Enter a Serving-man.
Serv. Madam, the guests are come, supper
served up, you called, my young lady asked for,
the nurse cursed in the pantry, and everything
in extremity. I must hence to wait; I beseech
you, follow straight. 104
Lady Cap. We follow thee. Juliet, the county stays.
Nurse. Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.
Exeunt.
Scene Four
[A Street]
Enter Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio, with five or six other Maskers; Torch-Bearers.
Rom. What! shall this speech be spoke for our excuse,
Or shall we on without apology?
Ben. The date is out of such prolixity:
We'll have no Cupid hood-wink'd with a scarf, 4
Bearing a Tartar's painted bow of lath,
Scaring the ladies like a crow-keeper;
Nor no without-book prologue, faintly spoke
After the prompter, for our entrance: 8
But, let them measure us by what they will,
We'll measure them a measure, and be gone.
Rom. Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling;
Being but heavy, I will bear the light. 12
Mer. Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.
103 extremity: a desperate pass
104 straight: immediately
105 stays: waits
1 this speech; cf. n.
3 Such prolixity is out of date
4 hood-wink'd: blindfolded
5 Tartar's . . . bow: a bow doubly curved like a brace
6 crow-keeper: human scarecrow
7 without-book: memorized
10 measure . . . measure: tread a dance
