Romeo and Juliet Page #8

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Oh, come, sir, for shame.

And think of her poor soul,

freed now from care

and safe in heaven's bliss.

Give up your grief and bring

sweet-smelling flowers

to lay upon her corpse

with gentle tears.

Then take her to church,

where she may sleep

among her kin for all eternity.

The plans we made

for joyful celebration

must turn instead

to mark our sorrowing woe.

Our merry hymns

to sullen dirges change.

Sir, madam,

make ready for our march,

to take this lovely child

to her grave.

(LADY CAPULET SOBBING)

We cannot know why

it is heaven's will.

But we must trust in him

who orders all.

Stop! I beseech you, sir.

In heaven's name.

Say now, are you

a holy man of God?

I am a novice,

but I serve God, yes.

Have you made study

in the art of herbs?

- I have.

- My son is sick.

I have an errand

to perform in Mantua.

- By when?

- Before tonight.

Mantua is but two leagues away.

I'll take you there myself.

(SIGHS) Then show me your child.

(DRUM BEATING STEADILY)

MAN:
Will there be

anything else, sir?

ROMEO:
No, thank you, Jack.

- Cousin.

- Benvolio!

Welcome.

And with Verona's news?

I do bring news.

It's true.

Then spit it out.

How does my lady?

Is my father well?

How does my Juliet?

See, I ask it twice.

Then I must answer once...

...to say the worst.

Her body sleeps

among the Capulets...

...in the great monument

that marks their fame.

Juliet is dead?

Only her mortal part.

Her soul lives on

in heaven's blessed care.

You know this

or you heard a story told?

I saw her laid inside

her kindred's vault.

That done, I came as quick as I

could find a horse to bring me.

Pardon me, cousin...

...that I come with

a tale so full of grief.

And it is so?

Then I must hurry. Jack!

I beg you give

yourself some time.

You must be riven

with a savage grief

and need a while to calm

your raging thoughts.

Cousin, you're deceived.

I know my mind.

Are there no letters to me

from the friar?

No, my good lord.

No matter.

Go with Jack.

Get fresh water for your horse.

I'll meet you

by the city gates.

Go.

(CRYING)

(DOOR CLOSES)

Well, Juliet...

...I will lie with you tonight.

As to the means,

I will not wonder long.

I do remember an apothecary

who lives not far from here...

...if it is life...

...where there is

neither gold...

...nor food...

...nor rest.

Hey, there!

Apothecary!

MAN:
Who calls so loud?

Come over here.

I see that you're poor.

(SCOFFS) There is

no crime in that.

Nor pleasure, neither.

Now, listen,

I seek a kind of poison

so powerful that swallowed

in one dram,

it stops a man and

drops him in his tracks

before he may but mark

the consequence.

If this be murder,

the answer's no.

The victim's one

I have right to kill.

I have such mortal drugs.

But Mantua's law brings death

to any man who issues them.

Are you so thin and full of

wretchedness, yet scared to die?

Famine is in your cheeks.

The world is not your friend.

You will not find that

cherishing the law

makes you rich,

be not poor,

and break the law for this.

My poverty,

not my will, consents.

I pay your poverty

and not your will.

(HORSE WHINNYING)

I'm looking for Lord Romeo.

JACK:
He is gone.

Gone?

And in great haste.

Back to Verona.

What purpose

had you with him?

Nothing now.

You've had a wasted journey.

Who can say?

I saved a child,

but failed in my delivery.

God's ways are hard for us

to penetrate.

Benvolio, you can

come no further.

Now take this letter

early in the morn

and see you deliver it

to my lord and father.

Farewell, Benvolio.

Let us say good night.

No.

But... but why descend

into this bed of death?

Partly, I must behold

my lady's face.

Chiefly, I'd return this

precious ring to her fair hand

which gave it me.

And now be gone.

I go, and do not seek

to question you.

By which you show your love.

Goodbye, dear friend.

(HORSE WHINNIES)

PARIS:

Banished Romeo Montague,

who murdered Juliet's cousin,

noble Tybalt...

...causing her the grief

that took her to the grave.

And now he comes

to desecrate the dead.

Leave them to heaven

and attend to me.

We needs must fight,

for you are bound to die.

The very reason

why you find me here.

I am Count Paris,

and I here defend

the grave of she

who should have been my bride.

Oh, good, gentle youth,

tempt not a desperate man.

Put not another sin upon my head

by urging me to fury.

Oh, fly hence.

Be gone, survive.

What?

Should I buy this proof

of your concern?

Or is a Montague afraid

to fight?

(GRUNTS)

(GROANS)

(GROANING CONTINUES)

May God bless you, Paris.

Friar! Friar Laurence!

- Friar Laurence!

- FRIAR LAURENCE: Who's there?

Benvolio? What brings you here

to me at dead of night?

My care for one you love.

The good lord Romeo,

he waits by Juliet's tomb,

all full of woe.

Why talk of woe?

Say rather joy.

How joy, when all his love

and life are in the grave?

Did he not

receive my letter?

- What letter's that?

- (GASPS)

Is that you, Tybalt,

in that mortal sleep?

Forgive me, cousin,

for the harm I did.

There is no reparation

more than this,

that I shall kill the man

who once killed you.

Leaving this sweet corpse

is trial enough.

Oh, my love.

My wife.

It is time to join you

in all eternity.

Juliet, why are you

still so fair?

Death that has sucked

the honey of your breath

has had no power as yet

to spoil your beauty.

Shall I believe

he has a plan in this?

That insubstantial Death

is amorous,

keeping you perfect

for his paramour?

(CRYING)

For fear of that,

I will still stay with thee.

And never from this palace

of dim night depart again.

Eyes... look your last.

Arms... take your last embrace.

And lips...

the doors of breath,

be forever sealed

with a righteous kiss.

Come, bitter conduct.

Come, unsavory guide.

(SIGHS)

Here's to my love.

Oh, true apothecary,

thy drugs are quick.

(WHISPERS) Juliet.

JULIET:
Romeo.

(PANTING)

Oh, no.

(PANTING)

Thus, with a kiss, I die.

(CRYING):
No. No.

No.

No.

(CRYING CONTINUES)

(PANTING)

Oh, no.

Oh, no.

So pale?

My best beloved husband

lies here dead.

Not Romeo.

My child.

Not him of all.

Oh, what unkind hour

has brought to pass

this miserable deed.

Alas, my lady,

we are overturned.

(CRYING) No.

A greater power

than we can contradict

has thwarted all our plans.

Come away from death,

contagion and unnatural sleep.

Leaving my husband

to face this alone?

(THUMP IN DISTANCE)

The watchman.

My lady, come away.

(SOBBING)

Unkind!

To drink it all and leave

no drop so I could follow after.

- Nay, good my lady.

- (GLASS SHATTERS)

Listen now and come.

I will hide you

in a sisterhood of nuns.

Stop, stop,

not to question why.

- We must away.

- You go.

I must bid farewell to Romeo.

(THUMP IN DISTANCE)

Stay then,

until you are at peace.

But linger not.

I'll hold back the watchman.

I'd kiss my love

for one last time.

Then follow you at once.

Do not be late.

WATCHMAN:
Who's there?

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