Mer. And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something; make it a word and a blow.

Tyb. You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, an you will give me occasion.

Mer. Could you not take some occasion without giving?

Tyb. Mercutio, thou consort'st with Romeo,

Mer. Consort! what, dost thou make us minstrels? an thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords: here's my fiddlestick; here's that shall make you dance. 'Zounds, consort!

Ben. We talk here in the public haunt of men.
Either withdraw unto some private place,
And reason coldly of your grievances,

Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.

Mer. Men's eyes were made to look, and let them

gaze:

I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I.

Enter ROMEO.

Tyb. Well, peace be with you, sir. Here comes

my man.

Mer. But I'll be hanged, sir, if he wear your

livery.

Tyb. Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford No better term than this,-thou art a villain. Rom. Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage To such a greeting: villain am I none; Therefore farewell: I see, thou know'st me not. Tyb. Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries That thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw. Rom. I do protest, I never injured thee, But love thee better than thou canst devise Till thou shalt know the reason of my love: And so, good Capulet,-which name I tender As dearly as mine own,-be satisfied.

Mer. O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! Alla stoccata carries it away.

Tybalt, Tybalt, you rat-catcher.

Tyb. What wouldst thou have with me?

[Draws.

Mer. Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives, that I mean to make bold withal, and, as you shall use me hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out.

Tyb. I am for you.

[Drawing.

Rom. Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.

Mer. Come, sir, your passado.

[They fight.

Rom. Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons.

Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage!

Hold, Tybalt!-good Mercutio!

Mer.

[Exeunt TYBALT and his Partisans.

I am hurt.

A plague o' both your houses! I am sped:

Is he gone, and hath nothing?

Ben.

What! art thou hurt?

Mer. Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 't is

enough.

Where is my page ?-Go, villain, fetch a surgeon. [Exit PAGE.

Rom. Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much. Mer. No, 't is not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 't is enough, 't will serve: ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world.A plague o' both your houses!-'Zounds! a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of arithmetic!-Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.

Rom. I thought all for the best.

Mer. Help me into some house, Benvolio,

Or I shall faint.-A plague o' both your houses!
They have made worms' meat of me: I have it,
And soundly too :-your houses! [MERCUTIO falls.
Rom. This gentleman, the prince's near ally,
My very friend, hath got this mortal hurt
In my behalf; my reputation stained
With Tybalt's slander,-Tybalt, that an hour
Hath been my kinsman: O sweet Juliet,
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,
And in my temper softened valour's steel!

Ben. O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio's dead.
Rom. This day's black fate on more days doth

depend;

This but begins the woe others must end.

Ben. Here comes the furious Tybalt back again. Rom. Alive, in triumph! and Mercutio slain!

Away to heaven, respective lenity,

And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!—

Re-enter TYBALT.

Now, Tybalt, take the villain' back again
That late thou gav'st me; for Mercutio's soul
Is but a little way above our heads,
Staying for thine to keep him company:
Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.

[They fight; TYBALT falls.

Ben. Romeo, away, be gone!

The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain :

Stand not amazed: the prince will doom thee death If thou art taken :-hence !-be gone!-away !—

Rom. O, I am fortune's fool!

ACT III.

SCENE 1.-JULIET'S Chamber.*

Enter JULIET.

Juliet:

ALLOP apace, you fiery-footed steeds,
Towards Phoebus' lodging: such a

waggoner

As Phaethon would whip you to the

west,

---

And bring in cloudy night immediately.-
Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,
That runaways' eyes may wink, and Romeo
Leap to these arms, untalked-of, and unseen!—
Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-browed

night,

Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die,

Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine,
That all the world will be in love with night,
And pay no worship to the garish sun.-
O, I have bought the mansion of a love,

But not possessed it. So tedious is this day
As is the night before some festival

To an impatient child that hath new robes

And may not wear them. O, here comes my

nurse,

And she brings news, and every tongue that speaks But Romeo's name speaks heavenly eloquence.

This scene is sometimes omitted,

Enter Nurse, with cords.

Now, nurse, what news? What hast thou there? the cords

That Romeo bid thee fetch?

Nurse. Ay, ay, the cords. [Throws them down. Jul. Ay me, what news? why dost thou wring thy hands?

Nurse. Ah, well-a-day! he's dead, he's dead, he's dead.

We are undone, lady, we are undone.—

Alack the day!-he's gone, he's killed, he's dead!
Jul. Can Heaven be so envious?
Nurse.

Romeo can,

Though Heaven cannot.-O, Romeo, Romeo-
Who ever would have thought it !-Romeo-

Jul. What devil art thou that dost torment me thus?

Hath Romeo slain himself?

Nurse. I saw the wound, I saw it with mine

eyes

God save the mark !-here on his manly breast:

A piteous corse, a bloody piteous corse;

Pale, pale as ashes, all bedaubed in blood,

All in gore blood:-I swounded at the sight.

Jul. O, break, my heart!-poor bankrupt, break at once!

Nurse. O Tybalt, Tybalt! the best friend I had : O courteous Tybalt! honest gentleman!

That ever I should live to see thee dead!

Jul. What storm is this that blows so contrary? Is Romeo slaughtered? and is Tybalt dead? My dear loved cousin, and my dearer lord ?——————— Nurse. Tybalt is gone, and Romeo banished; Romeo, that killed him, he is banished.

Jul. O God!-did Romeo's hand shed Tybalt's blood?