فصل 03

CHAPTER THREE

The Secret Wedding

Romeo was thinking strange thoughts. He couldn’t go home. He needed to see Juliet again, but he could not go to her house. Yet there was nowhere else to go.

He walked in the night back to the house of his father’s enemy. He climbed the garden wall and waited. He crouched in the bushes.

In an upper room, lit by a single candle, was the shadow of a woman.

“What light is in the window,” whispered Romeo.

The door slowly opened, and Juliet stepped onto the balcony.

“It is my angel,” gasped Romeo, “Oh, it is my love! Oh, if only she knew how much I loved her.”

Juliet carried a candle and set it on the balcony. She looked into the darkness, and her lips moved.

“She speaks,” whispered Romeo.

Then she spoke. “Ah, me!”

“Oh, speak again, my angel,” said Romeo softly.

He could see her breathing. He wanted to run to her, climb up the balcony, and hold her. But he feared that once she knew his name, she would hate him.

Juliet spoke again. “Oh, Romeo, Romeo, why are you, my sweet Romeo? Forget that you are a Montague. If not, just say you love me, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”

Romeo fell backward. Had he died? Was this heaven? He stood and looked. Juliet was still there.

“It is only your name that is my enemy,” Juliet said. “What’s a Montague? It’s only a name. And a rose would smell just as sweet if it was given another name. Romeo, forget your name, and be only mine.”

Romeo couldn’t endure it anymore.

“I will be only yours!” he cried, coming forward. “Just be my love, and I will never be Romeo.”

“Who’s there?” said Juliet, stepping back.

“I don’t know how to tell you who I am,” said Romeo. “I hate my name because it is the name of your enemy.”

“I haven’t heard you speak much, but I know the sound. You are Romeo, and a Montague. How did you get here?” she demanded, “and why? The walls are high and hard to climb. And it’s dangerous if anyone funds you here.”

“It was because of love that I jumped over the walls. And a person can do anything for love.”

Love! Romeo had said love. She wanted him to say it again, but she was afraid.

“I’m afraid someone will find you here.”

“Let them find me,” said Romeo “I would rather die here with you than live miserably without your love.”

She closed her eyes and imagined him. “Do you love me?” she whispered.

“I love you more than words can say!” answered Romeo.

“Madam!” came a voice from within the house. It was the nurse.

Juliet’s eyes opened wide. “A noise. Go, dear love!”

Romeo began to tiptoe away, but Juliet didn’t want him to leave. “No, stay!”

Juliet leaned over the balcony. “What can I do to make you happy?”

“You can give me your heart, and I will give you mine.”

“I gave it to you before you asked,” Juliet smiled. “My love is boundless and as deep as the sea. The more I give to you the more I have.”

“My lady!” shouted the nurse.

“In a minute!” yelled Juliet. Then, to Romeo, she said, “If your love is real and you want to marry me, please tell me.”

“I do want to marry you,” said Romeo.

“When?”

“Tomorrow,” promised Romeo boldly. “I’ll come myself.”

“No,” said Juliet, “it’s too dangerous. I’ll send my nurse. When will you be ready?”

“By … by nine o’clock tomorrow.”

“It will seem like twenty years till then,” she said, “but I will endure it. Go now.”

Romeo stepped away.

She blew a kiss. “Good night, good night. Parting is always sweet sorrow, but I will see you tomorrow.”

He could almost feel her kiss touch his lips. “I will not sleep until then,” he said, and then disappeared into the night.

Friar Lawrence was working in the garden. “Ahh!” he breathed in the smell of fresh flowers. “The earth is a wonderful thing,” he thought. “It gives life to new flowers and trees.”

He pulled a pair of scissors from his pocket and began to prune the flowers, humming as he worked.

“Good morning, Father,” came an urgent voice.

Friar Lawrence turned and saw Romeo. “My boy,” he said, “what are you doing up so early in the morning? I’ve never known a young man to wake up so early.” He smiled warmly. “Or maybe you did not go to bed last night?”

“I didn’t go to bed, but I got the sweetest rest anyway.”

“Were you with Rosaline and resting without sleeping?” Friar Lawrence asked.

“Rosaline? I have forgotten all about her.”

