Part 3 (2/2)

_Dora._ I beg your pardon. (_Both trembling._) _Col._ /

_Dora._ It's nothing.

_Col._ Nothing, quite so.

(_Dora sits on music stool. As she does so, both leave hold of the book and it falls again._)

_Dora._ I thought you had the book.

_Col._ (_Picking it up._) And I thought you had it, and it appears that neither of us had it. Ha! ha! (_Aside._) Fool that I am! (_Dora sits thoughtfully, Colonel bending over her; a pause._) Won't you play something?

_Dora._ I don't know how to play.

_Col._ Oh, well, play the other one. (_They resume their att.i.tudes; a pause._) The weather has been very warm today, has it not?

_Dora._ Very.

_Col._ Looks like thunder to me.

_Dora._ Does it?

_Col._ Are you fond of thunder--I mean fond of music? I should say are you fond of lightning? (_Dora touches keys of piano mechanically._) Do play something.

_Dora._ No, I--I didn't think of what I was doing. What were you talking about?

_Col._ About? You--me--no! About thunder--music--I mean lightning.

_Dora._ I'm afraid of lightning. (Act II.)[9]

The first scene of Act I of _Romeo and Juliet_ is full of interesting physical action--quarrels, fighting, and the halting of the fight by the angry Prince. The physical action, however, characterizes in every instance, from the servants of the two factions to Tybalt, Benvolio, the Capulets, the Montagues, and the Prince. Moreover, this interesting physical action, which is all the more interesting because it characterizes, is interesting in the third place because in every instance it helps to an understanding of the story. It shows so intense an enmity between the two houses that even the servants cannot meet in the streets without quarreling. By its characterization it prepares for the parts Benvolio and Tybalt are to play in later scenes. It motivates the edict of banishment which is essential if the tragedy of the play is to occur.

SCENE 1. _Verona. A public place_

_Enter Sampson and Gregory, of the house of Capulet, with swords and bucklers_

_Sampson._ Gregory, on my word, we'll not carry coals.

_Gregory._ No, for then we should be colliers.

_Sam._ I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw.

_Gre._ Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.

_Sam._ I strike quickly, being mov'd.

_Gre._ But thou art not quickly mov'd to strike.

_Sam._ A dog of the house of Montague moves me.

Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of Montague.

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