Of mortals, that fall back to gaze on him, Jul. 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. Rom. Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? Jul. 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;- Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! Rom. I take thee at thy word. Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo. [Aside. Jul. What man art thou, that, thus bescreened in night, So stumblest on my counsel? Rom. By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am. My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, Had I it written, I would tear the word. Jul. 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? Rom. Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike.1 fore? 1 i. e. displease. The orchard walls are high, and hard to climb; Rom. 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; Jul. If they do see thee, they will murder thee. Jul. I would not for the world they saw thee here. Rom. I have night's cloak to hide me from their sight; And, but thou love me, let them find me here. Than death prorogued,3 wanting of thy love. Jul. By whose direction found'st thou out this place? Rom. 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 washed with the furthest sea, I would adventure for such merchandise. Jul. Thou know'st, the mask of night is on my face; Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek, 5 1 i. e. no stop, no hinderance. Thus the quarto of 1597. The subsequent copies read, "no stop to me." 2 But is here again used in its exceptive sense, without or unless. 3 i. e. postponed. 4 i. e. farewell attention to forms. 5 This Shakspeare found in Ovid's Art of Love. If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully.- And therefore thou mayst think my havior light: Rom. Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear, Jul. O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. Do not swear at all; Jul. And I'll believe thee. Rom. If my heart's dear love Jul. 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; 2 Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be, Rom. O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied? 1 To be distant or shy. 2 All the intermediate lines from "Sweet, good night!" to "Stay but a little," &c. were added after the first impression in 1597. Jul. I gave thee mine before thou didst request it; And yet I would it were to give again. Rom. Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love? Jul. But to be frank, and give it thee again. My love as deep; the more I give to thee, [Nurse calls within. Rom. O blessed, blessed night! I am afeard, Being in night, all this is but a dream, Too flattering-sweet to be substantial. Re-enter JULIET, above. [Exit. Jul. Three words, dear Romeo, and good night, indeed. If that thy bent of love be honorable, Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow, Where, and what time, thou wilt perform the rite; And follow thee, my lord, throughout the world. Jul. I come anon.-But if thou mean'st not well, I do beseech thee, Nurse. [Within.] Madam! Jul. By and by, I come : To cease thy suit, and leave me to my grief: Rom. So thrive my soul, Jul. A thousand times good night! [Exit. Rom. A thousand times the worse, to want thy light. Love goes toward love, as school-boys from their books; But love from love, toward school with heavy looks. [Retiring slowly. Re-enter JULIET, above. Jul. Hist! Romeo, hist!-O, for a falconer's voice, To lure this tassel-gentle1 back again! Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud; And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine Rom. It is my soul, that calls upon my name; Rom. Jul. I will not fail; At what o'clock to-morrow At the hour of nine. 'tis twenty years till then. I have forgot why I did call thee back. Rom. Let me stand here till thou remember it. Jul. I shall forget, to have thee still stand there, Remembering how I love thy company. Rom. And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget, Forgetting any other home but this. Jul. '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, Rom. I would I were thy bird. 1 The tassel, or tiercel (for so it should be spelled), is the male of the gosshawk, and is said to be so called because it is a tierce or third less than the female. This is equally true of all birds of prey. This species of hawk had the epithet of gentle annexed to it, from the ease with which it was tamed, and its attachment to man. 2 The quarto of 1597 puts the cold, distant, and formal appellation Madam, into the mouth of Romeo.-The two subsequent quartos and the folio have "my niece." My sweet" is the reading of the second folio. 66 |