Jul. Ah me! what news! why dost thou wring thy hands? Nurse. Ah well-a-day! he's dead, he's dead, he's dead! We are undone, lady, we are undone! Alack the day! he's gone, he's kill'd, he's dead! Jul. Can heaven be so envious? Nurse. Though heaven cannot: Romeo can, O Romeo! Romeo! Who ever would have thought it?- Romeo! Hath Romeo slain himself? say thou but I', Or those eyes shut, that make thee answer, I. Brief sounds determine of my weal, or woe. Nurse. I saw the wound, I saw it with mine eyes, 'Twas here, e'en here, upon his manly breast: at once! To prison, eyes! ne'er look on liberty! Jal. What storm is this, that blows so contrary? Is Romeo slaughter'd; and is Tybalt dead? 9 In Shakspeare's time the affirmative particle ay was usually written I, and here it is necessary to retain the old spelling. My dear-lov'd cousin, and my dearer lord? Nurse. Tybalt is gone, and Romeo banished; Jul. O heaven!-did Romeo's hand shed Tybalt's blood? Nurse. It did, it did; alas the day! it did. Just opposite to what thou justly seem❜st: Nurse. There's no trust, Ah, where's my man? give me some aqua vitæ : — old. Shame come to Romeo! Jul. Blister'd be thy tongue, For such a wish! he was not born to shame : For 'tis a throne where honour may be crown'd O, what a beast was I to chide at him! Nurse. Will you speak well of him that kill'd your cousin? Jul. Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband? Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name, When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it? But, wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin? That villain cousin would have kill'd my husband: Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring; Your tributary drops belong to woe, Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy. My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain; band: hus All this is comfort; Wherefore weep I then? Like horrid guilty deeds to sinners' minds : Or, if sour woe delights in fellowship, And needly will be rank'd with other griefs, Which modern' lamentation might have mov'd? Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet, Where is my father, and my mother, nurse? Nurse. Weeping and wailing over Tybalt's corse; Will you go to them? I will bring you thither. Jul. Wash they his wounds with tears? mine shall be spent, When theirs are dry, for Romeo's banishment. Take up those cords:- Poor ropes, you are be Both you guil'd, and I; for Romeo is exil'd. Nurse. Hie to your chamber: I'll find Romeo To comfort you : I Common, Hark ye, your Romeo will be here at night; Jul. O find him! give this ring to my true knight, And bid him come to take his last farewell. Enter Friar LAURENCE and ROMEO. Fri. Romeo, come forth; come forth, thou fearful man; Affliction is enamour'd of thy parts, And thou art wedded to calamity. Rom. Father, what news? what is the prince's doom? What sorrow craves acquaintance at my hand, Fri. Too familiar Is my dear son with such sour company: I bring thee tidings of the prince's doom. Rom. What less than dooms-day is the prince's doom? Fri. A gentler judgment vanish'd from his lips, Not body's death, but body's banishment. Rom. Ha! banishment? be merciful, death: For exile hath more terror in his look, say Much more than death: do not say banishment, Rom. There is no world without Verona walls, Thou cutt'st my head off with a golden axe, Rom. 'Tis torture, and not mercy: heaven is here, Where Juliet lives; and every cat, and dog, And say'st thou yet, that exile is not death? O cruel friar, how hast thou the heart, A sin-absolver, and my friend profess'd, To mangle me with that word - banishment? Fri. Thou fond mad man, hear me but speak a word. Rom. O, thou wilt speak again of banishment. Fri. I'll give thee armour to keep off that word; Adversity's sweet milk, philosophy, To comfort thee, though thou art banished. 3 Worth, value. |