Romeo and Juliet Scene

Juliet

(Juliet sits/lays on the couch waiting)
The clock strook nine when I did send the nurse;

In half an hour she promised to return.

Perchance she cannot meet him—that’s not so.

From nine till twelve

Is three long hours, yet she is not come.

Had she affections and warm youthful blood,

She would be as swift in motion as a ball;

Enter Nurse.

O God, she comes! (Juliet jumps up to greet the nurse) O nurse, what news?

Hast thou met with him? O Lord, why lookest thou sad?

Nurse

(Nurse sits on the chair across from Juliet on the couch) 
I am a-weary, give me leave a while.

Fie, how my bones ache! What a jaunce have I!

Juliet

I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news.

(Juliet takes the Nurses' hand) Nay, come, I pray thee speak, good, good nurse, speak.

Nurse

Jesus, what haste!(the nurse pulls her hands away) Can you not stay a while?

Do you not see that I am out of breath?

Juliet

How art thou out of breath, when thou hast breath

To say to me that thou art out of breath?

The excuse that thou dost make in this delay

Is longer than the tale thou dost excuse.

Is thy news good or bad? Answer to that.

Nurse

Well, you have made a simple choice, you know not how to choose a man. Romeo! No, not he. Though his face be better than any man’s, yet his leg excels all men’s, and for a hand and a foot and a body, though they be not to be talk’d on, yet they are past compare. He is not the flower of courtesy, but I’ll warrant him, as gentle as a lamb. Go thy ways, wench, serve God.

Juliet

No, no! But all this did I know before. (Juliet gets up and slowly walks around to the back of the Nurse)

What says he of our marriage? What of that?

Nurse

Lord, how my head aches! (Nurse starts rubbing her temples) What a head have I!

It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces. (Juliet starts rubbing the Nurses' shoulders)

Ah, my back, my back!

Beshrew your heart for sending me about

To catch my death with jauncing up and down!

Juliet

I’ faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. (Juliet starts and kneels in front of the Nurse)

Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love?

Nurse

Your love says, like an honest gentleman,

An’ a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome,

And, I warrant, a virtuous—Where is your mother?

Juliet

(Stands up furiously)
Where is my mother! Why, she is within,

Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest!

“Your love says, like an honest gentleman,

‘Where is your mother?’”

Nurse

O God’s lady dear!

Are you so hot? Marry, come up, I trow;

Is this the poultice for my aching bones?

Henceforward do your messages yourself.

Juliet

Here’s such a coil! Come, what says Romeo?

Nurse

(Nurse stands and puts her hands on Juliet's shoulders)
Have you got leave to go to shrift today?

Juliet

I have.

Nurse

Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence’ cell,

There stays a husband to make you a wife.

Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks,

They’ll be in scarlet straight at any news.

Go, I’ll to dinner, hie you to the cell. (Nurse waves Juliet off)

Juliet

Hie to high fortune! (Juliet hugs the Nurse) Honest nurse, farewell. (Juliet runs off)

Exeunt.