“That’s good, my son, but then where were you?”

“Dancing with my enemy!” Romeo exclaimed. “That’s where I forgot about Rosaline and learned what true love is.”

Friar Lawrence rubbed his eyes.

“You’re confusing me, Romeo.” he said. “Speak directly.”

“I love Capulet’s daughter,” said Romeo. “And she loves me. We’ve just met, but our love is everlasting. We have sworn to marry. You must marry us today.”

“Marry you!” Friar Lawrence shook his head. “You cried for Rosaline only yesterday. Now you say you will marry another?”

“Didn’t you scold me for loving Rosaline?”

“I scolded you for idolizing her.”

“Didn’t you tell me not to love her?”

“Yes, but not to fall in love again so quickly. You are too passionate.”

“Don’t we all live by passion?”

“We live by reason,” insisted Friar Lawrence. “We die by our passions.”

“Well then praise me for being reasonable. I now know you were right about Rosaline. I wasn’t in love with her. But Juliet is perfect, and it’s reasonable to love perfection, right? You must marry us.”

Friar Lawrence looked out at the sunrise. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. How could he marry someone so young and naive? And without the parents’ consent?

“Father?” asked Romeo impatiently.

The friar didn’t answer. He continued thinking. Maybe a marriage would force peace between the fighting families.

“You have not persuaded me, Romeo,” said Friar Lawrence at last, “but I will marry you! And I hope this marriage brings love to your two families instead of hate.”

Friar Lawrence put his scissors back into his pocket and led Romeo to the church.

“Where is Romeo?” Mercutio leaned against the church steps. “You said he wasn’t home when you got there.”

“No,” answered Benvolio, “but Tybalt has sent a letter to him.”

“A challenge to fight?” asked Mercutio.

Benvolio kicked a stone. “I’m sure Romeo will accept the challenge.”

“Then Romeo will die,” said Mercutio. “Tybalt is an excellent fighter.”

Benvolio knew Mercutio was right, but Romeo was no coward.

If Tybalt challenged him, Romeo would accept, and then Romeo would be killed. Benvolio didn’t want to imagine that.

“I’d feel better if we knew where he was.” said Benvolio.

“There is our poor lover now,” pointed Mercutio

“Romeo!” cried Benvolio

“Why did you run away from us last night?” asked Mercutio.

“I’m sorry,” said Romeo. “I had something very important to do. What were you so concerned about?”

“About our friend,” said Mercutio “He’s been so worried about love lately. We thought he might have done something terrible.”

“Have you seen the letter, Romeo?” asked Benvolio.

“Letter?”

“Yes,” said Mercutio. “From the house of Capulet, your enemy.”

Romeo’s eyes lit up. “From the house of Capulet! What did it say?”

“Why do you sound excited?” asked Benvolio.

“Is it news?” asked Romeo. “I’m so in love. It seems like thousand years since I last heard her voice. Where is the letter?”

“What do you mean ‘her voice’?” asked Benvolio, puzzled.

“He’s crazy,” said Mercutio. “And I must be, too.” He rubbed his eyes. “Is that an elephant coming toward us?”

They all looked up and saw Juliet’s nurse walking toward them.

“Oh, I see.” said Mercutio, loud enough for the nurse to hear. “It’s just a fat lady.”

“Fat lady!” The nurse turned red with anger and ran toward Mercutio. “You have no manners!”

“Stop this!” yelled Benvolio. “Both of you calm down.”

“I was looking for young Romeo here, but I’m sad to see him with such rude men,” said the nurse.

“Take him with you,” said Mercutio. “A man in love is not good company for bad-mannered men like us.”

“What can I do for you, madam?” asked Romeo.

“Can I talk to you in private, sir?” asked the nurse.

They stepped aside.

The nurse studied Romeo. “My young lady has told me everything. I have a message from her. But first, she is so young, so do you only pretend to love her?”

“Pretend?” protested Romeo “I cannot pretend. With Juliet I have discovered myself. My heart, my mind, and my soul belong to her.”

The nurse no longer doubted Romeo. She looked into his dark eyes He was so handsome.

Romeo interrupted her stare, “Are you happy with my answer?”

