Page. [Aside.] I am almost afraid to stand alone Here in the churchyard; yet I will adventure.
[Retires.]
Paris. Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew: O woe! thy canopy is dust and stones! Which with sweet water nightly I will dew; Or, wanting that, with tears distill'd by moans: The obsequies that I for thee will keep, Nightly shall be to strew thy grave and weep.
[The Page whistles.]
The boy gives warning something doth approach. What cursed foot wanders this way to-night, To cross my obsequies and true love's rite? What, with a torch! muffle me, night, awhile.
[Retires.]
[Enter Romeo and Balthasar with a torch, mattock, &c.]
Romeo. Give me that mattock and the wrenching iron. Hold, take this letter; early in the morning See thou deliver it to my lord and father. Give me the light; upon thy life I charge thee, Whate'er thou hear'st or seest, stand all aloof And do not interrupt me in my course. Why I descend into this bed of death Is partly to behold my lady's face, But chiefly to take thence from her dead finger A precious ring,--a ring that I must use In dear employment: therefore hence, be gone:-- But if thou, jealous, dost return to pry In what I further shall intend to do, By heaven, I will tear thee joint by joint, And strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs: The time and my intents are savage-wild; More fierce and more inexorable far Than empty tigers or the roaring sea.
Balthasar. I will be gone, sir, and not trouble you.
Romeo. So shalt thou show me friendship.--Take thou that: Live, and be prosperous: and farewell, good fellow.
Balthasar. For all this same, I'll hide me hereabout: His looks I fear, and his intents I doubt.
[Retires.]
Romeo. Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death, Gorg'd with the dearest morsel of the earth, Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open,
[Breaking open the door of the monument.]
And, in despite, I'll cram thee with more food!
Paris. This is that banish'd haughty Montague That murder'd my love's cousin,--with which grief, It is supposed, the fair creature died,-- And here is come to do some villanous shame To the dead bodies: I will apprehend him.--
[Advances.]
Stop thy unhallow'd toil, vile Montague! Can vengeance be pursu'd further than death? Condemned villain, I do apprehend thee; Obey, and go with me; for thou must die.
Romeo. I must indeed; and therefore came I hither.-- Good gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man; Fly hence and leave me:--think upon these gone; Let them affright thee.--I beseech thee, youth, Put not another sin upon my head By urging me to fury: O, be gone! By heaven, I love thee better than myself; For I come hither arm'd against myself: Stay not, be gone;--live, and hereafter say, A madman's mercy bid thee run away.
Paris. I do defy thy conjurations, And apprehend thee for a felon here.
Romeo. Wilt thou provoke me? then have at thee, boy!
[They fight.]
Page. O lord, they fight! I will go call the watch.
[Exit.]
Paris. O, I am slain! [Falls.] If thou be merciful, Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet.
[Dies.]
Romeo. In faith, I will.--Let me peruse this face:-- Mercutio's kinsman, noble County Paris!-- What said my man, when my betossed soul Did not attend him as we rode? I think He told me Paris should have married Juliet: Said he not so? or did I dream it so? Or am I mad, hearing him talk of Juliet, To think it was so?--O, give me thy hand, One writ with me in sour misfortune's book! I'll bury thee in a triumphant grave;-- A grave? O, no, a lanthorn, slaught'red youth, For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes This vault a feasting presence full of light. Death, lie thou there, by a dead man interr'd.
[Laying Paris in the monument.]
