Page:Romeo and Juliet (1917) Yale.djvu/37

Romeo and Juliet, I. v

You are welcome, gentlemen! Come, musicians, play.

A hall! a hall! give room, and foot it, girls.

More light, ye knaves! and turn the tables up,

And quench the fire, the room has grown too hot.

Ah! sirrah, this unlook'd-for sport comes well.

Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet,

For you and I are past our dancing days;

How long is 't now since last yourself and I

Were in a mask?

Sec. Cap. By 'r Lady, thirty years.

Cap. What, man! 'tis not so much, 'tis not so much:

'Tis since the nuptial of Lucentio,

Come Pentecost as quickly as it will,

Some five and twenty years; and then we mask'd.

Sec. Cap. 'Tis more, ’tis more; his son is elder, sir.

His son is thirty.

Cap. Will you tell me that?

His son was but a ward two years ago.

Rom. What lady is that which doth enrich the hand

Of yonder knight?

Serv. I know not, sir.

Rom. O! she doth teach the torches to burn bright.

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night

Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear;

Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!

So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,

As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.

The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,

And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.

 31 tables up; cf. n.

