No Fear Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare

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Act 2, Scene 5, Page 3

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Modern Text



JULIET
I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well.
Sweet, sweet, sweet Nurse, tell me, what says my love?
JULIET
Believe me, I’m sorry you’re in pain. Sweet, sweet, sweet Nurse, tell me, what did my love Romeo say?

NURSE
Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I warrant, a virtuous— Where is your mother?
NURSE
Your love says, like an honorable gentleman, who is courteous, kind, handsome, and, I believe, virtuous— where is your mother?




JULIET
Where is my mother? Why, she is within.
Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest!
“Your love says, like an honest gentleman,
'Where is your mother?'”
JULIET
Where is my mother? Why, she’s inside. Where else would she be? Your answer is so strange! “Your love says, like an honorable gentleman, 'Where is your mother?'”


55

NURSE
     O God’s lady dear,
Are you so hot? Marry, come up, I trow.
Is this the poultice for my aching bones?
Henceforward do your messages yourself.
NURSE
Oh holy Mary, mother of God! Are you this impatient? Come on, you’re being ridiculous! Is this the cure for my aching bones? From now on, take care of your messages yourself.

JULIET
Here’s such a coil. Come, what says Romeo?
JULIET
You’re making such a fuss. Come on, what did Romeo say?

NURSE
Have you got leave to go to shrift today?
NURSE
Do you have permission to go out and take confession today?

60
JULIET
I have.
JULIET
I do.





65




70
NURSE
Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence’s cell.
There stays a husband to make you a wife.
Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks.
They’ll be in scarlet straight at any news.
Hie you to church. I must another way
To fetch a ladder, by the which your love
Must climb a bird’s nest soon when it is dark.
I am the drudge and toil in your delight,
But you shall bear the burden soon at night.
Go. I’ll to dinner. Hie you to the cell.
NURSE
Then hurry up and rush over to Friar Lawrence’s cell. There’s a husband there who’s waiting to make you his wife. Now I see the blood rushing to your cheeks. You blush bright red as soon as you hear any news. Go to the church. I must go by a different path to get a rope ladder. Your love will use it to climb up to your window while it’s dark. I do the drudge work for your pleasure. But soon you’ll be doing a wife’s work all night long. Go. I’ll go to lunch. You go to Friar Lawrence’s cell.

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