Hudson Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 Shoah Script - Dialogue Transcript Shoah Script Making this film was a long and difficult battle. I could not have waged it without the support and the faith of a number of men and women, some of whom are now gone. This film is theirs as well. I thank the members of my crew, those men and women who took part in the campaigns of research, reporting, filming. Especially Irène Steinfeldt-Lévi and Corinne Coulmas, who seconded me, even risking their personal safety in times of danger. And Ziva Postec, who worked beside me day after day for five years, on the editing of the film. My gratitude also goes to Yehuda Bauer, Professor of Contemporary Jewish History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Raül Hilberg, Professor of Political Science at the University of Vermont in Burlington (U.S.A.) The story begins in the present at Chelmno, on the N#arew River, in Poland. Fifty miles northwest of Lodz, in the heart of a region that once had a large Jewish population, Chelmno was the place in Poland where Jews were first exterminated by gas. Extermination began on December . At Chelmno Jews were murdered in two separate periods : December - spring : June - January . But the way in which death was administrated remained the same throughout : the gas vans. Of the men, women and children who went there, only two came out alive : Mordechai Podchlebnik and Simon Srebnik. Srebnik, a survivor of the last period, was a boy of thirteen when he was sent to Chelmno. His father had been killed before his eyes in the ghetto in Lodz ; his mother died in a gas van in Chelmno. The SS placed him in one of the « Jewish work details », assigned to maintaining the extermination camps and that were in turn slated for death... With the ankles in chain, like all his companions, the boy shuffled through the village of Chelmno each day. That he was kept alive longer than the others, he owed to his extreme agility, which made him the winner of jumping contests and speed races that the SS organized for the chained prisoners. And, also, to his melodious voice : several times a week, when the rabbits kept in hutches by the SS needed fodder., young Srebnik rowed up the Narew, Chelmno's river, under guard, in a flat-bottomed boat, to the alfalfa fields at the edge of the village. He sang Polish folk tunes and in return the guard taught him Prussian military songs. Everyone ln Chelmno knew him. The PoIish farm foIk and German civillan as weII, since this PoIish province was annexed to the Reich after the falI of Warsaw, germanized and renamed WartheIand. Chelmno was changed to Kulmhof, Lodz to Litzmannstadt, Kolo to Warthbrücken, etc... German coIonlsts had settIed every where in Wartheland, and there was even a German grade school in Chelmno itseIf. During the night of January two days before Soviet troops arrived, the Nazis killed all the remaining Jews in the « work details » with a bullet in the head. Simon Srebnik was among those executed. But the bullet missed his vital brain centers. When he came to, he crawled into a pigsty. A polish farmer found him there. The boy was treated and healed by a Soviet Army doctor. A few months later Simon left for Tel Aviv along with other survivors of the death camps. I found him in lsrael and persuaded him to return to Chelmno with me. He was then forty-seven years old. ''A little white house...'' ''Lingers in my memory...'' ''Of that little white house...'' ''l dream each night...'' He was / years old. He had a lovely singing voice and we heard him. When l heard him again, my heart beat faster, because what happened here... was a murder. l really re-lived what happened. lt's hard to recognize, but it was here. They burned people here. A lot of people were burnt here. Yes, this is the place. No one ever left here again. The gas vans came in here... There were two huge ovens, and afterward, the bodies were thrown into these ovens, and the flames reached to the sky. To the sky? Yes. lt was terrible. No one can describe it. No one can recreate what happened here. lmpossible ! And no one can understand it. Even l, here, now, l can't believe l'm here. No, l just can't believe it. lt was always this peaceful here. Always. When they burnt people -- Jews -- every day, it was just as peaceful. No one shouted. Everyone went about his work. lt was silent. Peaceful. Just as it is now. ''You, girl, don't you cry.'' ''Don't be so sad.'' ''For the dear summer is nearing...'' ''and l'll return with it.'' ''A mug of red wine, a slice of roast,'' ''that's what the girls give their soldiers.'' ''When the soldiers march along,'' ''the girls open their doors and windows.'' They bought the Germans made him sing on the river. He was a toy to amuse them. He had to do it. He sang, but his heart wept. Do ''their'' hearts weep thinking about that now ? Certainly, very much so. They still talk about it around the family table. it was public, so everyone knew of it. He said that was true german irony, people were being killed, and he had to sing. That's what l thought. What died in him in Chelmo? Everything died. But he's only human, and he wants to live. So he must forget. The other survivor : MORDECHAl PODCHLEBNlK He thanks God for what remain and that he can forget. And let's not talk about that. Does he think it's good to talk about it? For me it's not good. Then why is he talking about it? Because you're insisting on it. He was sent books on the Eichmann trial, where he was and he didn't even read them. He survived, but is he really alive, or...? At the time, he felt as if he were dead, because he never thought he'd survive, but... he's alive. Why does he smile all the time? What do you want him to do... cry? Sometimes you smile, sometimes you cry. And if you're alive, it's better to smile. Why was she so curious about this story? HANNA SAlDL - lSRAEL - Daughter of MOTKE SAlDL, survivor of VlLNA (LlTHUANlA) lt's a long story. As a child, l had little contact with my father. He went out to work and l didn't see much of him. Besides, he was a silent man he didn't talk to me. And when l grew up and was strong enough to face him, l questioned him. l never stopped questioning him, until l got at the scraps of truth he couldn't tell me. lt came out haltingly. l had to tear the details out of him, and finally, when Mr. Lanzmann came, l heard the whole story for the second time. The place resembles Ponari : the forest, the ditches. lt's as if the bodies has been burned here. Except there were no stones in Ponari. PONARl : forest where most of the Vilna Jews were massacred. But the Lithuanian forests are denser than the lsraeli Forest, no? Of course. The trees are similar, but taller and fuller in Lithuania. ls there still hunting here in Sobibor forest ? Yes, there are lots of animals of all kinds. Was there hunting then? Only manhunting. JAN PlWONSKl Somes victims tried to escape. But they didn't know the area. At times people heard explosions in the minefield, sometimes they'd find a deer and sometimes a poor Jew who tried to escape. That's the charm of our forests : silence and beauty. But it wasn't always so silent here. There was a time when it was full of screams and gunshots, of dogs' barking, and that period especially .is engraved on the minds of the people who lived here then. After the revolt, the Germans decided to liquidate the camp and early in the winter of they planted pines that were three or four years old, to camouflage all the traces. That screen of trees? Yes. That's where the mass graves were? When he first came here in you couldn't guess what had happened here, that these trees hidden the secret of a death camp. How did he react, the first time he unloades corpses, when the gas van doors were opened? What could he do? He cried. The rd day, he saw his wife and children. He placed his wife in the gravs and asked to be killed. The Germans said he was strong enough to work, that he wouldn't be killed yet. Was the weather very cold? lt was in the winter of in early January. At that time, the bodies weren't burned, just buried? No, they were buried and each row was covered with dirt. They weren't being burned yet. There were around four or five layers. The ditches were funnel-shaped. They dumped the bodies in theses ditches and they had to lay them out like herrings, head to foot. So it was they who dug up and burned all the Jews of Vilna? Yes. ln early Jan. we began digging up the bodies. When the last mass grave opened, l