Page:Romeo and Juliet (Dowden).djvu/239

Rh At sunrise the Nurse would wake her: "Lady you slepe to long, (the Earle) will rayse you by and by." She finds that Juliet is dead; the mother laments; the father, Paris, and a rout of gentlemen and ladies enter; old Capilet has no power to weep or speak:

If ever there hath been a lamentable day, A day, ruthfull, unfortunate and fatall, then I say

this is that day. (2403–2472.)

Meanwhile Friar Lawrence sends a friar of his house to Romeus with a letter, bidding him come "the next night after that," to take Juliet from the tomb. Friar John hies to Mantua; seeks, according to custom, a companion brother, but, plague being in the house, is detained, and not knowing the contents of the letter, he defers till the morrow. All in Capilet's house is changed from marriage to funeral; according to the Italian manner Juliet is borne to the tomb with open face and in wonted weed. Romeus' man, sent to Verona as a spy, sees the funeral, and bears tidings to his master. Thinking that his death would be more glorious if he died near Juliet, Romeus resolves to go to Verona. He wanders through Mantua streets, sees an apothecary sitting outside his poor shop, furnished with few boxes, and bribes him with gold to sell poison, "speeding gere," contrary to the law. (2473–2588.)

Romeus sends his man, Peter, to Verona, bidding him provide instruments to open the tomb. He calls for ink and paper, and writes an account of the events and his design, to be given to his father. At Verona Peter meets him with lantern and instruments. He orders Peter to leave him, and early in the morning to deliver the letter to his father. Romeus descends into the vault, finds Juliet dead, embraces her, and devours the poison. He addresses Juliet; what more glorious tomb could he have craved? He addresses the dead Tybalt; prays to Christ for his grace; throws himself on Juliet's body, and dies. (2589–2688.)

Friar Lawrence comes to open the tomb, and is startled by the light in it. Peter explains to him that