Juliet Lines 2.5

(Start)

The clock struck nine when I did send the Nurse.

In half an hour she promised to return.

Perchance she cannot meet him. That's not so.

O, she is lame!

Now is the sun upon the highmost hill

Of this day's journey, and from nine till twelve

Is three long hours, yet she is not come.

Had she affections and warm youthful blood,

She would be as swift in motion as a ball;

My words would bandy her to my sweet love,

And his to me.

But old folks, many feign as they were dead,

Unwieldy, slow, heavy, and pale as lead.

O God, she comes!—O, honey nurse, what news?

Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away.

NURSE

Peter, stay at the gate.

Now, good sweet nurse—O Lord, why lookest thou

sad?

Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily.

If good, thou shamest the music of sweet news

By playing it to me with so sour a face.

NURSE

I am aweary. Give me leave awhile.

Fie, how my bones ache! What a jaunt have I!

I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news.

Nay, come, I pray thee, speak. Good, good nurse,

speak.

NURSE

Jesu, what haste! Can you not stay awhile?

Do you not see that I am out of breath?

How art thou out of breath, when thou hast breath

To say to me that thou art out of breath?

The excuse that thou dost make in this delay

Is longer than the tale thou dost excuse.

Is thy news good or bad? Answer to that.

Say either, and I'll stay the circumstance.

Let me be satisfied; is 't good or bad?

NURSE

Though his face be better than any man's, yet his leg

excels all men's, and for a hand and a foot and a

body, though they be not to be talked on, yet they

are past compare. He is not the flower of courtesy,

but I'll warrant him as gentle as a lamb. Go thy

ways, wench. Serve God. What, have you dined at

home?

No, no. But all this did I know before.

What says he of our marriage? What of that?

NURSE

Lord, how my head aches! What a head have I!

It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces.

My back o' t' other side! Ah, my back, my back!

Beshrew your heart for sending me about

To catch my death with jaunting up and down.

I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well.

Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my

love?

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?

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?"

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.

Here's such a coil. Come, what says Romeo?

NURSE

Have you got leave to go to shrift today?

I have.

NURSE

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.

Hie to high fortune! Honest nurse, farewell.