recognized my whole family. Who in his family did he recognize? Mom and my sisters. sisters with their kids. They were all in there. How could he recognize them? YlTZHAK DUGlN : survivor of VlLNA They'd been in the earth months and it was winter. They were very well preserved. l recognized their faces, their clothes too. They'd been killed relativerly recently? And it was the last grave? The Nazi plan was for them to open the graves starting with the oldest? The last graves were the newest and we started with the oldest those of the first ghetto. ln the first grave there were bodies. The deeper you dug, the flatter the bodies were. Each was almost a flat slab. When you tried to grasp a body, it crumbled, it was impossible to pick up them. We had to open the graves, but without tools. They said : ''Get used to working with your hands''. With just their hands? When we first opened the graves, we couldn't help it, we all burst out sobbing. But the Germans almost beat us to death. We had to work at a killing pace for two days, beaten all the time, and with no tools. They all burst out sobbing? The Germans even forbade us to use the words ''corpse'' or ''victim''. The dead were blocks of wood, shit, with absolutely no importance... Anyone who said ''corpse'' or ''victim'' was beaten. The Germans made us refer to the bodies as ''Figuren'', that is as puppets, as dolls, or as ''Schmattes'', which means ''rags''. Were they told at the start how many ''Figuren'' there were in all the graves? The head of the Vilna Gestapo told us : ''There are people lying there, ''and absolutely no trace must be left of them.'' lt was at the end of November . They chased us away from our work, and back to our barracks. Suddenly, from the part of the camp called the death camp, flames shot up. Very high. ln a flash, the whole countryside, the whole camp seemed ablaze. lt was already dark. We went into our barracks, and ate... And from the window, we kept on watching the fantastic backdrop of flames of every imaginable color, red, yellow, green, purple. And suddenly one of us stood up. We knew he'd been an opera singer in Warsaw. His name was Salve, and... facing that curtain of fire, he began chanting a song l didn't know : ''My God, my God, ''why hast Thou forsaken us? RlCHARD GLAZAR - BASEL (SWlTZERLAND) ''We have been thrust into the fire before, ''but we have never denied Thy Holy Law.'' He sang in Yiddish, while, behind him, blazed the pyres on which they had begun then, in November to burn the bodies in Treblinka. That was the first time it happened. We knew that night that the dead would no longer be buried, they'd be burned. TREBLlNKA When things were ready, they poured on fuel, and touched off the fire. They waited for a high wind. The pyres usually burned for or days. There was a concrete platform some distance away, and the bones that hadn't burned, the big bones of the feet, for example, we took... There was a chest with two handles, we carried the bones there, where others had to crush them. lt was very fine, that powdered bone. Then it was put into sacks and when there were enough sacks, we went to a bridge on the Narew river, and dumped the powder. The current carried it off. lt drifted downstream. PAULA BlREN - ClNClNNATl U.S.A. survivor of AUSCHWlTZ The Jewish cemetery is LODZ today AUSCHWlTZ : the town Mrs. Pietryra, you live in Auschwitz? Yes, l was born here. And you've never left Auschwitz? No, never. Were there Jews in Auschwitz before the war? They made up % of the population. They even had a synagogue here. Just one? Just one, l think. Does it still exist? No, it was wrecked. There's something else there now. Was there a Jewish cemetery in Auschwitz? it still exists. lt's closed now. lt still exists? Yes. Closed? What does that mean? The don't bury there now. Was there a synagogue in Wlodawa? Yes, and it's very beautiful. When Poland was ruled by the csars, that synagogue already existed. lt's even older than Catholic church. lt's no longer used. There's no one to go to it. These buildings haven't changed? Not at all. There were barrels of herrings here, and the Jews sold fish. There were stalls, small shops, Jewish business, as the gentleman says. That's Barenholz's house. He sold wood. Lipschitz's store was there. He sold cloth. This was Lichtenstein's. What was there, opposite? A food store. A Jewish store ? There was a notions shop here, it sold thread, needles, odds and ends, and there were also three barbers. PAN FlLlPWlCZ - Was that fine house Jewish? - lt's Jewish. And this small one? Also. And the one behind it? These were all Jewish. This one on the left, too? That one too. Who lived in it? Borenstein? He was in the cement business. He was very handsome, and cultivated. Here there was a blacksmith named Tepper. lt was a Jewish house. A shoemaker lived here. What was his name? Yankel? Yes. You get the feeling Wlodawa was a Jewish city. Yes, because it's true. The Poles lived farther out the center was wholly Jewish What happened to the Jews of Auschwitz? They were expelled and resettled, but l don't know where. What year was that? lt began in which was when l moved here. This apartment also belonged to Jews. According to our information, the Auschwitz Jews were ''resettled'', as they say, nearby, in Benzin and Sosnowiecze, in Upper Silesi. Yes, because those were Jewish towns. Does she know what happened to the Jews of Auschwitz? l think they all ended up in the camp. That is, they returned to Auschwitz? AUSCHWlTZ - BlRKENAU All kinds of people from everywhere were sent here. All the Jews came here... to die. What's they think when Wlodawa's Jews were all deported to Sobibor? WLODAWA - Sobibor : miles What could we think? That it was the end of them, but they had foreseen that. How so? Even before the war, when you talked to the Jews, they foresaw their doom, he doesn't know how. Even before the war they had a premonition. How were they taken to Sobibor? On foot? lt was frightful. He watched it himself. They were herded on foot to a station called Orkrobek. There they put the old people first into waiting cattle cars, then the younger Jews, and finally the kids. That was the worst : they threw them on top of the others. Were there a lot of Jews in Kolo? A great many. More Jews than Poles. And what happened with the Kolo Jews? Was he an eye-witness? PAN FALBORSKl Yes. lt was frightful. Frightful to see. Even the Germans hid, they couldn't see that. When the Jews were herded to the station, they were beated, some were even killed. A cart followed the convoy to pick up the corpses. Those who couldn't walk, the slain? Yes, those who'd fallen. Where did this happen? The Jews were collected in the Kolo synagogue. Then they were herded to the station, where the narrow-gauge railroad wen to Chelmno. lt happened to all the Jews in the area, not just in Kolo. Absolutely. Everywhere. Jews were also murdered in the forests near Kalisz, not far from here. ABRAHAM BOMBA, survivor of TREBLlNKA - TEL-AVlV TREBLlNKA by road He was born here in and has been here even since. He lived at this very spot? Right here. Then he had a front-row seat for what happened. Naturally. You could go up close or watch from a distance. CZESLAW BOROWl They had land on the far side of the station. To work it, he had to cross the track, so he could see everything. Does he remember the first convoy of Jews from Warsaw on July ? Yes. He recalls the first convoy very well, and when all those Jews were brought here, people wondered, ''what's to be done with them?'' Clearly, they'd be killed, but no one yet knew how. When people began to understand what was happening they were appalled, and they commented privately that since the world began, no one had ever murdered so many people that way. While all this was happening before their eyes, normal life went on? They worked their fields? Certainly they worked, but not as willingly as usual. They had to work, but when they saw all this, they bought, what if our house is surrounded and we're arrested. Were they afraid for the Jews, too? Well, he says, it's this way : if l cut my finger, it doesn't hurt him. They saw that happened to the Jews : the convoy came in and then went to the camp, and the people vanished. He had a field under yards from the camp. He also worked during the German occupation. He worked his field? Yes. He saw how they were asphyxiated, he heard them scream, he saw that. There's a small hill : he could see quite a bit. What did he say? They couln't stop