The NURSE enters with the rope ladder
in her pouch.
Oh,
here comes my Nurse,
And she brings news, and every tongue that speaks
But Romeo's name speaks heavenly eloquence.—
Now, Nurse, what news? What hast thou there? The cords
35
That Romeo bid thee fetch?
Oh, here comes my Nurse, and she brings news. Every voice that
mentions Romeo's name sounds beautiful. Now, Nurse,
what's the news? Is that the rope ladder Romeo told you to
pick up?
NURSE
Ay, ay, the cords.
NURSE
Yes, yes, this is the rope ladder.
JULIET
Ay me, what news? Why dost thou wring thy hands?
JULIET
Oh my, what's the news? Why do you look so upset?
NURSE
Ah, welladay! He's dead, he's dead,
he's dead!
We are undone, lady, we are undone!
40
Alack the day! He's gone, he's killed,
he's dead!
NURSE
Oh, it's a sad day! He's dead. He's
dead. He's dead! We're ruined, lady,
we're ruined! What an awful day! He's gone.
He's been killed. He's dead!
JULIET
Can heaven be so envious?
JULIET
Can God be so jealous and hateful?
NURSE
Romeo
can,
Though heaven cannot. O Romeo, Romeo!
Who ever would have thought it? Romeo!
NURSE
Romeo is hateful, even though God isn't. Oh, Romeo,
Romeo, who ever would have thought it would be Romeo?
JULIET
What devil art thou that dost torment me thus?
45
This torture should be roared in dismal hell.
Hath Romeo slain himself? Say thou but
“ay,”
And that bare vowel I shall poison
more
Than the death-darting eye of cockatrice.
I am not I if there be such an I,
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Or those eyes shut that makes thee answer
“ay.”
If he be slain, say “ay,” or if not,
“no.”
Brief sounds determine of my weal or woe.
JULIET
What kind of devil are you to torture me like this? This is as bad
as the tortures of hell. Has Romeo killed himself? Just say
“Yes” and I will turn more poisonous than
the snake with the evil eye. I will no longer be myself if you tell
me Romeo killed himself. If he's been killed, say
“Yes.” If not, say
“No.” These short words will determine my
joy or my pain.
NURSE
I saw the wound, I saw it with mine eyes—
God save the mark!—here on his manly breast.
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A piteous corse, a bloody piteous corse.
Pale, pale as ashes, all bedaubed in blood,
All in gore blood. I swoonèd at the sight.
NURSE
I saw the wound. I saw it with my own eyes. God bless that wound,
here on his manly chest. A pitiful corpse, a bloody, pitiful corpse.
Pale as ashes and drenched in blood. All the dried blood was so
gory. I fainted when I saw it.
