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Call me but love, and I'll be new baptiz'd;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Jul. What man art thou, that, thus bescreen'd in

night,

So stumblest on my counsel ?

Rom. By a name

I know not how to tell thee who I am:

My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,
Because it is an enemy to thee;

Had I it written, I would tear the word.

100

Jul. My ears have yet not drunk a hundred words

Of that tongue's uttering, yet I know the sound;
Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?

Rom. Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike.

Jul. How cam'st thou hither, tell me? and where. fore?

The orchard-walls are high, and hard to climb !

And the place death, considering who thou art, 110 If any of my kinsmen find thee here.

Rom. With love's light wings did I o'er perch these ? walls;

For stony limits cannot hold love out:

And what love can do, that dares love attempt;
Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.

Jul. If they do see thee, they will murder thee. Rom. Alack! there lies more peril in thine eye, Than twenty of their swords; look thou but sweet, And I am proof against their enmity.

Jul.

Jul. I would not for the world, they saw thee

here.

120

Rom. I have night's cloak to hide me from their

sight;

And, but thou love me, let them find me here;
My life were better ended by their hate,

Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.

Jul. By whose direction found'st thou out this place?

Rom. By love, who first did prompt me to inquire;

He lent me counsel, and I lent him eyes.

I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far

As that vast shore wash'd with the farthest sea,

I would adventure for such merchandise.

130

Jul. Thou know'st, the mask of night is on my face;

Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek,

For that which thou hast heard me speak to

night.

Fain would I dwell on form, fain fain deny
What I have spoke; But farewel compliment!
Dost thou love me? I know, thou wilt say-Ay;
And I will take thy word: yet, if thou swear'st,
Thou may'st prove false; at lovers' perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. O, gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:
Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won,
I'll frown, and be perverse, and say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo; but, else, not for the world.

140

In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond ;

And therefore thou may'st think my haviour light:
But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true,
Than those that have more cunning to be strange.
I should have been more strange, I must confess,
But that thou over-heardst, ere I was ware,
My true love's passion: therefore pardon me;
And not impute this yielding to light love,
Which the dark night hath so discovered.
Rom. Lady, by yonder blessed moon I vow,
That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops,-
Jul. O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant

moon

That monthly changes in her circled orb,

Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.
Rom. What shall I swear by ?

Jul. Do not swear at all;

Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,

Which is the god of my idolatry,

And I'll believe thee.

Rom. If my heart's dear love

150

160

Jul. Well, do not swear; although I joy in thee, I have no joy of this contract to-night:

It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be,
Ere one can say-It lightens. Sweet, good night!
This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.
Good night, good night! as sweet repose and rest
Come to thy heart, as that within my breast!

172 Rom,

Rom. O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?

Jul. What satisfaction canst thou have to-night? Rom. The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.

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

Rom. Would'st thou withdraw it? for what purpose, love?

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

I hear some noise within; Dear love, adieu!

180

[Nurse calls within.

Anon, good nurse!-Sweet Montague, be true.
Stay but a little, I will come again.

Rom. O blessed blessed night! I am afeard,

Being in night, all this is but a dream,
Too flattering sweet to be substantial.

Re-enter JULIET, above.

[Exit.

Jul. Three words, dear Romeo, and good night,

indeed.

If that thy bent of love be honourable,

Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow, By one that I'll procure to come to thee,

190

Where, and what time, thou wilt perform the rite; And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay,

And follow thee my lord throughout the world. [Within: Madam.

I come,

I come, anon:-But if thou mean'st not well,

I do beseech thee,-[Within: Madam.] By and by, I

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To cease thy suit, and leave me to my grief:

To-morrow will I send.

Rom. So thrive my soul,

200

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Rom. A thousand times the worse, to want thy

light.

Love goes toward love, as school-boys from their

books;

But love from love, towards school with heavy looks..

Re-enter JULIET again, above.

Jul. Hist! Romeo, hist!-O, for a faulconer's voice,

To lure this tassel-gentle back again !

Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud;
Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies,
And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine
With repetition of my Romeo's name.

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

Jul. Romeo!

Rom. My sweet?

Jul. At what o'clock to morrow

Shall I send to thee?

"Rom. By the hour of nine.

211

Jul. I will not fail; 'tis twenty years 'till then. 220

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