and watch. lt was forbidden. The Ukrainians shot at them. But they could work a field yards from the camp? They could. So occasionally he could steal a glance, if the Ukrainians weren't looking. He worked with his eyes lowered? Yes. He worked by the barbed wire and heard awful screams. His field was there? Yes, right up close. lt wasn't forbidden to work there. So he worked, he farmed there? Yes. Where the camp is now, was partly his field. lt was off limits, but they heard everything. lt didn't bother him to work so near those screams? At first is was unbearable. Then you got used to it. You get used to anything? Yes. Now he thinks... impossible. Yet it was true. So he was the convoys arriving. There were to cars in each convoy and there were two locomotives .that took the convoys into the camp, taking cars at a time. And the cars came back empty? Yes. Does he remember...? Here's how it happened : the locomotive picked up cars and took them to the camp That took maybe an hour, and the empty cars came back here. Then the next cars were taken, and meanwhile, the people in the first were already dead. They waited, they wept, they asked for water, they died. Sometimes they were naked in the cars, up to people. This is where they gave the Jews water, he says. Where was that? Here. When the convoys arrived, they gave water to Who gave the Jews water? We did, the Poles. There was a tiny well, we took a bottle and... Wasn't it dangerous to give them water? Very dangerous. You could be killed for giving a glass of water. But we gave them water anyway. ls it very cold here in winter? lt depends. lt can get to minus minus . Which was harder on the Jews, summer or winter? Waiting here, l mean. He thinks winter, because they were very cold. They were so packed in the cars, maybe they weren't cold. ln summer they stifled : it was very hot. The Jews were very thirsty. They tried to get out. Were there corpses in the cars on arrival? Obviously. They were so packed in that even those still alive sat on corpses for lack of space. Didn't people here who went by the trains look through the cracks in the cars? Yes, they could look in sometimes as they went by. When they were allowed, they gave them water, too. How did the Jews try to get out? The doors weren't opened. How'd they get out? Through the windows. They removed the barbed wire and came out of the windows. They jumped, of course. Sometimes they just deliberately sat down on the ground, and the guards came and shot them in the head. They jumped from the cars... What a sight! Jumping from the windows. There was a mother and child. - Jewish? - Yes. She tried to run away and they shot her in the heart. Shot who... the mother? Yes, the mother. This gentleman has lived here a long time, he can't forget. He says that now he can't understand how a man can do that to another human being. lt's inconceivable, beyond understanding. Once when the Jews asked for water, a Ukrainian went by, and forbade giving any. The Jewish woman had asked for water... threw her pot at his head. The Ukrainian moved back, maybe ten yards, and opened fire on the car. Blood and brains were all over the place. Lots of people opened the doors, or escaped through the windows. Sometimes the Ukrainians fired through the car walls. lt happened chiefly at night. When the Jews talked to each other, as he showed us, the Ukrainians wanted things quiet, and they asked... yes, asked them to shut up. So the Jews shut up and the guard moved off. Then the Jews started talking again, in their language, as he says, ra-ra-ra, and so on. What's he mean, la-la-la, what's he trying to imitate? Their language. No, ask him : was the Jews' noise something special ? They spoke Jew. Does Mr. Borowi understand ''Jew'' ? No. Did he hear screams behind his locomotive ? Obviously, since the locomotive was next to the camp. They screamed, asked for water. The screams from the cars closest to the locomotive could be heard very well. Can one get used to that ? - No. - lt was extremely distressing to him. He knew that the people behind him where human, like him. The Germans gave him and the other workers vodka to drink. Without drinking, they couldn't have done it. There was a bonus that they were paid not in money, but in liquor. Those who worked on other trains didn't get this bonus. HENRlK GAWKOWSKY He drank every drop he got because without liquor he couldn't stand the stench when he got here. They even bought more liquor on their own, to get drunk on. From the station to the unloading ramp in the camp, how many miles ? Four. ABRAHAM BOMBA We traveled for two days. On the morning of the second day we saw that we had left Czechoslovakia and were heading east. lt wasn't the SS guarding us, but the Schutzpolizei, the police, in green uniforms. We were in ordinary passenger cars. All the seats were filled. You couldn't choose. There were all numbered and assigned. ln my compartment there was an elderly couple. l still remember : the good man was always hungry and his wife scolded him, saying they'd have no food left for the future. RlCHARD GLAZAR Then, on the second day, l saw a sign for Malkinia. We went on a little farther. Then, very slowly, the train turned off of the main track, and rolled at a walking pace through a wood. While he looked out, we'd been able to open a window. The old man in our compartment saw a boy... Cows were grazing... And he asked the boy in signs, ''Where are we ?'' And the kid made a funny gesture. This ! Across the throat. A Pole ? A Pole. Where was this ? At the station ? lt was where the train had stopped. On one side was the wood, and on the other were fields. And there was a farmer in a field ? We saw cows watched over by a young man, a farmhand. And one of you questioned him ? Not in words, but in signs, we asked, ''What's going on here ?'' And he made that gesture. Like this. We didn't really pay much attention to him. We couldn't figure out what he meant. Once there were foreign Jews -- they were this fat... This fat ? Riding in passenger cars. There was a dining car, they could drink, and walk around, too. They said they were going to a factory. On arrival they saw kind of a factory it was. We'd gesture... Gesture how ? That they'd be killed. These people made that sign ? He says the Jews didn't believe it. But what does that gesture mean ? That death awaited them. The people who had a chance to get near the Jews did that to warn them... He did it too ? That they'd be hanged, killed, slain. Yes. Even foreign Jews from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, from France too, surely. And from Holland... These didn't know, but the Polish Jews knew. ln the small cities in the area, it was talked about. So the Polish Jews were forewarned, but not the others. Who'd they warn, Polish Jews or the others ? All the Jews. He says the foreign Jews arrived here in passenger they were well dressed, in white shirts, there were flowers in the cars, and they played cards. From what l know, that was very rare, Jews shipped in passanger cars. Most arrived in cattle cars. lt's not true. lt's not true ? What did Mrs. Gawkowska say? She said he may not have seen everything. He says he did. Once, at the Malkinia station, for example, a foreign Jew left the train to buy something at the bar. The train pulled out and he ran after it... To catch up to it. So he went past these ''pullmans'', as he calls them those Jews who were calm, unsuspecting, and he made that gesture to them. To all the Jews, in principle. He just went along the platform ! Ask him ! Yes. The road was as it is now. When the guard wasn't looking, he made that gesture. Ask Mr. Gawkowski why he looks so sad. Because l saw men marching to their death. Precisely where are we now ? lt's not far... a mile and a half from here. What, the camp ? What's that dirt road he's indicating ? That's where the rail line into the camp was. Did Mr. Gawkowski, aside from the trains of deportees he drove from Warsaw or Bialystok to the Treblinka station... Did he ever drive the deportee cars into the camp from the Treblinka station ? Did he do it often ? Two or three times a week. Over how long a period ? Around a year and a half. That is, throughout the camp's existence ? This is the ramp. Here he is, he goes to the end with his locomotive, and he has the cars behind him. No, they're in front of him. He pushed them ? That's right, he pushed them. ln February l began working here as an assistant switchman. The station building, the