She will beshrew me much that Romeo
Hath had no notice of these accidents :
But I will write again to Mantua,

And keep her at my cell till Romeo come.
Poor living corse, closed in a dead man's tomb !
[Exit r.

SCENE IV.—Monument of the Capulets. -Lamps half down.

Enter Paris and Page L., with a torch and basket of Flowers.

Par. (l.) Give me thy torch, boy: hence, and
stand aloof.

Yet put it out, for I would not be seen :
Under yon yew-trees lay thee all along,
Holding thy ear close to the hollow ground,
So shall no foot upon the church-yard tread,
(Being loose, unfirm, with digging up of graves)
But thou shalt hear it: whistle then to me
As signal that thou hear'st something approach.
Give me those flowers. Do as I bid thee; go.
Page. (l.) I am almost afraid to stand alone,
Here in the church-yard, yet I will adventure.

[Exit S. E. L. Par. Sweet flower! with flowers thy bridal bed I

strew.

[Strewing flowers.

Fair Juliet, that with angels dost remain,

Accept this latest favor at my hands,

Who living honor'd thee, and, being dead,
With funeral obsequies adorn thy tomb.

[The Page whistles S. E. L.

-The boy gives warning, something doth approach— What cursed foot wanders this way to-night,

To cross my obsequies?

What, with a torch! Muffle me, night, awhile.

[Retires S. E. R.

Enter Romeo L., and Balthasar, with a torch and

an iron crow L.

Rom. (c.) Give me the wrenching iron.

Hold, take this letter; early in the morning
See thou deliver it to my lord and father.

Put out the torch; and on thy life I charge thee,
Whate'er thou hear'st or see'st, 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, begone :
But if thou, jealous, dost return to pry

In what I further do intend to do,

By heaven, I will tear thee joint by joint,

And strew this hungry church-yard with thy limiz
The time and my intents are savage, wild;
More fierce, and more inexorable far,
Than empty tigers, or the roaring sea.

Bal. (l.) I will begone, sir, and not trouble you. Rom. So shalt thou win my favor. Take thou that. [Gives him a ring. Live and be prosperous; so farewell, good fellow. Bal. For all this same, I'll hide me near this place;

[Exit L.

His looks I fear, and his intents I doubt.
Rom. (Looking at the tomb of the Capulets.) Thou
maw detestable, (R.) thou womb of death,

Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth,
Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open,

[Attempting to break open the monument. And, in despite, I'll cram thee with more food.

Re-enter Paris S. E. R.

Par. (R.) Stop thy unhallow'd toil, vile Monta

gue.

Can vengeance be pursued farther than death?
Condemned villain, I do apprehend thee:

Obey, and go with me, for thou must die.

Rom. I must indeed; and therefore came I
hither—

Good, gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man ;
Fly hence, and leave me.

By heaven, I love thee better than myself;
For I came hither arm'd against myself.

Par. I do defy thy pity and thy counsel,
And do attach thee as a felon here.

Rom. Wilt thou provoke me? then have at thee boy. [They fight: Paris falls S. E. R.

Par. O, I am slain! if thou be merciful,

Open the tomb, and lay me with Juliet.

[Dies.

Rom. In faith I will. Let me peruse this face— Mercutio's kinsman! Noble County Paris! One writ with me in sour misfortune's book. I'll bury thee in a triumphant grave,

[Wrests open the monument. For here lies Juliet—(L. of the tomb.)—O, my love, my wife,

Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty:
Thou art not conquer'd, beauty's ensign yet
Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,
And death's pale flag is not advanced there.
O, Juliet, why art thou yet so fair?—Here, here
Will I set up my everlasting rest,

And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars
From this world-wearied flesh. (c.)

Come, bitter conduct; come, unsavory guide,
Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on
The dashing rocks my sea-sick weary bark :
No more here's to my love!

[Takes out the poison and drinks.

Eyes look your last :

Arms, take your last embrace: (Going to the tomb.)

and lips, do you

The doors of breath seal with a righteous kiss

Soft—she breathes, and stirs !

[JULIET wakes.

Jul. Where am I? Defend me, powers!

Rom. She speaks, she lives, and we shall still be bless'd!

My kind, propitious stars, o'erpay me now,
For all my sorrows past. Rise, rise, my Juliet,
And from this cave of death, this house of horror

Quick let me snatch thee to thy Romeo's arms,
There breathe a vital spirit in thy lips.

And call thee back, my soul, to life and love.

[Raises her, and brings her forward in his

arms.

Jul. (c.) Bless me! how cold it is! Who's there?

Rom. (c.) Thy husband;

'Tis thy Romeo, Juliet; raised from despair To joys unutterable! Quit, quit this place, And let us fly together.

Jul. Why do you force me so ?—I'll ne'er con

sent—

My strength may fail me, but my will's unmoved— I'll not wed Paris—Romeo is my husband.

Rom. Romeo is thy husband; I am that Romeo,
Nor all the opposing powers of earth or man
Shall break our bonds, or tear thee from my heart.
Jul. I know that voice—its magic sweetness wakes
My tranced soul—I now remember well
Each circumstance-O, my lord, my husband—
[Going to embrace him.

Dost thou avoid me, Romeo? Let me touch
Thy hand, and taste the cordial of thy lips—
You fright me—speak !—O, let me hear some voice
Besides my own in this drear vault of death,
Or I shall faint—support me—

Rom. O, I cannot;

I have no strength; but want thy feeble aid.—
Cruel poison!

Jul. Poison! what means my lord? thy trembling

voice,

Pale lips, and swimming eyes—Death 's in thy face.
Rom. It is, indeed I struggle with him now ;—
The transports that I felt,

To hear thee speak, and see thy opening eyes,
Stopp'd, for a moment, his impetuous course,
And all my mind was happiness and thee;—
But now the poison rushes through my veins
I have not time to tell-

Fate brought me to this place, to take a last,
Last farewell of my love, and with thee die.
Jul. Die-Was the friar false?

Rom. I know not that.

I thought thee dead; distracted at the sight,
O, fatal speed !—drank poison, kiss'd thy lips,
And found within thy arms a precious grave:
But, in that moment—O!

Jul. And did I wake for this?

Rom. My powers are blasted;

[He falls.

'Twixt death and love I'm torn, I am distracted; But death's strongest ;—and must I leave thee, Juliet ?

O, cruel, cursed fate! in sight of heaven—

Jul. Thou rav'st; lean on my breast.

Rom. Fathers have flinty hearts, no tears can melt

'em ;

Nature pleads in vain ;—children must be wretched. Jul. O, my breaking heart!

Rom. She is my wife—our hearts are twined to

gether.

Capulet, forbear ;—Paris, (Rises again.) loose your

Pull not our heart-strings thus ;—they crack—they break.

O, Juliet Juliet !

[Falls and dies c.—juliet faints on Romeo's

body.

Enter Friar Laurence S. E. R., with a lantern and an iron crow.

Lau. Saint Francis be my speed! how oft to

night

Have my old feet stumbled at graves!

there?

Alack, alack! what blood is this which stains

The stony entrance of this sepulchre ?

Who's

Jul. (Lying on the neck of Romeo.) Who's

there?

Lau. (c.) Ha! Juliet awake!—and Romeo

dead!