Original Text |
Modern Text |
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Enter FRIAR JOHN
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FRIAR JOHN
enters.
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FRIAR JOHN Holy Franciscan Friar! Brother, ho!
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FRIAR JOHN Holy Franciscan Friar! Brother, hey!
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Enter FRIAR LAWRENCE
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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.
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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
5Going 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
10Where the infectious pestilence did reign,
Sealed up the doors and would not let us forth.
So that my speed to Mantua there was stayed.
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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?
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FRIAR LAWRENCE Then who took my letter to Romeo?
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FRIAR JOHN I could not send it—here it is again—
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(gives FRIAR LAWRENCE
a letter)
Nor get a messenger to bring it thee,
So fearful were they of infection.
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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,
20Of 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.
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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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