rails, the platforms are just as they were in ? Nothing's changed ? Nothing. Exactly where did the camp begin ? JAN PlWONSKY l'll show you exactly. Here, there was a fence that ran to those trees you see there. And another fence, that ran to those trees over there. So l'm standing inside the camp perimeter, right ? That's right. Where l am now is feet from the station, and l'm already outside the camp. Yes. So this is the Polish part, and over there was death. Yes. On German orders, Polish railmen split up the trains. So the locomotive took cars, and headed toward Chelm. When it reached a switch, it pushed the cars into the camp on the other track we can see. The ramp began there. So here we're outside the camp, and back here we enter it. Unlike Treblinka, the statio here is part of the camp. And at this point we are inside the camp. This track was inside the camp. And it's exactly as it was ? Yes, the same track. lt hasn't changed since then. Where we are now is what was called the ramp, right ? Yes, those to be exterminated were unloaded. So where we're standing is where Jews were unloaded before being gassed. Yes. Did foreign Jews arrive here in passenger cars, too ? Not always. Often the richest Jews, from Belgium, Holland, France, arrived in passenger cars, sometimes even in st class. They were usually better treated by the guards. Especially the convoys of Western European Jews waiting their turn here, Polish railmen saw the women making up, combing their hair wholly unaware of what awaited them minutes later. They dolled up. And the Poles couldn't tell them anything : the guards forbad contact with the future victims. l suppose were there fine days like today. Unfortunately, some were even finer. RUDOLF VRBA, survivor of AUSCHWlTZ - NEW YORK AUSCHWlTZ - BlRKENAU And suddenly it started : the yelling and screaming. ''All out, everybody out !'' All those shouts, the uproar, the tumult ! ''Out ! Get out ! ''Leave the baggage !'' We got out stepping on each other. We saw men wearing blue armbands. Some carried whips. We saw some SS men. Green uniforms, black uniforms... We were a mass, and the mass swept us along. lt was irresistible. lt had to move to another place. l saw the others undressing. And l hear : ''get undressed! You're to be disinfected !'' As l waited, already naked, l noticed the SS men separating out some people. These were told to get dressed. A passing SS man suddenly stopped in front of me, looked me over, and said : ''Yes, you too, quick, join the others, get dressed. ''You're going to work here, and if you're good, ''You can be a kapo -- a squad leader.'' BlRKENAU : the ramp We were taken to a barracks. The whole place stank. Piled about five feet high in a jumbled mass, where all the things people could conceivably have brought. Clothes, suitcases, everything stacked in a solid mass. On top of it, jumping around like demons. People were making bundles, and carrying them outside. l was turned over to one of these men. His armband said, ''Squad Leader''. He shouted, and l understood that l was also to pick up clothing, bundle it, and take it somewhere. As l worked, l asked him : ''What's going on ? The undressed ones... Where are they ? And he replied : ''Dead ! All dead !'' But it still hadn't sunk in, l didn't believe it. He'd used the Yiddish word. lt was the first time l'd heard Yiddish spoken. He didn't say it very loud, and l saw he had tears in his eyes. Suddenly he started shouting, and raised his whip. Out of the corner of my eyes, l saw an SS man coming. And l understood that l was to ask no more questions, but just to rush outside with the package. All l could think of then was my friend Carel Unger. He'd been at the rear of the train, in a section that had been uncoupled and left outside. l needed someone. Near me. With me. Then l saw him. He was in the nd group. He'd been spared too. On the way, somehow, he had learned, he already knew. He looked at me, all he said was : ''Richard, my father, mother, brother... He had learned on the way there. Your meeting with Carel : how long after your arrival did it happen ? lt was... around minutes after we reached Treblinka. Then l left the barracks, and had my first look at the vast space that l soon learned was called ''the sorting place''. lt was buried under mountain of objects of all kinds. Mountains of shoes, of clothes, feet high. l thought about it and said to Carel : ''lt's a hurricane, a raging sea. ''We're shipwrecked. And we're still alive. ''We must do nothing ''but watch for every new wave, ''float on it, ''get ready for the next wave, ''and ride the wave at all costs. And nothing else.'' Greenery, sand everywhere else. At night, we were put into a barracks. lt just had a sand floor. Nothing else. Each of us simply dropped where he stood. Half-asleep, l heard some men hang themselves. We didn't react then. lt was almost normal. Just as it wast normal that for everyone behind whom the gate of Treblinka closed, there was death, had to be death, for no one was supposed to be left to bear witness. l already knew that, three hours after arriving at Treblinka. BERLlN lNGE DEUTSCHKRON. Born in BERLlN Lived there throught the war. (in hiding beginning in February ) Now lives in lSRAEL FRANZ SUCHOMEL : SS unterscharfuhrer Are you ready ? - Yes. - Then we can... We can begin. How's your heart ? ls everything in order ? Oh, my heart... For the moment, it's all right. lf l have any pain, l'll tell you. We'll have to break off. Of course. But your health, in general, is... The weather today suits me fine. The barometric pressure is high : that's good for me. You look to be in good shape, anyway. Let's begin with Treblinka. Certainly. l think that's best. lf you could give us a description of Treblinka. How did it look when you arrived ? l believe you got there in August ? Was it August or ? The th ? l don't know exactly. Around August . l arrived there with seven other men. From Berlin ? From Berlin. From Lublin ? From Berlin to Warsaw, from Warsaw to Lublin, from Lublin back to Warsaw and from Warsaw to Treblinka. What was Treblinka like then ? Treblinka then was operating at full capacity. Full capacity ? Full capacity ! Trains arrived... The Warsaw ghetto was being emptied then. Three trains arrived in two days, each with three, four, five thousand people aboard, all from Warsaw. But at the same time, other trains came in from Kielce and other places. So three trains arrived, and since the offensive against Stalingrad was in fear, the trainloads of Jews were left on a station siding. What's more, the cars were French, made of steel. So that while Jews arrived in Treblinka, were dead. ln the... ln the cars. They had slashed their wrists, or just died. The ones we unloaded were half-dead and half-mad. ln the other trains from Kielce and elsewhere, at least half were dead. We stacked them here, here, here and here. Thousands of people piled one on top of another. On the ramp ? On the ramp. Stacked like wood. ln addition, other Jews, still alive, waited there for two days : the small gas-chambers could no longer handle the number. They functioned day and night in that period. Can you please describe, very precisely, your first impression of Treblinka ? Very precisely. lt's very important. My first impression of Treblinka, and that of some of the other men, was catastrophic. For we had not been told how and what... that people were being killed there. That they hadn't told us. You didn't know ? No ! lncredible ! But true. l didn't want to go. That was proved at my trial. l was told : ''Mr. Suchomel, there are big workshops there ''for tailors and shoemakers, ''and you'll be guarding them.'' But you knew it was a camp ? Yes. We were told : ''The Fuhrer ordered a ressettlement program. ''lt's an order from the Fuhrer.'' Understand ? Ressetlement program... No one ever spoke of killing. l understand. Mr. Suchomel, we're not discussing you, only Treblinka. You are a very important eye-witness, and you can explain what Treblinka was. But don't use my name. No, l promised. All right, you've arrived at Treblinka. So Stadie, the sarge, showed us the camp from end to end. Just as we went by, they were opening the gas-chamber doors, and people fell out like potatoes. Naturally, that horrified and appalled us. We went back and sat down on our suitcases and cried like old women. Each day, Jews were chosen to drag the corpses to the mass graves. ln the evening, the Ukrainians drove those Jews into the gas-chambers or shot