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence Cell,
There stays a Husband to make you a Wife:
Now comes the wanton Blood up in your Cheeks;
They'll be in Scarlet strait at any News:
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,
But you shall bear the Burden soon at Night.
27
[Exit.
Jul.
With Wings of Love I fly; good Nurse, farewell.
[Exit.
| Romeo and Juliet | |