ACT II. | |
Scene II. Capulet's Garden. | |
| [Enter Romeo.] |
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! |
Juliet. | |
| Ah me! |
Romeo. | |
| She speaks:-- |
| 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, |
| Take all myself. |
Romeo. | |
| I take thee at thy word: |
| Call me but love, and I'll be new baptiz'd; |
| Henceforth I never will be Romeo. |
Juliet. | |
| What man art thou that, thus bescreen'd in night, |
| So stumblest on my counsel? |
Romeo. | |
| By a name |
| 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 yet not 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 cam'st 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'erperch 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, that first did prompt me to enquire; |
| 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 furthest sea, |
| I would adventure for such merchandise. |
Juliet. | |
| Thou knowest 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, |
| They say Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo, |
| If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully: |
| Or if thou thinkest I am too quickly won, |
| I'll frown, and be perverse, and 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 'haviour 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 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, |
| And I'll believe thee. |
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 unadvis'd, 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. | |
| Would'st 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!-- |
| [Nurse calls within.] |
Anon, good nurse!--Sweet Montague, be true. | |
Stay but a little, I will come again. | |
| [Exit.] |
Romeo. | |
| O blessed, blessed night! I am afeard, |
| Being in night, all this is but a dream, |
| Too flattering-sweet to be substantial. |
| [Enter Juliet above.] |
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. |
Nurse. | |
| [Within.] Madam! |
Juliet. | |
| I come anon.-- But if thou meanest not well, |
| I do beseech thee,-- |
Nurse. | |
| [Within.] Madam! |
Juliet. | |
| By-and-by I come:-- |
| To cease thy suit and leave me to my grief: |
| To-morrow will I send. |
Romeo. | |
| So thrive my soul,-- |
Juliet. | |
| A thousand times good night! |
| [Exit.] |
Romeo. | |
| A thousand times the worse, to want thy light!-- |
| Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books; |
| But love from love, towards school with heavy looks. |
| [Retirong slowly.] |
| [Re-enter Juliet, above.] |
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. | |
| Romeo! |
Romeo. | |
| My dear? |
Juliet. | |
| At what o'clock to-morrow |
| Shall I send to thee? |
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 farther than a wanton's bird; |
| That 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 sweet sorrow |
| That I shall say good night till it be morrow. |
| [Exit.] |
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. |
| [Exit.] |