Romeo And Juliet : Part 6
Romeo And Juliet : Part 6
Part Six : With a Kiss, I Die
Romeo was in the city of Mantua.
'I have been dreaming about Juliet. I was dead but when she kissed me I
became a king. Even a dream of love is sweet: This dream has made me
happy.'
At that moment, his servant Balthasar, found him. He had come with the
latest news from Verona.
'Balthasar! What is the news from Verona? Have you got letters from the
Friar? How is my mother? How is my father? How is Juliet?'
His servant replied sadly. 'Juliet is dead. She lies in the tomb of the
Capulets. '
'What! Get me some horses. I will ride to Verona tonight.'
When Balthasar had gone, Romeo made his plans. 'I will go to the tomb. I
will kiss her for the last time. Then I will drink poison. If Juliet is dead, I will
die too.' He began to think carefully. 'There is an apothecary who has a
shop near here. He is very poor. If I pay him well, he will sell me some
poison.'
So Romeo went to the apothecary and gave him some gold.
'Here is the poison. It is enough to kill twenty men.'
In the middle of the night, Paris was at the tomb of the Capulets. He had
come to put flowers on Juliet's grave.
'Sweet Juliet,' said Paris, 'I will visit your grave every night and cry for you.
But someone is coming. I will hide and watch ... '
Romeo arrived at the tomb with his servant.
'Give this letter to my father tomorrow morning, Balthasar. Now go away.
Don't try to stop me. I am stronger than tigers or the roaring sea.'
Romeo used a strong metal bar to open the tomb. Paris was watching. 'This
is Romeo, who murdered Juliet's cousin. He has come here to damage the
tomb. I will arrest him!' Paris called to Romeo. 'You are a Montague, the one
who killed Tybalt. You must die!'
'I do not know you,' said Romeo. 'Go away if you want to live. Do not fight
with me. I am desperate.'
'I arrest you, murderer!' said Paris. They began to fight.
Romeo fought like a madman. He was stronger than Paris and killed him.
'Put my body with Juliet,' cried Paris as he died. Romeo knelt down' to
look at his face.
'It is Paris! Balthasar told me that he wanted to marry Juliet. We are both
unlucky. But where is Juliet? I must look at her beauty for the last time.'
Romeo went inside the tomb. He saw Juliet lying there and thought that she
was dead.
'Oh my love, my wife! Death has kissed you. But you are still beautiful.
Death is jealous. He keeps you here as his lover. I will also stay here. But
let me hold you in my arms. I love you.' Romeo held Juliet. He took a cup of
poison out of his pocket and raised it to his lips.
Outside, someone was calling him: 'Romeo! Romeo!' He kissed Juliet.
'With a kiss, I die.'
Meanwhile, Friar John had come to Friar Laurence's cell. 'Have you given
my letter to Romeo, Friar John?'
'No, Friar Laurence. I did not reach Mantua. There was plague in one
of the villages on the road and the soldiers did not let me pass.'
'What! This is bad news. If Juliet wakes when Romeo is not there, she will
be afraid. I must go to her.'
Friar Laurence hurried to the tomb. He met Balthasar.
'I can see a light in the tomb. Who is looking among the skulls and the
worms'?'
'It is my master, Romeo.'
'How long has he been there? '
'Half an hour. I was sleeping but I dreamt there was a fight between my
master and another man.'
'I must go to him. Romeo! Romeo!'
But when the Friar went inside the tomb, Romeo had already drunk the
poison. He was dead.
Inside the tomb, it was cold and dark. Juliet woke up and saw the Friar.
'Where is Romeo?' she asked.
'He is dead,' replied the Friar. 'Paris is also dead. But we must go. The
Watchman is coming. Come with me. I will take you to the nuns who
will let you live with them.'
'No, I will stay with Romeo,' said Juliet.
The Friar left her. Juliet held Romeo in her arms.
'I will drink poison too — but the cup is empty. Let me kiss his lips. They
are still warm. But I can hear people coming.' Outside the tomb, the
Watchman was approaching. 'Quick, here is Romeo's dagger. Let me die!'
Juliet stabbed herself and fell.
Everyone arrived at the tomb of the Capulets. It was too late.
Romeo and Juliet had both died. Their great love story was finished.
'Here is the body of Paris,' said the Watchman. 'And here are the bodies of a
boy and girl.'
'Juliet" cried Lord Capulet. 'There is blood and a dagger. Our only daughter
is dead. This is a terrible day for the Capulets.'
Lord Montague spoke: 'Last night, my wife died from a broken heart
because Romeo was banished from Verona. Now he is dead, poisoned. This
is a terrible day for the Montagues.'
'I can explain everything,' said the Friar. 'It is all a mistake, a terrible
mistake. They loved each other. The Nurse and I helped them to get married
secretly. Now they are dead.'
Finally the Prince spoke.
'My friends Mercutio and Paris are dead. Tybalt is dead. Romeo and Juliet
are dead. This is a terrible day for Verona. Lord Montague and Lord Capulet,
shake hands. Your families must be friends. Love will change the world!'