Or, if La. Cap. 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 pre vented? My husband is on earth, my faith in heaven; What say'st thou hast thou not a word of joy? Nurse. 'Faith, here 'tis: Romeo Is banished; and all the world to nothing, That he dares ne'er come back to challenge you; Romeo's a dishclout to him; an eagle, madam, Jul. Speakest thou from thy heart? 1 I think it best you married with the county.] The character of the Nurse exhibits a just picture of those whose actions have no principles for their foundation. She has been unfaithful to the trust reposed in her by Capulet, and is ready to embrace any expedient that offers, to avert the consequences of her first infidelity. STEEVENS. Go in; and tell my lady I am gone, Having displeas'd my father, to Laurence' cell, Nurse. Marry, I will; and this is wisely done. If all else fail, myself have power to die. [Exit. ACT IV. SCENE I. Friar Laurence's Cell. Enter Friar LAURENCE and PARIS. Fri. 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." Fri. 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, 2 And I am nothing slow, &c.] His haste shall not be abated by my slowness. And therefore have I little talk'd of love; Now do you know the reason of this haste. [Aside. Look, sir, here comes the lady towards my cell. Enter JULIET. Par. Happily met, Jul. That may be, next. my lady, and my wife! Jul. What must be shall be. Fri. That's a certain text. Par. Come you to make confession to this father? Jul. To answer that, were to 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 you, 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, that is a truth; And what I spake, I spake it to my face. Par. Thy face is mine, and thou hast slander'd 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 ?3 Fri. My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now: My lord, we must entreat the time alone. Exit PARIS. Jul. O, shut the door! and when thou hast done So, Come weep with me; Past hope, past cure, past help! compass of 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, And with this knife I'll help it presently. God join'd my heart and Romeo's, thou our hands; Or my true heart with treacherous revolt Or shall I come to you at evening mass?] Juliet means vespers. There is no such thing as evening mass. * Shall be the label to another deed,] The seals of deeds in our author's time were not impressed on the parchment itself on which the deed was written, but were appended on distinct slips or labels affixed to the deed. Shall play the umpire; arbitrating that A thing like death to chide away this shame, 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'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; To-morrow night look that thou lie alone, Let not thy nurse lie with thee in thy chamber: Take thou this phial, being then in bed, And this distilled liquor drink thou off: 5 Shall play the umpire;] That is, this knife shall decide the struggle between me and my distresses. 6 commission of thy years and art-] Commission is for authority or power. |