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