Page:Romeo and Juliet (Dowden).djvu/223

Return'd my letter back. Then, all alone, At the prefixed hour of her waking, Came I to take her from her kindred's vault, Meaning to keep her closely at my cell Till I conveniently could send to Romeo:255 But when I came, some minute[E 1] ere the time Of her awakening,[C 1] here untimely lay The noble Paris and true Romeo dead. She wakes; and I entreated her come forth And bear this work of heaven with patience:260 But then a noise did scare me from the tomb, And she, too desperate, would not go with me, But, as it seems, did violence on herself. All this I know;[E 2] and to the marriage Her nurse is privy: and, if aught in this265 Miscarried by my fault, let my old life Be sacrificed some hour before his[C 2] time Unto the rigour of severest law.

Prince.

We still[E 3] have known thee for a holy man.— Where's Romeo's man? what can he say to this?[C 3]270

Bal.[C 4]

I brought my master news of Juliet's death; And then in post[E 4] he came from Mantua To this same place, to this same monument.[C 5] This letter he early[E 5] bid me give his father,

1. 257. awakening] Q, awaking F.
2. 267. his] Q, the F.
3. 270. to this] Q, F; in this Q 1.
4. 271. Bal.] Q, Boy F.
5. 273. place, to … monument.] F, place. To … monument Q.

1. 256. minute] Hanmer minutes; compare hour in line 267.
2. 264. All this] Daniel conjectures "This, all I know";
3. 269. still] constantly, always.
4. 272. in post] in haste, or post-haste, as often in Shakespeare.
5. 274. he early] Marshall conjectures "bid me give his father early," or "bid me early give his father."