them. Every day ! lt was in the hottest days of August. The ground undulated likes waves because of the gas. From the bodies ? Bear in mind, the graves were maybe feet deep, all crammed with bodies ! A thin layer of sand and the heat. You see ? lt was a hell up there. You saw that ? Yes, just once, the first day. We pucked and wept. You wept ? We wept too, yes. The smell was infernal. Yes, because gas was constantly escaping. lt stank horribly, for miles around. Miles ? Miles ! You could smell it all around, not just in the camp ? Everywhere. lt depended on the wind. The stink was carried on the wind. Understand ? More people kept coming, always more, whom we hadn't the facilities to kill. Those gents were in a rush to clean out the Warsaw ghetto. The gas-chambers couldn't handle the load. The small gas-chambers. The Jews had to wait their turn for a day, days, days. They foresaw what was coming. They foresaw it. They may not have been certain, but many knew. There were Jewish women who slashed their daughters' wrists at night, then cut their own. Others poisoned themselves. They heard the engine feeding the gas-chamber. A tank engine was used in that gas-chamber. At Treblinka the only gas used was engine exhaust. Zyklon gas, that was Auschwitz. Because of the delay, Eberl, the camp commandant, phoned Lublin and said : ''We can't go on this way. l can't do it any longer. ''We have to break off.'' Overnight, Wirth arrived. He inspected everything and then left. He returned with people from Belzec, experts. Wirth arranged to suspend the trains. The corpses lying there were cleared away. That was the period of the old gas-chambers. Because there were so many dead that couldn't be gotten rid off, the bodies piled up around the gas-chambers and stayed there for days. Under this pile of bodies was a cesspool : inches deep, full of blood, worms... and shit. No one wanted to clean it out. The Jews preferred to be shot rather than work there. Preferred to be shot ? lt was awful. Burying their own people, seeing it all... The dead flesh came off in their hands. So Wirth went there himself with a few Germans and had long belts rigged up that were wrapped around the dead torsos to pull them... Who did that ? SS men. Wirth ? SS men and Jews. SS men and Jews ! Jews too ? Jews too ! What did the Germans do ? They forced the Jews to... They beat them ? Or they themselves helped with the clean-up. Which Germans did that ? Some of our guards who were assigned up there. The Germans themselves ? They had to. They were in command ! They were in command, but they were also commanded. l think the Jews did it. ln that case, the Germans had to lend a hand. The black execution wall in the courtyard of block ll at AUSCHWlTZ l, the original camp Filip, on that Sunday in May when you first entered the Auschwitz creatorium, how old were you ? Twenty. lt was a Sunday in May. lt was a Sunday in May. We were locked in an underground cell in Block We were held in secret. Then some SS men appeared and marched us along a street in the camp. We went through a gate, and around feet away, feet from the gate, l suddenly saw a building. lt had a flat roof, and a smokestack. l saw a door in the rear. l thought they were taking us to be shot. FlLlP MULLER : survivor of the liquidations of the AUSCHWlTZ ''special detail''. Suddenly, before a door under a lamp in the middle of this building. a young SS man told us : ''lnside, filthy swine !'' We entered a corridor. They drove us along it. Right away, the stench, the smoke choked me. They kept on chasing us and then l made out the shapes of the first two ovens. Between the ovens, some Jewish prisoners were working. We were in the crematorium's incineration chamber in Camp l at Auschwitz. From there, they herded us to another big room, and told us to undress the corpses. l looked around me. There were hundreds of bodies, all dressed. Piled with the corpses were suitcases, bundles and, scattered everywhere, strange, blueish-purple crystals. l couldn't understand any of it. lt was like a blow on the head... as if you'd been stunned. l didn't even know where l was. Above all, l couldn't understand how they managed to kill so many people at once. When we undressed some of them, the order was given to feed the ovens. Suddenly, an SS man rushed up and told me : ''Get out of here ! Go stir the bodies !'' What did he mean, ''Stir the bodies'' ? l entered the cremation chamber. There was a Jewish prisoner, Fischel, who later became a squad leader. He looked at me and l watched him poke the fire with a long rod. He told me, ''Do as l'm doing ''or the SS will kill you.'' l picked up a poker and did as he was doing. A poker ? A steel poker. l obeyed Fischel's order. At that point l was in shock as if l'd been hypnotized, ready to do whatever l was told. l was so mindless, so horrified that l did everything Fischel told me. So the ovens were fed, but we were so inexperienced that we left the fans on too long. The fans ? Yes. There were fans to make the fire hotter. They worked too long... The firebrick suddenly exploded, blocking the pipes linking the Auschwitz crematorium with the smokestack. Cremation was interrupted. The ovens were out of action. That evening, some trucks came, and we had to load the rest, some bodies, into the trucks. Then we were taken... l still don't know where... but probably to a field at Birkenau. We were ordered to unload the bodies and put them in a pit. There was a ditch, an artificial pit. Suddenly, water gushed up from underground and swept the bodies down. When night came, we had to stop that horrible work. We were loaded into the trucks and returned to Auschwitz. The next day, we were taken to the same place but the water had risen. Some SS men came with a firetruck and pumped out the water. We had to go down into that muddy pit to stack up the bodies. But they were slimy. For example, l grasped a woman, but her hands... Her hand was slippery, slimy l tried to pull her, but l fell over backward, into the water, the mud. lt was the same for all of us. Up to, at the edge of the pit, Aumeyer and Grabner yelled, ''Get cracking, you filth, you bastards ! ''We'll show you, you bunch of shits !'' And in these... how shall l say ? -circumstances- of my ''friends'' couldn't take any more. One was a French student. All Jews ! They were exhausted. They just lay there in the mud. Aumeyer called one of his SS men : ''Go on, finish off those swine !'' They were exhausted. And they were shot in the pit. There were no crematorium at Birkenau then ? No, there weren't any there yet. Birkenau still wasn't completely set up. Only Camp Bl, which was late the women's camp, existed. lt wasn't until the spring of that skilled workmen and unskilled laborers, all Jews, must have gone to work here and built the crematorium. Each crematorium had ovens, a big undressing room, around square feet, and a big gas-chamber where up to people at once could be gassed. TREBLlNKA The new gas-chambers were built in September . Who built them ? Hackenhold and Lambert supervised the Jews who did the work the bricklaying, at least. Ukrainian carpenters made the doors. The gas-chamber doors themselves were armored bunker doors. l think they were brought from Bialystok, from some Russian bunkers. FRANZ SUCHOMEL What was the capacity of the new gas-chambers ? There were of them, right? Yes. But the old ones hadn't been demolished. When there were a lot of trains, a lot of people, the old ovens were put back into service. And here... the Jews say there were on each side. l say there were but l'm not sure. ln any case, only the upper row, on this side, was in action. Why not the other side ? Disposing the bodies would have been to complicated. Too far ? Yes. Up there, Wirth had built the death camp, assigning a detail of Jewish workers to it. The detail had a fixer number in it, around people, who worked only in the death camp. But what was the capacity of the new gas-chambers ? The new gas-chambers... Let's see... They could finish off people in two hours. How many people at once in a single gas-chamber ? l can't say exactly. The Jews say . ? That's right, . lmagine a room this size. They put more in at Auschwitz. Auschwitz was a factory ! And Treblinka ? l'll give you my definition. Keep this is mind : Treblinka was a primitive, but efficient production line of death. A production line ? Of death. Understand ? Yes. But primitive...? Primitive, yes. But it worked well, that production line of death. Was Belzec