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The lights dim and the setting is changed. We are now on the other side of the wall, in Capulet's orchard. There is a lighted window above complete with a balcony, with trees on both sides, and a stairway leading down into the orchard. |
| Romeo |
He jests at scars that never felt a wound. |
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JULIET appears above at a window |
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But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? |
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It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. |
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Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, |
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Who is already sick and pale with grief, |
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That thou her maid art far more fair than she: |
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Be not her maid, since she is envious; |
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Her vestal livery is but sick and green |
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And none but fools do wear it; cast it off. |
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It is my lady, O, it is my love! |
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O, that she knew she were! |
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She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that? |
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Her eye discourses; I will answer it. |
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I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: |
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Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, |
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Having some business, do entreat her eyes |
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To twinkle in their spheres till they return. |
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What if her eyes were there, they in her head? |
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The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, |
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As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven |
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Would through the airy region stream so bright |
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That birds would sing and think it were not night. |
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See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! |
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O, that I were a glove upon that hand, |
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That I might touch that cheek! |
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O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art |
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As glorious to this night, being o'er my head |
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As is a winged messenger of heaven |
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Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes |
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Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him |
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When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds |
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And sails upon the bosom of the air. |
| Juliet |
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? |
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Deny thy father and refuse thy name; |
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Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, |
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And I'll no longer be a Capulet. |
| Romeo |
[Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? |
| Juliet |
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; |
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Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. |
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What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, |
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Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part |
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Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! |
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What's in a name? that which we call a rose |
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By any other name would smell as sweet; |
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So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, |
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Retain that dear perfection which he owes |
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Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, |
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And for that name which is no part of thee |
| Romeo |
I take thee at thy word: |
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Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; |
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Henceforth I never will be Romeo. |
| Juliet |
What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night |
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So stumblest on my counsel? |
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I know not how to tell thee who I am: |
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My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, |
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Because it is an enemy to thee; |
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Had I it written, I would tear the word. |
| Juliet |
My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words |
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Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound: |
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Art thou not Romeo and a Montague? |
| Romeo |
Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike. |
| Juliet |
How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? |
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The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, |
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And the place death, considering who thou art, |
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If any of my kinsmen find thee here. |
| Romeo |
With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls; |
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For stony limits cannot hold love out, |
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And what love can do that dares love attempt; |
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Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me. |
| Juliet |
If they do see thee, they will murder thee. |
| Romeo |
Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye |
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Than twenty of their swords: look thou but sweet, |
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And I am proof against their enmity. |
| Juliet |
I would not for the world they saw thee here. |
| Romeo |
I have night's cloak to hide me from their sight; |
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And but thou love me, let them find me here: |
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My life were better ended by their hate, |
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Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love. |
| Juliet |
By whose direction found'st thou out this place? |
| Romeo |
By love, who first did prompt me to inquire; |
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He lent me counsel and I lent him eyes. |
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I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far |
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As that vast shore wash'd with the farthest sea, |
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I would adventure for such merchandise. |
| Juliet |
Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face, |
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Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek |
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For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night |
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Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny |
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What I have spoke: but farewell compliment! |
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Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say 'Ay,' |
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And I will take thy word: yet if thou swear'st, |
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Thou mayst prove false; at lovers' perjuries |
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Then say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo, |
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If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully: |
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Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won, |
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I'll frown and be perverse an say thee nay, |
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So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world. |
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In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond, |
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And therefore thou mayst think my 'havior light: |
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But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true |
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Than those that have more cunning to be strange. |
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I should have been more strange, I must confess, |
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But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware, |
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My true love's passion: therefore pardon me, |
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And not impute this yielding to light love, |
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Which the dark night hath so discovered. |
| Romeo |
Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear |
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That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops-- |
| Juliet |
O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, |
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That monthly changes in her circled orb, |
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Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. |
| Romeo |
What shall I swear by? |
| Juliet |
Do not swear at all; |
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Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self, |
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Which is the god of my idolatry, |
| Romeo |
If my heart's dear love-- |
| Juliet |
Well, do not swear: although I joy in thee, |
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I have no joy of this contract to-night: |
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It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden; |
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Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be |
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Ere one can say 'It lightens.' Sweet, good night! |
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This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, |
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May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet. |
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Good night, good night! as sweet repose and rest |
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Come to thy heart as that within my breast! |
| Romeo |
O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied? |
| Juliet |
What satisfaction canst thou have to-night? |
| Romeo |
The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine. |
| Juliet |
I gave thee mine before thou didst request it: |
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And yet I would it were to give again. |
| Romeo |
Wouldst thou withdraw it? for what purpose, love? |
| Juliet |
But to be frank, and give it thee again. |
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And yet I wish but for the thing I have: |
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My bounty is as boundless as the sea, |
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My love as deep; the more I give to thee, |
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The more I have, for both are infinite. |
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I hear some noise within; dear love, adieu! |
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Anon, good nurse! Sweet Montague, be true. |
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Stay but a little, I will come again. |
| Romeo |
O blessed, blessed night! I am afeard. |
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Being in night, all this is but a dream, |
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Too flattering-sweet to be substantial. |
| Juliet |
Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed. |
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If that thy bent of love be honourable, |
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Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow, |
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By one that I'll procure to come to thee, |
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Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite; |
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And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay |
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And follow thee my lord throughout the world. |
| Juliet |
I come, anon.--But if thou mean'st not well, |
| Juliet |
By and by, I come:-- |
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To cease thy suit, and leave me to my grief: |
| Romeo |
So thrive my soul-- |
| Juliet |
A thousand times good night! |
| Romeo |
A thousand times the worse, to want thy light. |
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Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from |
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But love from love, toward school with heavy looks. |
| Juliet |
Hist! Romeo, hist! O, for a falconer's voice, |
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To lure this tassel-gentle back again! |
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Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud; |
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Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies, |
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And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine, |
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With repetition of my Romeo's name. |
| Romeo |
It is my soul that calls upon my name: |
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How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night, |
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Like softest music to attending ears! |
| Juliet |
At what o'clock to-morrow |
| Romeo |
At the hour of nine. |
| Juliet |
I will not fail: 'tis twenty years till then. |
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I have forgot why I did call thee back. |
| Romeo |
Let me stand here till thou remember it. |
| Juliet |
I shall forget, to have thee still stand there, |
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Remembering how I love thy company. |
| Romeo |
And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget, |
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Forgetting any other home but this. |
| Juliet |
'Tis almost morning; I would have thee gone: |
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And yet no further than a wanton's bird; |
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Who lets it hop a little from her hand, |
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Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves, |
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And with a silk thread plucks it back again, |
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So loving-jealous of his liberty. |
| Romeo |
I would I were thy bird. |
| Juliet |
Sweet, so would I: |
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Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing. |
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Good night, good night! parting is such |
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That I shall say good night till it be morrow. |
| Romeo |
Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast! |
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Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest! |
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Hence will I to my ghostly father's cell, |
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His help to crave, and my dear hap to tell. |
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