She blushed. “My lady loves you, and she is very precious to me. What is important to her is important to me, Oh, dear Romeo,” she said. “You’re going to make Juliet very happy.”

Romeo smiled, “I plan to,” he said. “I’ve talked with Friar Lawrence, and he has agreed to marry us. Create a plan, and bring Juliet to the church so we can be married.”

“Married,” said the nurse. “How beautiful.”

“Bring her as soon as you can.”

Juliet paced back and forth in her bedroom. She was so impatient.

“I sent her so long ago,” she thought. “Why is she so slow?”

She sat down but stood up again. The nurse had been gone for over three hours. How long does it take to walk to the town square?

The door blew open, and Juliet heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

“Oh, here she comes!” cried Juliet.

She opened her bedroom door. “Oh, what happened?” she begged. “Did you meet with him? Why do you look so sad?”

“Just a minute,” said the nurse as she reached the top of the stairs. “I’m out of breath.”

Juliet shook her. “Tell me! Is it good news or bad news?”

The nurse pinched her cheek. “You told me his face was more handsome than anyone’s, but his hands, his feet, and his whole body are better, too.”

The nurse fell onto the bed.

Juliet jumped on top of her. “I know. I know!” she snarled. “But what did he say about our marriage?”

“He said something about it.”

“Oh, you tease me!” cried Juliet “Am I going to be married today or not?”

The nurse grinned.

“You didn’t want to get married with Paris so quickly. Why are you so eager to marry this Romeo?”

Juliet stood up and straightened herself. “I’m not eager,” she said. “But what did Romeo say?”

“Do you have to go to confession today?”

“Stop teasing me! Tell me what Romeo said!”

Juliet was frustrated and fell onto the bed.

The nurse fell sorry for her. “Okay, okay. I was only teasing you. A young woman that is going to get married can forgive me.” She smiled.

“Married?” The word echoed in Juliet’s head.

“Now if you want to make any confessions, you have to go to church. There you will find a young man who is eager to marry you.” She smiled again.

Juliet gasped.

Juliet hugged the nurse. “Thank you! Thank you!” she cried. “Let’s go right now!”

Friar Lawrence was preparing Romeo for the wedding. He wasn’t sure if this wedding was the right tiling to do. Marrying two young people without their parents’ permission was not right. He wanted this marriage to bring the two families closer together, but he wasn’t sure if it would.

“Will they get angry? Will they get angry with me?” he thought.

“Amen already,” said Romeo. He was impatient from waiting on Friar Lawrence.

“Calm yourself, Romeo,” scolded Friar Lawrence. “You need to live and love moderately. If not, neither love nor life will last long.”

But he knew Romeo wouldn’t be calm. Neither would Juliet. Then Juliet came running toward the church.

“I should send both of them home,” thought Friar Lawrence. But he knew he couldn’t do that.

“Good afternoon, Father,” sang Juliet. She jumped into Romeo’s arms.

“Juliet!” cried Romeo, holding her. “Please tell me you love me as much as I love you! And how happy you will be after we are married.”

“I love you so much that words can’t describe it,” she said and kissed him.

“Okay, enough,” said Friar Lawrence, separating the two. “Let’s hurry with the wedding.”

Friar Lawrence took them to the altar. Then he quickly performed the wedding ceremony. When he was through, he left them to pray, and he went to the garden to think.

The nurse found him there. “Romeo isn’t welcome in Juliet’s house,” she said “Nor she in his. What are they going to do?”

“I haven’t thought about that,” replied Friar Lawrence. “Maybe they can tell their parents soon.”

“Father,” the nurse smiled. They are newlyweds. They want to be together.”

“You are like a mother to Juliet. You should have thought about this problem before the weeding,” snapped Friar Lawrence.

“You married them,” she replied. “You should have thought about this problem, too.”

“They need our help, so how can we solve this problem?” asked Friar Lawrence

“Their parents will kill us if they find out about this. We have to keep it a secret for a while. But we have to give these two time to be man and wife together. I’m sure they’ll be okay after a while.”

“Right,” agreed Friar Lawrence. “Take Juliet home. I’ll help Romeo find a way to go into her bedroom tonight. That should solve the problem for a while. We’ll worry about the parents later.”