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Enter FRIAR JOHN |
FRIAR JOHN enters. |
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FRIAR JOHN
Holy Franciscan Friar! Brother, ho! |
FRIAR JOHN
Holy Franciscan Friar! Brother, hey! |
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Enter FRIAR LAWRENCE |
FRIAR LAWRENCE enters. |
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FRIAR LAWRENCE
This same should be the voice of Friar John. Welcome from Mantua. What says Romeo? Or, if his mind be writ, give me his letter. |
FRIAR LAWRENCE
That sounds like the voice of Friar John. Welcome back from Mantua. What does Romeo say? Or, if he wrote down his thoughts, give me his letter. |
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FRIAR JOHN
Going to find a barefoot brother out, One of our order, to associate me, Here in this city visiting the sick, And finding him, the searchers of the town, Suspecting that we both were in a house Where the infectious pestilence did reign, Sealed up the doors and would not let us forth. So that my speed to Mantua there was stayed. |
FRIAR JOHN
I went to find another poor friar from our order to accompany me. He was here in this city visiting the sick. When I found him, the town health officials suspected that we were both in a house that had been hit with the plague. They quarantined the house, sealed up the doors, and refused to let us out. I couldn’t go to Mantua because I was stuck there. |
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FRIAR LAWRENCE
Who bare my letter, then, to Romeo? |
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Then who took my letter to Romeo? |
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FRIAR JOHN
I could not send it—here it is again— (gives FRIAR LAWRENCE a letter) Nor get a messenger to bring it thee, So fearful were they of infection. |
FRIAR JOHN
I couldn’t send it. Here it is. (he gives FRIAR LAWRENCE a letter) I couldn’t get a messenger to bring it to you either because they were scared of spreading the infection. |
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FRIAR LAWRENCE
Unhappy fortune! By my brotherhood, The letter was not nice but full of charge, Of dear import, and the neglecting it May do much danger. Friar John, go hence. Get me an iron crow and bring it straight Unto my cell. |
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Unhappy fortune! By my brotherhood, the letter was not just a nice greeting. It was full of very important information. It’s very dangerous that it hasn’t been sent. Friar John, go and get me an iron crowbar. Bring it straight back to my cell. |
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FRIAR JOHN
Brother, I’ll go and bring it thee. |
FRIAR JOHN
Brother, I’ll go and bring it to you. |
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Exit FRIAR JOHN |
FRIAR JOHN exits. |
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FRIAR LAWRENCE
Now must I to the monument alone. Within this three hours will fair Juliet wake. She will beshrew me much that Romeo Hath had no notice of these accidents. But I will write again to Mantua, And keep her at my cell till Romeo come. Poor living corse, closed in a dead man’s tomb! |
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Now I must go to the tomb alone. Within three hours Juliet will wake up. She’ll be very angry with me that Romeo doesn’t know what happened. But I’ll write again to Mantua, and I’ll keep her in my cell until Romeo comes. That poor living corpse. She’s shut inside a dead man’s tomb! |
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Exit |
FRIAR LAWRENCE exits. |