[Scene iii. A churchyard, in it a monument belonging to the Capulets.]

 

[Enter FRIAR LAWRENCE, with a lantern, crow, and spade]
Friar: O how the dark of night has stayed my pace!
What fear the child must feel when she awakes
To find the chilléd blackness of her tomb
Surrounding her as did the warméd womb!
What's this? I hear someone that does come near;
I'll hide me here behind this pillar here.
[Enter PARIS and his PAGE, bearing torch]
Paris: Come here, give me your torch -- No! better still,
Extinguish it, and hide; The flowers! Here!
I go to decorate my poor wife's grave.
Friar (aside):   Ay me! And what if she awake?
Paris: For life to death does hold a prejudice
So secretly my honor must be paid
And darkness shroud this act that I must do.
Page: And so that shroud brings ice into my blood
That gladly over this I'd dungeon'd be
But loyal to my master, I remain.
[Retires]
Paris: Sleep gently, love that would have been my bride.
The flowers that I bring may smell as sweet
In loveliness upon thy breast in death
Or better than, alone, they be in life.
But soft! I hear the foosteps of approach.
[Retires]
[Enter ROMEO with a torch, poison, mattock, etc.]
Romeo: The grave is silent in the somber night
Wherefore the bird of love comes to alight
Here, where my wounded heart has come to die.
And soon together always we will lie.
[Opens tomb]
Paris: What is this villain?
[Comes forward]
            --An' you corrupt my bride?
O foul defiler of hallowed sleep!
Hold, and turn to me thy coward hide
My sword will quickly take you for this deed.
[Draws]
Romeo: I, soon to die, fear not your flashing blade
But honor, fate, and author bid me fight.
[They fight]
Paris: O, I am slain!
[Dies]
Romeo: Too bad for him, that trainéd with the sword
Was I from youth, and dancing well perform'd.
[FRIAR comes forward]
Behold, the stars have cursed me once again.
Another man lies dead before my hand.
Friar: Oh, dear! Developments all unforeseen
Have meddled to confuse my little scheme
My boy, what come you here- Here comes the page!
I have not now the time to be your sage.
Romeo: How dost thou jest in this, the hour of woe?
My Juliet lies cold and pale as snow.
Friar: Her death is but as solid as the dew
That morning does dissolve; her life's renewed-
[Exit]
Romeo: The sorry churchman speaks his craft for me
To comfort loss, that I consoléd be
But comfort lies, for me, in my wife's breast
Where by her in eternity I'll rest.
[Drinks the poison]
Fair Juliet, fear not to be alone!
Unto your side most swiftly I am come.
[Dies]
Page: What's this? My master dead and by him lie
An open grave where bodies twain I spy?
Oh, hell!
[Exit]
[JULIET wakes]
Juliet: A body! A body! I wake beneath a body!
What horrors hold this tomb for beating heart!
Ay, me! But who is this that lieth dead?
'Tis Romeo whose life is finishéd!
What? Dead, by draught of evil that lay nigh?
Then, marry, I had truly rather died!
[Takes up his sword]
Where Romeo is dead, my sorrow be
And where his soul has fled, there mine must flee.
[Stabs herself, and dies]
[Enter PAGE, with ESCALUS]
Page: And here there lies my master dead as dirt.
Guess what? I have an alligator shirt!
Escalus: How now! Such grandness raises envy in my eye.
Let's quickly finish here; then I will buy
A shirt with just the same commercial rite
Ere morrow's day should wax again to night.
Now, bodies grave abound in tombs as these
So naught is left for us to do but leave.
But Montague and Capulet, next day
Shall surely catch it if I have my say.
[Exeunt]

 

 

Back to Creativity Sector Map