The Two Gentlemen of Verona: The 30-Minute Shakespeare. William Shakespeare

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СКАЧАТЬ would have given it you; but I, being in the way,

      Did in your name receive it: pardon the fault, I pray.

       JULIA

      Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker!

      Dare you presume to harbor wanton lines?

      To whisper and conspire against my youth?

      There, take the paper: see it be return’d;

      Or else return no more into my sight.

      JULIA gives the letter back to LUCETTA.

      Will you be gone?

      Exit LUCETTA stage right, accidentally dropping the letter on her way out.

       JULIA

      And yet I would I had o’erlook’d the letter: (paces, picking up, then putting down, the letter)

      Fie, fie, how wayward is this foolish love,

      That, like a testy babe, will scratch the nurse; (sits)

      How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence,

      When inward joy enforced my heart to smile!

      My penance is to call Lucetta back

      And ask remission for my folly past. (stands; faces stage right)

      What ho! Lucetta!

      Enter LUCETTA from stage right, picking up the dropped letter.

       LUCETTA

      What would your ladyship?

       JULIA

      Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme.

       (reaches for letter)

       LUCETTA

      That I might sing it, madam, to a tune.

      LUCETTA pulls the letter away teasingly.

       JULIA

      Let’s see your song.

      LUCETTA offers the letter, but pulls it away again.

      How now, minion!

      JULIA sits and turns her back to LUCETTA.

       LUCETTA

      Keep tune there still, so you will sing it out:

      And yet methinks I do not like this tune.

       JULIA

      You do not? (stands; turns to confront LUCETTA)

       LUCETTA

      No, madam; ’tis too sharp. (stands; turns to JULIA)

       JULIA

      You, minion, are too saucy. (steps closer)

      LUCETTA (steps closer; they are nose to nose)

      Nay, now you are too flat.

       JULIA

      This babble shall not henceforth trouble me:

      JULIA tears the letter into several pieces.

      Go get you gone, and let the papers lie:

      Exit LUCETTA stage right.

      O hateful hands, to tear such loving words!

      I’ll kiss each several paper for amends. (kisses pieces of letter)

      Look, here is writ—“kind Julia:”—unkind Julia!

      And here is writ—“love-wounded Proteus:”—

      Poor wounded name! My bosom, as a bed,

      Shall lodge thee, till thy wound be throughly heal’d;

      Lo, here in one line is his name twice writ,—

      “Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Proteus,

      To the sweet Julia:”—that I’ll tear away;—

      And yet I will not, sith so prettily

      He couples it to his complaining names.

      Thus will I fold them one upon another: (places pieces of letter together)

      Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will. (puts pieces of letter down)

      Enter LUCETTA from stage right.

       LUCETTA

      What, shall these papers lie like tell-tales here?

       JULIA

      If you respect them, best to take them up.

       LUCETTA

      Nay, I was taken up for laying them down: (pauses)

      Yet here they shall not lie, for catching cold.

       (picks up the pieces)

       JULIA

      I see you have a month’s mind to them.

       LUCETTA

      Ay, madam, you may say what sights you see;

      I see things too, although you judge I wink.

       JULIA

      Come, come; will’t please you go?

      Exit JULIA stage right; LUCETTA follows her.

      STAGEHANDS remove table and chairs, then set bench СКАЧАТЬ