Page:Romeo and Juliet (1917) Yale.djvu/71

Romeo and Juliet, III. i 

Mer. I am hurt.

A plague o' both your houses! I am sped.

Is he gone, and hath nothing?

Ben. What art thou hurt?

Mer. Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough.

Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon.

[Exit Page.]

Rom. Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much.

Mer. No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide

as a church door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve:

ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a

grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this

world. A plague o' both your houses! 'Zounds,

a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to

death! a braggart, a rogue, a villain, that fights

by the book of arithmetic! Why the devil came

you between us? I was hurt under your arm.

Rom. I thought all for the best.

Mer. Help me into some house, Benvolio,

Or I shall faint. A plague o' both your houses!

They have made worms' meat of me: I have it,

And soundly too:—your houses!

Exit [Mercutio with Benvolio].

Rom. This gentleman, the prince's near ally,

My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt

In my behalf; my reputation stain'd

With Tybalt's slander, Tybalt, that an hour

Hath been my cousin. O sweet Juliet!

Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,

And in my temper soften'd valour's steel!

 96 sped: done for

115 ally: kinsman

116 very: true

