Take thou some new infection to the eye, And the rank poison of the old will die. Rom. For your broken shin. Ben. Why, Romeo, art thou mad? Rom. Not mad, but bound more than a madman is : Whipp'd and tormented, and-Good-e'en, good fellow. Serv. Perhaps you have learn'd it without book: but I pray, can you read anything you see? Rom. Ay, if I know the letters and the language. Serv. Ye say honestly: rest you merry! Rom. Stay, fellow: I can read. [Reads.] Signior Martino, and his wife and daughters; County Anselme, and his beauteous sisters; the lady widow of Vitruvio; Signior Placentio, and his lovely nieces; Mercutio, and his brother Valentine; Mine uncle Capulet, his wife, and daughters; My fair niece Rosaline; Livia; Signior Valentio, and his cousin Tybalt; Lucio, and the lively Helena.' A fair assembly [Gives back the note]: whither should they come? Serv. Up. Rom. Whither? Serv. To supper; to our house. Rom. Whose house? Serv. My master's. Rom. Indeed, I should have ask'd you that before. Serv. Now I'll tell you without asking: my master is the great rich Capulet; and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry. Ben. At this same ancient feast of Capulet's Sups the fair Rosaline, whom thou so lov'st; With all the admired beauties of Verona : [Exit. Go thither; and, with unattainted eye, Compare her face with some that I shall shew, Rom. When the devout religion of mine eye One fairer than my love! the all-seeing sun And she shall scant shew well that now shews best. [Exeunt. SCENE III.—A Room in CAPULET'S House. Enter LADY CAPULET and Nurse. La. Cap. Nurse, where 's my daughter? call her forth to me. Nurse. I bade her come.- -What, lamb! what, lady-bird !— Where's this girl?-what, Juliet ! La. Cap. This is the matter-Nurse, give leave awhile, Nurse. Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour. La. Cap. She's not fourteen. Nurse. I'll lay fourteen of my teeth And yet to my teen' be it spoken, I have but four She is not fourteen.-How long is it now To Lammas-tide? La. Cap. A fortnight and odd days. Nurse. Even or odd, of all days in the year, Come Lammas-eve at night, shall she be fourteen. Susan and she were of an age. Well, Susan's with God; On Lammas-eve at night shall she be fourteen ; To see it tetchy, and fall out with the dug. Shake, quoth the dove-house: 'twas no need, I trow, And since that time it is eleven years: For then she could stand alone; nay, by the rood, For even the day before, she broke her brow. La. Cap. Enough of this: I pray thee, hold thy peace. Nurse. Peace, I have done. God mark thee to his grace! Thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er I nurs'd: An I might live to see thee married once, I have my wish. La. Cap. Marry, that marry is the very theme I came to talk of :-tell me, daughter Juliet, Jul. It is an honour that I dream not of. La. Cap. Well, think of marriage now; younger than you, Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, Are made already mothers: by my count, I was your mother much upon these years That you are now a maid. Thus, then, in brief ;- Nurse. A man, young lady! lady, such a man, La. Cap. Verona's summer hath not such a flower. And see how one another lends content; The fish lives in the sea ; and 'tis much pride, Jul. I'll look to like, if looking liking move: Enter a Servant. Serv. Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my young lady asked for, the nurse cursed in the pantry, and everything in extremity. I must hence to wait; I beseech you, follow straight. La. Cap. We follow thee.-Juliet, the county stays. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-A Street. Enter ROMEO, MERCUTIO, BENVOLIO, with Five or Six Maskers, Torch-bearers, and others. Rom. What, shall this speech be spoke for our excuse? Or shall we on without apology? Ben. The date is out of such prolixity: We'll have no Cupid hoodwink'd with a scarf, Rom. Give me a torch—I am not for this ambling ; Mer. Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance. |