The Illustrated Works of Shakespeare/Illustrated Works of Shakespeare, The (1990)(Animated Pixels)[!][CDTV-PC].iso/shakes/text/32/03_01

Text File | 1991-04-10 | 10KB | 281 lines

Verona. A public Place.
 Enter MERCUTIO, his PAGE, BENVOLIO, and SERVANTS.

Benvolio    I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire.
    The day is hot, the Capels are abroad,
    And if we meet we shall not 'scape a brawl,
    For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.

Mercutio    Thou art like one of these fellows that, when he enters the
    confines of a tavern, claps me his sword upon the table and
    says 'God send me no need of thee!' and by the operation of
    the second cup draws him on the drawer, when indeed there
    is no need.

Benvolio    Am I like such a fellow?

Mercutio    Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in
    Italy; and as soon moved to be moody, and as soon moody to
    be moved.

Benvolio    And what to?

Mercutio    Nay, an there were two such we should have none shortly,
    for one would kill the other. Thou? - why, thou wilt
    quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or a hair less in
    his beard than thou hast. Thou wilt quarrel with a man for
    cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast
    hazel eyes. What eye but such an eye would spy out such a
    quarrel? Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full
    of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an
    egg for quarrelling. Thou hast quarrelled with a man for
    coughing in the street, because he hath wakened thy dog
    that hath lain asleep in the sun. Didst thou not fall out
    with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter;
    with another for tying his new shoes with old riband? And
    yet thou wilt tutor me from quarrelling!

Benvolio    An I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy
    the fee simple of my life for an hour and a quarter.

Mercutio    The fee simple! O simple!

                        Enter TYBALT, and OTHERS.

Benvolio    By my head, here comes the Capulets.

Mercutio    By my heel, I care not.

Tybalt    Follow me close, for I will speak to them.
    Gentlemen, good e'en; a word with one of you.

Mercutio    And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something,
    make it a word and a blow.

Tybalt    You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, an you will give
    me occasion.

Mercutio    Could you not take some occasion without giving?

Tybalt    Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo.

Mercutio    Consort! What, dost thou make us minstrels? An thou make
    minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords. Here's
    my fiddlestick; here's that shall make you dance. Zounds,
    consort!

Benvolio    We talk here in the public haunt of men;
    Either withdraw unto some private place,
    Or reason coldly of your grievances,
    Or else depart. Here all eyes gaze on us.

Mercutio    Men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze.
    I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I.

                               Enter ROMEO.

Tybalt    Well, peace be with you, sir; here comes my man.

Mercutio    But I'll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery.
    Marry, go before to field, he'll be your follower.
    Your worship in that sense may call him 'man'.

Tybalt    Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford
    No better term than this: thou art a villain.

Romeo    Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
    Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
    To such a greeting. Villain am I none;
    Therefore farewell. I see thou know'st me not.

Tybalt    Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
    That thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw.

Romeo    I do protest I never injured thee,
    But love thee better than thou canst devise
    Till thou shalt know the reason of my love.
    And so, good Capulet, which name I tender
    As dearly as mine own, be satisfied.

Mercutio    O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!
    Alla stoccata carries it away!
                                            [Draws.
    Tybalt, you ratcatcher, will you walk?

Tybalt    What wouldst thou have with me?

Mercutio    Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives. That
    I mean to make bold withal, and, as you shall use me
    hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck
    your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? Make haste, lest
    mine be about your ears ere it be out.

Tybalt    I am for you.
                                            [Draws.
Romeo    Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.

Mercutio    Come sir, your passado.
                                            [They fight.
Romeo    Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons.
    Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage.
    Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath
    Forbid this bandying in Verona streets.
    Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!

                            ROMEO intervenes.
              Tybalt under Romeo's arm thrusts Mercutio in.
                                 [Exeunt TYBALT and his FOLLOWERS.

Mercutio    I am hurt.
    A plague a' both your houses! I am sped.
    Is he gone, and hath nothing?

Benvolio                            What, art thou hurt?

Mercutio    Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. Marry, 'tis enough.
    Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon.
                                            [Exit PAGE.
Romeo    Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much.