even more rudimentary ? Belzec was the laboratory. Wirth was camp commandant. He tried everything imaginable there. He got off on the wrong foot. The pits were overflowing and the cesspool seeped out in front of the SS mess-hall. lt stank... in front of the mess-hall, in front of their barracks. Were you at Belzec ? No. Wirth with his own men. With Franz, with Oberhauser and Hackenhold... he tried everything there. Those had to put the bodies in the pits themselves so that Wirth could see how much space he needed. And when they rebelled... Franz refused... Wirth beat Franz with a whip. He whipped Hackenhold, too. You see ? Kurt Franz ? Kurt Franz. That's how Wirth was. Then, with that experience behind he came to Treblinka. Excuse me. How many quarts of beer a day do you sell ? You can't tell me ? l'd rather not. l have my reasons. But why not ? How many quarts of beer a day do you sell ? Go on, tell him. Tell him what ? Just tell him approximately. quarts. That's a lot ! Have you worked here long ? Around years. Why are you hiding... l have my reasons. your face ? l have my reasons. What reasons ? Never mind. Why not ? Do you recognize this man ? No ? Christian Wirth ? Mr. Oberhauser ! Do you remember Belzec ? No memories of Belzec ? Of the overflowing graves ? You don't remember ? MUNlCH WUPPERAL : ANTON SPlESS, German state prosecutor at the TREBLlNKA trial (Frankfurt, ) When the Action itself first got under way, it was almost totally improvised. At Treblinka, for example, the commandant, Eberl, let more trains come in than the camp could handle. lt was a disaster ! Mountains of corpses ! Word of this foul-up reached the head of the Reinhard Action, Odilo Globocznik, in Lublin. He went to Treblinka to see what was happening. There's a very concrete account of the trip by his former driver, Oberhauser. Globocznik arrived on a hot day in August. The camp was permeated with the stench of rotting flesh. Globocznik didn't even bother to enter the camp. He stopped here, before the commandant's office, sent for Eberl and greeted him with these words : ''How dare you accept so many every day ''when you can only process ?'' Operations were suspended, Eberl was transferred and Wirth came, followed immediately by Stangl, and the camp was completely reorganized. The Reinhard Action covered extermination camp : Treblinka, Sobibor and Belsec. There's also talk of death camps on the Bug River, for they were all located on or near the Bug. The gas-chambers were the heart of the camp. They were built first, in a wood, or in a field, as at Treblinka. The gas-chambers were the only stone buildings. All the others were wooden sheds. These camps weren't built to last. Himmler was in a hurry to begin the ''final solution''. The Germans had to capitaliz on their eastward advance and use this remote back-country to carry out their mass murder as secretely as possible. So at first they couldn't manage the perfection they achieved months later. Near the end of March sizeable groups of Jews were herded here, groups of to people. Several trains arrived with sections of barracks with posts, barbed wire, bricks... and construction of the camp as such began. The Jews unloaded these cars and carted the sections of barracks to the camp. The Germans made them work extremely fast. When we saw the pace they worked at... lt was extremely brutal. When we saw the complex being built, and the fence, which, after all, enclosed a vast space, we realized that what the Germans were building wasn't meant to aid mankind. Early in June, the first convoy arrived. l'd say there were over cars. With the convoy were SS men in black uniforms. lt happened one afternoon. He had just finished work. JAN PlWONSKl But he got on his bicycle and went home. Why ? l merely thought these people had come to build the camp, as the others has before them. That convoy... There was no way of knowing that it was the first earmarked for extermination. Besides, he couldn't have known that Sobibor would be a place for the mass extermination of the Jewish. The next morning, when l came here to work, the station was absolutely silent, and we realized, after talking with the Poles who worked at the station here that something utterly incomprehensible had happened. First of all, when the camp was being built, there were orders shouted in German, there were screams, Jews were working at the run there were shots, and here there was that silence, no work crews, a really total silence. cars had arrived, and then... nothing. lt was all very strange. lt was the silence that tipped them off ? That's right. Can he describe that silence ? lt was a silence... Nothing was going on in the camp. You heard nothing. Nothing moved. So then they began to wonder, ''Where have they put those Jews ?'' Cell Block at Auschwitz , is where the Special Work Detail was held. The cell was underground, isolated. For we were... ''bearers of secrets'', we were reprieved dead men. We weren't allowed to talk to anyone, or contact any prisoner, or even the SS. Only those is charge of the ''Action''. There was a window. We heard what happened in the courtyard. The executions, the victims' cries, the screams, but he couldn't see anything. This went on for several days. One night an SS man came from the political section. lt was around A.M. The whole camp was still asleep. There wasn't a sound in the camp. We were again taken out of our cell, and led to the crematorium. Theren, for the first time, l saw the procedure used with those who came in alive. We were lined up against a wall, and told : ''No one may talk to those people''. Suddenly, the wooden door to the crematorium courtyard opened, and to people filed in. old people, and women. They carried bundles, wore the Star of David. Even from a distance, l could tell they were Polish Jews, probably from Upper Silesia, from the Sosnowitz ghetto, some miles from Auschwitz. FlLlP MULLER l caught some of the things they said. l heard ''fachowitz'', meaning ''skilled worker''. And ''Malach-ha-Mawis'', which means ''the angel of death'' in Yiddish. Also, ''harginnen'' : ''they're going to kill us''. From what l could hear, l clearly understood the struggle going on inside them. Sometimes they spoke of work probably hoping that they'd be put to work. Or they spoke of ''Malach-ha- Mawis'', the angel of death. The conflicting words echoed the conflict in their feelings. Then a sudden silence fell over those gathered in the crematorium courtyard. All eyes converged on the flat roof of the crematorium. Who was standing there ? Aumeyer, of the SS, Grabner, the head of the political section, And Hossler, the SS officer. Aumeyer addressed the crowd: ''You're here to work, ''for our soldiers fighting at the front. ''Those who can work will be all right.'' lt was obvious that hope flared in those people. You could feel it clearly. The executioners had gotten past the first obstacle. He saw it was succeeding. Then Grabner spoke up : ''We need masons, electricians, ''all the trades.'' Next, Hossler took over. He pointed to a short man in the crowd. l can still see him. ''What's your trade ?'' The man said, ''Mr. Officer, l'm a tailor.'' ''A tailor ? What kind of a tailor ?'' ''A man's... No, for both men and women.'' ''Wonderful ! We need people like you in our workshops.'' Then he questioned a woman : ''What's your trade ?'' ''Nurse'', she replied. ''Splendid ! We need nurses in our hospitals ''for our soldiers. ''We need all of you ! But first, undress. ''You must be disinfected. ''We want you healthy.'' l could see the people were calmer, reassured by what they'd heard, and they began to undress. Even if they still had their doubts, if you want to live, you must hope. Their clothing remained in the courtyard, scattered everywhere. Aumeyer was beaming, very proud of how he'd handled things. He turned to some of the SS men and told them : ''You see ? That's the way to do it !'' By this device, a great leap forward had been made : Now the clothing could be used. RAUL HlLBERG, historian FRANZ SCHALLlNG First, explain to me... How you came to Kulmhof to Chelmno? You were at Lodz, right ? ln Lodz, yes. ln Litzmannstadt. We were on permanent guard duty. Protecting military objectives : mills, the roads, when Hitler went to East Prussia. lt was dreary, and we were told : ''We're looking for men wanted to break out of this routine. So we volunteered. We were issued winter uniforms, overcoats, fur hats, fur-lined boots, and or days later we were told, ''We're