ROMEO AND JULIET DRAMATIS PERSONAE ESCALUS: prince of ...

TYBALT Patience perforce with wilful cholermeeting makes my flesh tremble in their indifferentgreeting. I will withdraw: but this intrusion shallNow seeming sweet convert to bitter gall.[Exit 8]ROMEO [To JUL, in the bottom stage garden, softly,holding one of her hands in his and slowly tracing herfingers] If I profane with my unworthiest hand thisholy shrine, the gentle fine is this:My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready standTo smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. [Kissesthe palm of her hand, testing the waters to see howshe’ll react.]JULIET [Coyly; she’s waited her whole life to bewooed this way, dreamed of what it would be like, andit’s every bit as wonderful as she imagined] Goodpilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, whichmannerly devotion shows in this;For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touchAnd 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'sakeROMEO: Then move not, while my prayer's effect Itake. [Kisses her] Thus from my lips, by yours, my sinis 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. [They kiss again, heedless ofthe risks.]JULIET [Breathlessly, teasing him into more]You kissby the book.NURSE [Leans out over the balcony, startling them]Madam, your mother craves a word with you. [Julietnods and runs off, flustered and suddenly rememberingto be afraid of the fact that her mother may have seenher being kissed by a stranger in the garden. In thebackground on the upper stage, Capulet introduces herdaughter to Paris. The Nurse eyes Romeosuspiciously, wondering whether or not she should betaking him to task for molesting her young charge.Romeo hesitates for an instant, and decides to take therisk of fishing for information about Juliet.]ROMEO What is her mother?NURSE: [Relaxing visibly at what she takes for astatement of honorable intention] Marry, bachelor, hermother is the lady of the house, and a good lady, and awise and virtuous. I nursed her daughter, that youtalk'd withal; I tell you, he that can lay hold of herShall have the chinks.ROMEO: [Stunned, quietly] Is she a Capulet?O dear account! my life is my foe's debt.BENVOLIO [Who’s been keeping a subtle eye on Romeo,and decided that this is a good time to pull them all out]Away, begone; the sport is at the best.ROMEO Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest.[Exeunt the Montagues 7, Juliet breaks free of her mother asquickly as she can and heads back out to the garden. Shesees Romeo leaving, and casts quickly around for the Nurse,knowing she’ll be noticed if she runs after him herself.]JULIET What's he that follows there? Go ask his name: ifhe be marriedMy grave is like to be my wedding bed.NURSE [Cautiously; she knew who Romeo was] His nameis Romeo, and a Montague;The only son of your great enemy.JULIET [The sweetest night of her life spoiling in aninstant] My only love sprung from my only hate!Prodigious birth of love it is to me,That I must love a loathed enemy.NURSE: What's this?JULIET [Bitterly] A rhyme I learn'd even nowOf one I danced withal.BLACKOUT, Exit guests, clear out the party, change backto street scene/orchard setup.ACT II PROLOGUE [Enter BENVOLIO, from 8]BENVOLIO: Now old desire doth in his death-bed lie,And young affection gapes to be his heir;That fair for which love groan'd for and would dieWith tender Juliet match'd, is now not fair.Now Romeo is beloved and loves again,Alike betwitched by the charm of looks,But to his foe supposed he must complain,And she steal love's sweet bait from fearful hooks:Being held a foe, he may not have accessTo breathe such vows as lovers use to swear;And she as much in love, her means much lessTo meet her new-beloved any where:But passion lends them power, time means, to meetTempering extremities with extreme sweet.BLACKOUTACT II SCENE I A lane by the wall of Capulet's orchard.[Enter ROMEO from 7]ROMEO: Can I go forward when my heart is here?Turn back, dull earth, and find thy centre out.[He moves silently through the garden, and slips into ahiding spot behind the audience barrier, 6.][Enter BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO, drunk, from 7.]BENVOLIO Romeo! my cousin Romeo!MERCUTIO He is wise;And, on my life, hath stol'n him home to bed.BENV He ran this way, and leap'd this orchard wall:Call, good Mercutio.7