Page:Romeo and Juliet (1917) Yale.djvu/73

Romeo and Juliet, III. i

Ben. There lies that Tybalt.

First Cit. Up, sir, go with me.

I charge thee in the prince's name, obey.

Prin. Where are the vile beginners of this fray?

Ben. O noble prince! I can discover all

The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl:

There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,

That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.

Lady Cap. Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother's child!

O prince! O cousin! husband! O! the blood is spill'd

Of my dear kinsman. Prince, as thou art true,

For blood of ours shed blood of Montague.

O cousin, cousin!

Prin. Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?

Ben. Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay:

Romeo, that spoke him fair, bade him bethink

How nice the quarrel was, and urg'd withal

Your high displeasure: all this, uttered

With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow'd,

Could not take truce with the unruly spleen

Of Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he tilts

With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast,

Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point,

And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats

Cold death aside, and with the other sends

It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity

Retorts it: Romeo he cries aloud,

 149 manage: conduct

159 spoke him fair: addressed him courteously

160 nice: trivial

163 take truce: make peace

spleen: fiery temper

164 tilts: thrusts

170 Retorts: throws back