Mercutio    No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church
    door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow
    and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I
    warrant, for this world. A plague a' both your houses!
    Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to
    death! A braggart, a rogue, a villain, that fights by the
    book of arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I
    was hurt under your arm.

Romeo    I thought all for the best.

Mercutio    Help me into some house, Benvolio,
    Or I shall faint. A plague a' both your houses!
    They have made worms' meat of me.
    I have it, and soundly too. Your houses!
                                            [Exit BENVOLIO with MERCUTIO.

Romeo    This gentleman, the prince's near ally,
    My very friend, hath got this mortal hurt
    In my behalf; my reputation stained
    With Tybalt's slander - Tybalt, that an hour
    Hath been my cousin. O sweet Juliet,
    Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,
    And in my temper softened valour's steel.

                            Re-enter BENVOLIO.

Benvolio    O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead!
    That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds,
    Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.

Romeo    This day's black fate on more days doth depend;
    This but begins the woe others must end.

                             Re-enter TYBALT.

Benvolio    Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.

Romeo    Again! In triumph! And Mercutio slain?
    Away to heaven, respective lenity,
    And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!
    Now, Tybalt, take the 'villain' back again
    That late thou gav'st me, for Mercutio's soul
    Is but a little way above our heads,
    Staying for thine to keep him company.
    Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.

Tybalt    Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here,
    Shalt with him hence.

Romeo                            This shall determine that.
                                            [They fight. TYBALT falls.
Benvolio    Romeo, away, be gone!
    The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.
    Stand not amazed; the prince will doom thee death
    If thou art taken. Hence! Be gone, away!

Romeo    O, I am fortune's fool!

Benvolio                                Why dost thou stay?
                                            [Exit ROMEO.
                             Enter CITIZENS.

1st Citizen    Which way ran he that killed Mercutio?
    Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?

Benvolio    There lies that Tybalt.

1st Citizen                            Up, sir, go with me.
    I charge thee in the prince's name, obey.

             Enter PRINCE, MONTAGUE, CAPULET, LADY MONTAGUE,
                          LADY CAPULET, and ALL.

Prince    Where are the vile beginners of this fray?

Benvolio    O noble prince, I can discover all
    The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl.
    There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,
    That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.

Lady Capulet    Tybalt, my cousin! O, my brother's child!
    O prince! O cousin! Husband! O, the blood is spilled
    Of my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true,
    For blood of ours shed blood of Montague.
    O cousin, cousin!

Prince    Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?

Benvolio    Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay.
    Romeo, that spoke him fair, bid him bethink
    How nice the quarrel was, and urged withal
    Your high displeasure. All this, utterd
    With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bowed,
    Could not take truce with the unruly spleen
    Of Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he tilts
    With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast,
    Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point,
    And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats
    Cold death aside, and with the other sends
    It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity
    Retorts it. Romeo he cries aloud
    'Hold friends! Friends part!' and swifter than his tongue
    His agile arm beats down their fatal points,
    And 'twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm
    An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life
    Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled;
    But by and by comes back to Romeo,
    Who had but newly entertained revenge,
    And to't they go like lightning, for ere I
    Could draw to part them was stout Tybalt slain;
    And as he fell did Romeo turn and fly.
    This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.

Lady Capulet    He is a kinsman to the Montague;
    Affection makes him false, he speaks not true.
    Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,
    And all those twenty could but kill one life.
    I beg for justice, which thou, prince, must give;
    Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.

Prince    Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio:
    Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?

Montague    Not Romeo, prince; he was Mercutio's friend;
    His fault concludes but what the law should end,
    The life of Tybalt.

Prince                        And for that offence
    Immediately we do exile him hence.
    I have an interest in your hearts' proceeding;
    My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding;
    But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine
    That you shall all repent the loss of mine.
    I will be deaf to pleading and excuses;
    Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses;
    Therefore use none. Let Romeo hence in haste,
    Else, when he is found, that hour is his last.
    Bear hence this body, and attend our will.
    Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.
                                            [Exeunt.