Читать книгу The Two Gentlemen of Verona: The 30-Minute Shakespeare - William Shakespeare - Страница 9

Verona. Julia’s garden.

STAGEHANDS set table and two chairs center stage, placing flowers, tea pot, and cups atop table.

Enter NARRATOR from stage rear, coming downstage center.

NARRATOR

Our play begins in Julia’s garden, where Julia

receives a love letter from Proteus. Lucetta, Julia’s

woman-in-waiting deals with Julia’s mixed feelings.

SOUND OPERATOR plays Sound Cue #1 (“Merry domestic music”).

Exit NARRATOR stage left.

Enter JULIA and LUCETTA from stage right. JULIA sits in chair stage left; LUCETTA sits in chair stage right.

JULIA

But say, Lucetta, now we are alone,

Wouldst thou then counsel me to fall in love?

LUCETTA

Ay, madam; so you stumble not unheedfully. (dusts)

JULIA

Of all the fair resort of gentlemen

That every day with parle encounter me,

In thy opinion which is worthiest love?

LUCETTA

Please you repeat their names, I’ll show my mind

According to my shallow simple skill.

JULIA

What think’st thou of the rich Mercatio?

LUCETTA

Well of his wealth; but of himself, so-so.

JULIA

What think’st thou of the gentle Proteus?

LUCETTA

Of many good I think him best.

JULIA

Why, he, of all the rest, hath never moved me.

LUCETTA

Yet he, of all the rest, I think, best loves ye.

(mysteriously)

Peruse this paper, madam.

LUCETTA gives JULIA a letter. JULIA

Say, say, who gave it thee?

JULIA opens the letter and glances at it.

LUCETTA

Sir Valentine’s page; and sent, I think, from Proteus.

He 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 center stage.