Romeo And Juliet : Part 5

Part Five : My Lady's Dead!

Early next morning, Lady Capulet visited Juliet in her bedroom. 'Daughter,

are you awake?'

'It is very early. I am not well,' answered Juliet.

'Are you still crying for your cousin Tybalt? It is good to cry. But now it is

time to stop.'

'Let me cry more for my poor cousin.'

'Well, really you should cry because Romeo, his killer, is still alive.'

'Yes, mother. I wish I could see Romeo now and ... kill him.'

'I will send a servant to Mantua to poison him,' promised Lady Capulet. 'He

will not live long. But Juliet, I have good news for you. You will get married

to Paris early next Thursday morning. Then you will be happy.'

'No, mother. It is impossible. I don't want to get married so soon. Tell my

father this. As you know, I hate Romeo. He has killed my cousin. But I'd

rather marry Romeo than Paris.'

'Here comes your father. Tell him yourself.'

'What?' said Lord Capulet. 'Are you still crying? Wife, have you told her the

news?'

'Yes. The little fool thanks you but she won't marry Paris.'

Lord Capulet was very angry. 'Lord Paris is a very fine gentleman. This is a

great opportunity.'

'Thank you, father, but I will not marry him.'

'Are you too proud to marry him? Put on a wedding dress next Thursday

and go with Paris to the church. If you don't, I'll pull you there by the hair.'

'Good father, listen to me.'

'Don't argue with me. Go to the church next Thursday. I'm glad we have

no more children like this.'

'Please don't be angry with my little Juliet, sir,' said the Nurse.

'Shut up, you fat old fool!'

'Be calm,' Lady Capulet told him.

'I have decided. If you don't obey me, I will throw you out in the street.'

When her parents had gone, Juliet asked the Nurse for advice.

'I already have a husband that I love.What should I do?'

'Well, Romeo is not here. Paris is a fine gentleman, it's true. He is more

handsome than Romeo. Forget Romeo and marry Paris.'

'Do you speak from your heart?'

'Of course,' said the Nurse.

Juliet realised that she could not trust the Nurse.

She went to Friar Laurence to ask his advice.

The Friar was very worried. Paris was talking to him and had told him that

he would marry Juliet.

'Does she love you?' asked the Friar.

'I don't know. We haven't talked about love because she is weeping for

her cousin's death. But our marriage will make her happy again.'

'But look, here comes Juliet.'

'Welcome, my lady and my wife,' said Paris. 'Have you come to tell the

Friar that you love me?'

'I cannot answer that,' said Juliet. 'But please, let me talk to the Friar

privately.'

When they were alone, the Friar told Juliet to be happy. 'If you are brave

enough, I have a plan that will help you and Romeo. You will be together

again.'

'What must I do? I will do anything for Romeo, my husband.'

'Go home and agree to marry Paris.'

'No! I cannot.'

'Listen carefully. OnWednesday night, go to your bedroom alone. Take this

bottle and drink the liquid. It is a special potion. You will sleep for fortytwo

hours. Your family will think that you are dead. They will carry you to

the tomb of the Capulets. Meanwhile, I will send a message to Romeo. He

will come secretly to the tomb. When you wake up, you can escape together.

Are you brave enough to do this, Juliet?'

'Give me the bottle, Friar. Love will give me strength.'

Juliet went home. Lord and Lady Capulet were very happy when she told

them that she had met Paris at Friar Laurence's cell and that she would marry

him.

'Now I am going to my room to pray. Do not come with me, Nurse, I want

to be alone.'

In her room, Juliet looked at the bottle of mysterious liquid which Friar

Laurence had given her.

'I am afraid. Perhaps it is poison. Or perhaps I will wake in the tomb and

Romeo will not be there. I will be alone in the middle of all the dead bodies

with my dead cousin, Tybalt. It will be terrible.'

Bravely, Juliet picked up the bottle and raised it to her lips.

'Romeo, Romeo, I drink to you!'

She drank. She fell on the bed and slept.

The next morning, it was Thursday. The Nurse came to wake her up for her

marriage. 'You lazy girl,' she said. 'You mustn't lie in bed on your wedding

day... Help! Help! My lady's dead!'

Lord and Lady Capulet ran to their daughter's room.

'She's dead, she's dead, she's dead,' cried Lady Capulet.

'Her body is cold. I cannot speak,' said Lord Capulet.

At that moment, Paris and Friar Laurence entered the house.

'Is Juliet ready to go to the church?' asked the Friar.

'Oh Paris,' said Lord Capulet, 'death has taken your wife.'

The Nurse began to cry.

'O terrible day! O sad day! O horrible day! There has never been such a

black day. O sad day! O unhappy day!'

'Do not be sad,' said the Friar. 'Juliet is in Heaven. She is happier there than

when she was alive.'

'The wedding must become a funeral,' I said Lord Capulet.

'Tell the musicians to play sad tunes. Put the wedding flowers on my

daughter's body.'

Lord and Lady Capulet took Juliet to the tomb of the Capulets.

The Nurse, Lord Paris and Friar Laurence followed her body.

The Friar was the only one who knew the secret— Juliet was alive. He was

thinking: 'I have sent Friar John to Mantua to tell Romeo to come back to

Verona. He will be here when Juliet wakes up.'