off!'' We were put aboard or trucks... l don't know... they had benches, and we rode and rode. Finally we arrived. The place was crawling with SS men and police. Our first question was : ''What goes on here ?'' They said, ''You'll find out !'' You'll find out ? You'll find out. You weren't in the SS, you were... Police. Which police ? Security guards. We were ordered to report to the Deutsche Haus... The only big stone building in the village. We were taken into it. An SS man immediately told us : ''This is a top secret mission !'' Secret ? ''A top secret mission''. ''Sign this !'' We each had to sign. There was a form ready for each of us. What did it say ? lt was a pledge of secrecy. We never even got to read it through. You had to take an oath ? No, just sign, promusing to... ...shut up about whatever we'd see. Shut up ? Not say a word. After we'd signed, we were told : ''Final solution ''of the Jewish question.'' We didn't understand what that meant. So someone said... He told us what was going to happen there. Someone said ''the final solution of the Jewish question''. You'd be assigned to the ''final solution'' ? Yes, but what did that mean ? We'd never heard that before. So it was explained to us. Just when was this ? Let's see... when was it...? ln the winter of - . Then we were assigned to our stations. Our guard post was at the side of the road. A sentry box in front of the castle. So you were in the ''castle detail'' ? That's right. Can you describe what you saw ? We could see. We were at the gatehouse. When the Jews arrived, the way they looked : half-frozen, starved, dirty, already half-dead. Old people, children. Think of it ! The long trip here standing in a truck, packed in ! Who knows if they knew what was in store ! They didn't trust anyone, that's for sure. After months in the ghetto, you can imagine ! l heard an SS man shout at them : ''You're going to be de-loused, ''and have a bath. ''You're going to work here.'' The Jews consented. They said, ''Yes, that's what we want to do.'' Was the castle big ? Pretty big, with huge front steps. The SS man stood at the top of the steps. Then what happened ? They were hustled into or big rooms on the first floor. They had to undress, give up everything : rings, gold, everything. How long did the Jews stay there ? Long enough to undress. Then, stark naked, they had to run down more steps to an underground corridor that led back up to the ramp, where the gas van awaited them. Did the Jews enter the van willingly ? No, they were beaten. Blows fell everywhere, and the Jews understood. They screamed. lt was frightful ! Frightful ! l know, because we went down to the cellar when they were all in the van. We opened the cells of the work detail, the Jewish workers, who collected the things thrown out of the st-floor window into there. Describe the gas vans. Like moving vans. Very big ? They stretched, say, from here to the window. Just big trucks, like moving vans, with rear doors. What system was used ? How did they kill them ? With exhaust fumes. Exhaust fumes ? lt went like this : a Pole yelled, ''Gas !'' Then the driver got under the van to hook up the pipe that fed the gas into the van. Yes, but how ? From the motor. Yes, but through what ? A pipe... a tube. He fiddled around under the truck. l'm not sure how. lt was just exhaust gas ? That's all. Who were the drivers ? SS men. All those men were SS. Were there many of these drivers ? l don't know. Were there O ? Not that many. or that's all. l thinks there were vans, one big, one smaller. Did the driver sit in the cabin of the van ? Mrs. Uwe ? No. He climbed into the cabin after the doors were closed and started the motor. Did he race the motor ? l don't know. Could you hear the sound of the motor ? Yes, from the gate we could hear it turn over. Was it a loud noise ? The noise of a truck engine. The van was stationary while the motor ran ? That's right. Then it started moving. We opened the gate and it headed for the woods. Were the people already dead ? l don't know. lt was quiet. No more screams. No screams. You couldn't hear anything as they drove by. He recalls : it was , days before the New Year. They were routed out at night, and in the morning they reached Chelmno. There was a castle there. When he entered the castle courtyard, he knew something awful was going on. He already understood. The site of the castle They saw clothes and shoes scattered in the courtyard. Yet they were alone there. He knews his parents has been through there, and there wasn't a Jew left. They were taken down into a cellar. On a wall was written, ''No one leaves here alive.'' Graffiti in Yiddish. There were lots of names. He thinks it was the Jews from villages around Chelmno who had come before him, who had written their names. A few days after New Year's, they heard people arrive in a truck one morning. The people were taken out of the truck and up to the first floor of the castle. The Germans lied, saying there were to be deloused. They were chased down the other side, where a van was waiting. The Germans pushed and beat them with their weapons to hustle them into the trucks faster. He heard people praying : ''Shma lsrael'', and he heard the van'srear doors being shut. Their screams were heard, becoming fainter and fainter, and when there was total silence, the van left. He and the others were brought out of the cellar. They went upstairs and gathered up the clothes remaining outside the supposed baths. Did he understand then how they'd died ? MORDECHAl PODCHLEBNlK, the survivor of the st period of extermination at CHELMNO (the castel period) Yes, first because there had been rumors of it. And when he went out, he saw the sealed vans, so he knew. He understood that people were gassed in the vans ? Yes, because he'd heard the screams, and heard how they weakened, and later the vans were taken into the woods. What were the vans like ? Like the one that deliver cigarettes here. They were enclosed, with double-leaf rear doors. What color ? The color the Germans used, green, ordinary. MARTHA MlCHELSOHN How many German families were there in Kulmhof (Chelmno)? or , l'd say. Germans from Wolhnia and families from the Reich, the Bauers and us. And you ? Us, the Michelsohns. How did you wind up in Kulmhof ? l was born in Laage, and l was sent to Kulmhof. They were looking for volunteer settlers, and l signed up. That's how l got there. First in Warthbrucken (Kolo), then Chelmno... Kulmhof. Directly from Laage ? No, l left from Munster. Did you opt to go to Kulmhof ? No, l asked for Wartheland. Why ? A pioneering spirit. You were young ! Oh yes, l was young. You wanted to be useful ? Yes. What was your first impression of Wartheland ? lt was primitive. Super-primitive. Meaning...? Even worse, worse than primitive. Difficult to understand, right ? But why...? The sanitary facilities were disastrous. The only toilet was in Warthbrucken, in the town. You had to go there. The rest was a disaster. Why a disaster ? There were no toilets at all ! There were privies. l can't tell you how primitive it was. Astonishing ! Why did you choose such a primitive place ? l was young, you know. You can't imagine such places exist. You don't believe it. But that's how it was. This was the whole village. A very small village, straggling along the road. Just a few houses. There was the church, the castle, a store, too, the administrative building and the school. The castle was next to the church, with a high board fence around both. How far was your house from the church ? lt was just opposite... feet. Mrs. MlCHELSOHN was the Nazi teacher's wife Did you see the gas vans ? No... Yes, from the outside. They shuttled back and forth l never looke inside... l didn't see Jews in them. l only saw things from outside, the Jews' arrival, their disposition, how they were loaded aboard. Since World War l, the castle had been in ruins. Only part of it could still be used. That's where the Jews were taken. This ruined castle was used... For housing and de-lousing the Poles, and so on. The Jews ! Yes, the Jews. Why do you call them ''Poles'' and not ''Jews'' ? Sometimes, l get them mixed up. There's a difference between Poles and Jews ? Oh yes ! What difference ? The Poles weren't exterminated, and the Jews were. That's the difference. An external difference, right ? And the inner difference ? l can't assess that. l don't know enough about psychology and anthropology. The difference between the Poles and the Jews ? Anyway, they couldn't