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Romeo and Juliet: Act 2, Scene 2

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          [ROMEO comes out of hiding.]

      ROMEO
  1   He jests at scars that never felt a wound.

           [JULIET appears above at a window.]

  2   But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
  3   It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
  4   Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
  5   Who is already sick and pale with grief,
  6   That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.
  7   Be not her maid, since she is envious;
  8   Her vestal livery is but sick and green
  9   And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
 10   It is my lady, O, it is my love!
 11   O, that she knew she were!
 12   She speaks yet she says nothing; what of that?
 13   Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
 14   I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks.
 15   Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
 16   Having some business, do entreat her eyes
 17   To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
 18   What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
 19   The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
 20   As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
 21   Would through the airy region stream so bright
 22   That birds would sing and think it were not night.
 23   See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
 24   O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
 25   That I might touch that cheek!

      JULIET
 25                                                 Ay me!

      ROMEO
 25                                                             She speaks!
 26   O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art
 27   As glorious to this night, being o'er my head
 28   As is a winged messenger of heaven
 29   Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes
 30   Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
 31   When he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds
 32   And sails upon the bosom of the air.

      JULIET
 33   O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
 34   Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
 35   Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
 36   And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

      ROMEO [Aside.]
 37   Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

      JULIET
 38   'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
 39   Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
 40   What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
 41   Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
 42   Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
 43   What's in a name? That which we call a rose
 44   By any other name would smell as sweet;
 45   So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
 46   Retain that dear perfection which he owes
 47   Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
 48   And for that name which is no part of thee
 49   Take all myself.

      ROMEO
 49                             I take thee at thy word.
 50   Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;
 51   Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

      JULIET
 52   What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night
 53   So stumblest on my counsel?

      ROMEO
 53                                                By a name
 54   I know not how to tell thee who I am:
 55   My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,
 56   Because it is an enemy to thee;
 57   Had I it written, I would tear the word.

      JULIET
 58   My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words
 59   Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound:
 60   Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?

      ROMEO
 61   Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike.

      JULIET
 62   How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?
 63   The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,
 64   And the place death, considering who thou art,
 65   If any of my kinsmen find thee here.

      ROMEO
 66   With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls;
 67   For stony limits cannot hold love out,
 68   And what love can do, that dares love attempt;
 69   Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.

      JULIET
 70   If they do see thee, they will murder thee.

      ROMEO
 71   Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
 72   Than twenty of their swords! Look thou but sweet,
 73   And I am proof against their enmity.

      JULIET
 74   I would not for the world they saw thee here.

      ROMEO
 75   I have night's cloak to hide me from their sight;
 76   And but thou love me, let them find me here:
 77   My life were better ended by their hate,
 78   Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.

      JULIET
 79   By whose direction found'st thou out this place?

      ROMEO
 80   By love, who first did prompt me to inquire;
 81   He lent me counsel and I lent him eyes.
 82   I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far
 83   As that vast shore wash'd with the farthest sea,
 84   I would adventure for such merchandise.

      JULIET
 85   Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face,
 86   Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
 87   For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
 88   Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
 89   What I have spoke, but farewell compliment!
 90   Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say "Ay,"
 91   And I will take thy word; yet if thou swear'st,
 92   Thou mayst prove false; at lovers' perjuries
 93   They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
 94   If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully;
 95   Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won,
 96   I'll frown and be perverse, and say thee nay,
 97   So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world.
 98   In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,
 99   And therefore thou mayst think my behavior light,
100   But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true
101   Than those that have more coying to be strange.
102   I should have been more strange, I must confess,
103   But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware,
104   My true love's passion; therefore pardon me,
105   And not impute this yielding to light love,
106   Which the dark night hath so discovered.

      ROMEO
107   Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear
108   That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops—

      JULIET
109   O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,
110   That monthly changes in her circled orb,
111   Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

      ROMEO
112   What shall I swear by?

      JULIET
112                                      Do not swear at all;
113   Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
114   Which is the god of my idolatry,
115   And I'll believe thee.

      ROMEO
115                                     If my heart's dear love—

      JULIET
116   Well, do not swear. Although I joy in thee,
117   I have no joy of this contract tonight:
118   It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;
119   Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
120   Ere one can say "It lightens." Sweet, good night!
121   This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,
122   May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.
123   Good night, good night! as sweet repose and rest
124   Come to thy heart as that within my breast!

      ROMEO
125   O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?

      JULIET
126   What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?

      ROMEO
127   The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.

      JULIET
128   I gave thee mine before thou didst request it:
129   And yet I would it were to give again.

      ROMEO
130   Wouldst thou withdraw it? for what purpose, love?

      JULIET
131   But to be frank, and give it thee again.
132   And yet I wish but for the thing I have.
133   My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
134   My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
135   The more I have, for both are infinite.

           [Nurse calls within.]

136   I hear some noise within; dear love, adieu!
137   Anon, good nurse! Sweet Montague, be true.
138   Stay but a little, I will come again.

           [Exit, above.]

      ROMEO
139   O blessed, blessed night! I am afeard.
140   Being in night, all this is but a dream,
141   Too flattering-sweet to be substantial.

           [Re-enter JULIET, above.]

      JULIET
142   Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.
143   If that thy bent of love be honourable,
144   Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,
145   By one that I'll procure to come to thee,
146   Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite;
147   And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay
148   And follow thee my lord throughout the world.

      Nurse [Within.]
149   Madam!

      JULIET
150   I come, anon.—But if thou mean'st not well,
151   I do beseech thee—

      Nurse [Within]
151                               Madam!

      JULIET
151                                               By and by, I come:—
152   To cease thy strife, and leave me to my grief:
153   Tomorrow will I send.

      ROMEO
153                                      So thrive my soul—

      JULIET
154   A thousand times good night!

           [Exit, above.]

      ROMEO
155   A thousand times the worse, to want thy light.
156   Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their books,
157   But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.

           Enter JULIET, again [above].

      JULIET
158   Hist! Romeo, hist! O, for a falconer's voice,
159   To lure this tassel-gentle back again!
160   Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud;
161   Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies,
162   And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine,
163   With repetition of my Romeo's name. Romeo!

      ROMEO
164   It is my soul that calls upon my name:
165   How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night,
166   Like softest music to attending ears!

      JULIET
167   Romeo!

      ROMEO
167                   My niesse?

      JULIET
167                                       At what o'clock tomorrow
168   Shall I send to thee?

      ROMEO
168                                    At the hour of nine.

      JULIET
169   I will not fail: 'tis twenty years till then.
170   I have forgot why I did call thee back.

      ROMEO
171   Let me stand here till thou remember it.

      JULIET
172   I shall forget, to have thee still stand there,
173   Remembering how I love thy company.

      ROMEO
174   And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget,
175   Forgetting any other home but this.

      JULIET
176   'Tis almost morning; I would have thee gone:
177   And yet no further than a wanton's bird;
178   Who lets it hop a little from her hand,
179   Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,
180   And with a silk thread plucks it back again,
181   So loving-jealous of his liberty.

      ROMEO
182   I would I were thy bird.

      JULIET
182                                              Sweet, so would I:
183   Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.
184   Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow,
185   That I shall say good night till it be morrow.

           [Exit above.]

      ROMEO
186   Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast!
187   Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest!
188   Hence will I to my ghostly sire's close cell,
189   His help to crave, and my dear hap to tell.

           Exit.