Page:Romeo and Juliet (1917) Yale.djvu/31

Romeo and Juliet, I. iv 

Serv. Madam, the guests are come, supper

served up, you called, my young lady asked for,

the nurse cursed in the pantry, and everything

in extremity. I must hence to wait; I beseech

you, follow straight.

Lady Cap. We follow thee. Juliet, the county stays. Nurse. Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.

Exeunt.

Rom. What! shall this speech be spoke for our excuse,

Or shall we on without apology?

Ben. The date is out of such prolixity:

We'll have no Cupid hood-wink'd with a scarf,

Bearing a Tartar's painted bow of lath,

Scaring the ladies like a crow-keeper;

Nor no without-book prologue, faintly spoke

After the prompter, for our entrance:

But, let them measure us by what they will,

We'll measure them a measure, and be gone.

Rom. Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling;

Being but heavy, I will bear the light.

Mer. Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.

 103 extremity: a desperate pass

104 straight: immediately

105 stays: waits  1 this speech; cf. n.

3 Such prolixity is out of date

4 hood-wink'd: blindfolded

5 Tartar's bow: a bow doubly curved like a brace

6 crow-keeper: human scarecrow

7 without-book: memorized

10 measure measure: tread a dance

