Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (most read book in the world TXT) 📕

have worn a visor and could tell
A whispering tale in a fair lady’s ear,
Such as would please: ’tis gone, ’tis gone, ’tis gone:
You are welcome, gentlemen! come, musicians, play.
A hall, a hall! give room! and foot it, girls. Music plays, and they dance.
More light, you knaves; and turn the tables up,
And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot.
Ah, sirrah, this unlook’d-for sport comes well.
Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet;
For you and I are past our dancing days:
How long is’t now since last yourself and I
Were in a mask? Second Capulet By’r lady, thirty years. Capulet

What, man! ’tis not so much, ’tis not so much:
’Tis since the nuptials of Lucentio,
Come pentecost as quickly as it will,
Some five and twenty years; and then we mask’d.

Second Capulet

’Tis more, ’tis more: his son is elder, sir;
His son is thirty.

Capulet

Will you tell me that?
His son was but a ward two years ago.

Romeo

To a Servingman. What lady is that, which doth enrich the hand
Of yonder knight?

Servant I know not, sir. Romeo

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear;
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,
As yonder lady o’er her fellows shows.
The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand,
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!
For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.

Tybalt

This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the slave,
Come hither, cover’d with an antic face,
To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
Now, by the stock and honour of my kin,
To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.

Capulet Why, how now, kinsman! wherefore storm you so? Tybalt

Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe,
A villain that is hither come in spite,
To scorn at our solemnity this night.

Capulet Young Romeo is it? Tybalt ’Tis he, that villain Romeo. Capulet

Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone;
He bears him like a portly gentleman;
And, to say truth, Verona brags of him
To be a virtuous and well govern’d youth:
I would not for the wealth of all the town
Here in my house do him disparagement:
Therefore be patient, take no note of him:
It is my will, the which if thou respect,
Show a fair presence and put off these frowns,
And ill-beseeming semblance for a feast.

Tybalt

It fits, when such a villain is a guest:
I’ll not endure him.

Capulet

He shall be endured:
What, goodman boy! I say, he shall: go to;
Am I the master here, or you? go to.
You’ll not endure him! God shall mend my soul!
You’ll make a mutiny among my guests!
You will set cock-a-hoop! you’ll be the man!

Tybalt Why, uncle, ’tis a shame. Capulet

Go to, go to;
You are a saucy boy: is’t so, indeed?
This trick may chance to scathe you, I know what:
You must contrary me! marry, ’tis time.
Well said, my hearts! You are a princox; go:
Be quiet, or⁠—More light, more light! For shame!
I’ll make you quiet. What, cheerly, my hearts!

Tybalt

Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting
Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.
I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall
Now seeming sweet convert to bitter gall. Exit.

Romeo

To Juliet. If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

Juliet

Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.

Romeo Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? Juliet Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. Romeo

O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

Juliet Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake. Romeo

Then move not, while my prayer’s effect I take.
Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.

Juliet Then have my lips the sin that they have took. Romeo

Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
Give me my sin again.

Juliet You kiss by the book. Nurse Madam, your mother craves a word with you. Romeo What is her mother? Nurse

Marry, bachelor,
Her mother is the lady of the house,
And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous:
I nursed her daughter, that you talk’d withal;
I tell you, he that can lay hold of her
Shall have the chinks.

Romeo

Is she a Capulet?
O dear account! my life is my foe’s debt.

Benvolio Away, be gone; the sport is at the best. Romeo Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest. Capulet

Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone;
We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.
Is it e’en so? why, then, I thank you all;
I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night.
More torches here! Come on then, let’s to bed.
Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late:
I’ll to my rest. Exeunt all but Juliet and Nurse.

Juliet Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman? Nurse The son and heir of old Tiberio. Juliet What’s he that now is going out of door? Nurse Marry, that, I think, be young Petrucio. Juliet What’s he that follows there, that would not dance? Nurse I know not. Juliet

Go ask his name: if he be married,
My grave is like to be my wedding bed.

Nurse

His name is Romeo, and a Montague;
The only son of your great enemy.

Juliet

My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy.

Nurse What’s this? what’s this? Juliet

A rhyme I learn’d even now
Of one I danced withal. One calls within “Juliet.”

Nurse

Anon, anon!
Come, let’s away; the strangers all are gone. Exeunt.

Act II Prologue Enter Chorus. Chorus

Now old desire doth in his death-bed lie,
And young affection gapes to