Shakespeare's Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare

speak.

      Nurse. Jesu, what haste? can you not stay awhile?

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      Do you not see that I am out of breath?

      Juliet. How art thou out of breath, when thou hast breath

      To say to me that thou art out of breath?

      The excuse that thou dost make in this delay

      Is longer than the tale thou dost excuse.

      Is thy news good, or bad? answer to that;

      Say either, and I'll stay the circumstance.

      Let me be satisfied, is 't good or bad?

      Nurse. Well, you have made a simple choice; you know not how to choose a man. Romeo! no, not 40he; though his face be better than any man's, yet his leg excels all men's; and for a hand, and a foot, and a body, though they be not to be talked on, yet they are past compare. He is not the flower of courtesy, but, I'll warrant him, as gentle as a lamb. Go thy ways, wench; serve God. What, have you dined at home?

      Juliet. No, no; but all this did I know before.

      What says he of our marriage? what of that?

      Nurse. Lord, how my head aches! what a head have I!

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      It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces.

      My back o' t'other side—O, my back, my back!

      Beshrew your heart for sending me about,

      To catch my death with jaunting up and down!

      Juliet. I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well.

      Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love?

      Nurse. Your love says, like an honest gentleman,

      And a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome,

      And, I warrant, a virtuous—Where is your mother?

      Juliet. Where is my mother! why, she is within;

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      Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest!

      'Your love says, like an honest gentleman,

      Where is your mother?'

      Nurse. O God's lady dear!

      Are you so hot? marry, come up, I trow;

      Is this the poultice for my aching bones?

      Henceforward do your messages yourself.

      Juliet. Here's such a coil!—come, what says Romeo?

      Nurse. Have you got leave to go to shrift to-day?

      Juliet. I have.

      Nurse. Then hie you hence to Friar Laurence' cell;

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      There stays a husband to make you a wife.

      Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks,

      They'll be in scarlet straight at any news.

      Hie you to church; I must another way,

      To fetch a ladder, by the which your love

      Must climb a bird's nest soon when it is dark.

      I am the drudge, and toil in your delight.

      Go; I'll to dinner; hie you to the cell.

      Juliet. Hie to high fortune!—Honest nurse, farewell. [Exeunt.

Scene VI.

       Table of Contents

      Friar Laurence's Cell

      Enter Friar Laurence and Romeo