Jul. The clock struck nine when I did send the nurse;
In half an hour she promised to return.[676]
Perchance she cannot meet him: that's not so.
O, she is lame! love's heralds should be thoughts,[677]
Which ten times faster glide than the sun's beams[678] 5
Driving back shadows over louring hills:[679]
Therefore do nimble-pinion'd doves draw love,[680]
And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings.[681]
Now is the sun upon the highmost hill
Of this day's journey, and from nine till twelve 10
Is three long hours; yet she is not come.[682]
Had she affections and warm youthful blood,
She would be as swift in motion as a ball;[683]
My words would bandy her to my sweet love,
And his to me:[684][685] 15
But old folks, many feign as they were dead;[685][686]
Unwieldy, slow, heavy and pale as lead.[687]
Enter Nurse, with Peter.[688]
O God, she comes! O honey nurse, what news?[689]
Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away.
Nurse. Peter, stay at the gate.[690] [Exit Peter.20
Jul. Now, good sweet nurse,—O Lord, why look'st thou sad?[691]
Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily;[692][693]
If good, thou shamest the music of sweet news[692][694]
By playing it to me with so sour a face.[692]
Nurse. I am a-weary; give me leave awhile.[695] 25
Fie, how my bones ache! what a jaunce have I had![696]
Jul. I would thou hadst my bones and I thy news:
Nay, come, I pray thee, speak; good, good nurse, speak.[697]
Nurse. Jesu, what haste? can you not stay awhile?[698][699]
Do you not see that I am out of breath?[699][700] 30
Jul. How art thou out of breath, when thou hast breath[699]
To say to me that thou art out of breath?[699]
The excuse that thou dost make in this delay[699]
Is longer than the tale thou dost excuse.[699]
Is thy news good, or bad? answer to that;[701] 35
Say either, and I'll stay the circumstance:
Let me be satisfied, is't good or bad?