stand each other. On January the rabbi of Grabow, Jacob Schulmann, wrote the following letter to his friends in Lodz : ''My very dear friends, ''/ didn't write sooner: / was sure of what /'d heard. ''A/as, to our great grief, we now know a//. ''/'ve spoken to an eye-witness who managed to escape. ''He to/d me everything. ''They're exterminated in Che/mno, near Dombie, ''and they're a// buried in the nearby Rzuszow forest. ''The Jews are ki//ed in ways by shooting or gas. ''/t's just happened to thousand of Lodz Jews. ''Do not think that this is being written by a madman. ''A/as, it is the tragic, horrib/e truth. ''Horror, horror / Man, shed thy c/othes, ''cover thy head with ashes, run in the streets ''and dance in thy madness. ''/ am so weary that my pen can no /onger write. ''Creator of the universe, he/p us /'' The creator did not help the Jews of Grabow. With their rabi, they all died in the gas van at Chelmno a few weeks later. Chelmno is only miles from Grabow. Were there a lot of Jews here in Grabow ? A lot, quite a few. They were sent to Chelmno. Has she always lived near the synagogue ? Yes. The Poles' word is ''Buzinica'', not synagogue. She says it's now a furniture warehouse but they didn't harm it from a religious point of view. lt hasn't been... desecrated. Does she remember the rabbi at the synagogue ? The synagogue in GRABOW She says she's now and her memory isn't too good, and the Jews have been gone for years. Barbara, tell this couple they live in a lovely house. Do they agree ? Do they think it's a lovely house ? Tell me about the decoration of this house, the doors, what's it mean ? People used to do carvings like that. Did they decorate it that way ? No, it was the Jews again. The Jews did it ! The door's a good century old. Did Jews own this house ? Yes, all these houses. All these houses on the square were Jewish ? Jews lived in all the ones in front, on the street. Where did the Poles live ? ln the courtyards, where the privies were. There used to be a store here. What kind ? A food store. Owned by Jews ? Yes. So the Jews lived in the front, and the Poles in the coutyar with the privies. How long have these two lived here ? years. Where'd they live before ? ln a courtyard across the square. They've gotten rich. - Them ? - Yes. Yes. How did they get rich ? They worked. How old's the gentleman ? He's . He looks young and hale. Do they remember the Jews of Grabow ? Yes. And when they were deported, too. They recall the deportation of the Grabow Jews ? He says he speaks ''Jew'' well. He speaks ''Jew'' ? As a kid he played with Jews so he speaks ''Jew''. First, they grouped them there, where that restaurant is, or in this square, and took their gold. An older among the Jews collected the gold and turned it over the police. That done, the Jews were put in the Catholic church. A lot of gold ? Yes, the Jews had gold and some handsome candelabras. Did the Poles know the Jews would been killed at Chelmno? Yes, they knew. The Jews knew it, too. Did the Jews try to do something about it, to rebel, to escape ? The young tried to run away. But the Germans caught them and maybe killed them even more savagely. ln every town and village, or streets were closed and the Jews kept under guard. They couldn't leave there. Then they were locked in the Polish church here in Grabow and later taken to Chelmno. Background, the synagogue The Germans threw children as small as these into the trucks by the legs. She saw that ? - Old folks too. - Threw kids into the trucks. The Poles knew the Jews would be gassed in Chelmno ? Did this gentleman know ? Does he recall the Jews' deportation from Grabow ? At that time, he worked in the mill. There, opposite ? Yes, and they saw it all. What did he think of it? Was it a sad cheery about? Yes. How could you see that without sadness? What trades were the Jews in ? They were tanners, tradesmen, tailors. They sold things... eggs, chickens, butter. There were a lot of tailors, tradesmen, too. But most were tanners. They had beards and sidelocks. Yes. He says they weren't pretty. They weren't pretty ? They stank, too. They stank ? Why did they stink ? Because they were tanners, and the hides stink. The Jewish women were beautiful. The Poles liked to make love with them. Are Polish women glad there are no Jewesses left ? What'd she say ? That the women who are her age now also liked to make love. So the Jewish women were competitors ? lt's crazy how the Poles liked the little Jewesses ! Do the Poles miss the little Jewesses ? Naturally, such beautiful women ? Why ? What made them so beautiful ? lt was because they did nothing. Polish women worked. Jewish women only thought of their beauty and clothes. So Jewesses did no work ! None at all. Why not ? They were rich. The Poles had to serve them and work. l heard her use the word ''capital''. The capital was in the hands of the Jews. Yes... You didn't translate that. Ask her again. So the capital was in the Jews' hands ? All Poland was in the Jews' hands. Are they glad there are no more Jews here, or sad ? lt doesn't bother them. As you know, Jews and Germans ran all Polish industry before the war. Did they like them on the whole ? Not much. Above all, they were dishonest. Was life in Grabow more fun when the Jews were here ? He'd rather not say. Why does he call them dishonest ? They exploited the Poles. That's what they lived off. How did they exploit them ? By imposing their prices. Ask her if she likes her house. Yes, but her children live in much better houses. ln modern houses ! They've all gone to college. Great ! That's progress ! Her children are the best-educated in the village. Very good, Madam ! Long alive education ! lsn't this a very old house ? Yes, Jews lived here before. So Jews used to live here. Did she know them ? Yes. What was their name ? She doesn't know. What was their trade ? Benkel, their name was. And what was their trade ? They had a butcher shop. A butcher shop. Why is she laughing ? Because the gentleman said it was a butcher shop where you could buy cheap meat. Beef ! What does he think about their being gassed in trucks? He says he doesn't like that at all. lf they'd gone to lsrael of their own free will, he might have been glad. But killing them was unpleasant. Does he miss the Jews? Yes, because there were some beautiful Jewesses. For the young, it was... fine. Are they sorry the Jews are no longer here or pleased? How can l tell? l never went to school. l can only think of how l am now. Now l'm fine. ls she better off? Before the war, she picked potatoes. Now she sells eggs and she's much better off. Because the Jews are gone or because of socialism? She doesn't care, she's happy because she's doing well now. How did he feel about losing his classmates? lt still upsets him. Does he miss the Jews? Certainly. They were goog Jews, Madam says. GRABOW in winter The Jews came in trucks and later there was a narrow-gauge railway that they arrived on. They were packed tightly in the trucks, or in the cars of the narrow-gauge railway. Lots of women and children. Men too, but most of them were old. The strongest were put in work details. They walked with chains on their legs. ln the morning, they fetched water, looked for good, and so on. These weren't killed right away. That was done later. l don't know what became of them. They didn't survive, anyway. Two of them did. Only two. They were in chains ? - On the legs. - All of them ? The workers, yes. The others were killed at once. The Jewish work squad went through the village in chain Yes. Could people speak to them ? No, that was impossible. Why ? No one dared. What ? No one dared. Understand ? Yes... No one dared. Why, was it dangerous ? Yes, there were guards. Anyway, people wanted nothing to do with all that. Do you see ? Gets on your nerves, seeing that every day. You can't force a whole village to watch such distress. When the Jews arrived, when they were pushed into the church or the castle... And the screams ! lt was frightful ! Depressing. Day after day, the same spectacle ! lt was terrible ! A sad spectacle ! They screamed. They knew what was happening. At first, the Jews thought they were going to be de-loused. But they soon understood. Their screams grew wilder and wilder. Horrifying screams. Screams of terror. Because they know what was happening to them. Do you know how many Jews were exterminated there ? Four something ... ... . yes. l knew it had a in it. Sad, sad, sad ! ''When the soldiers march, ''the girls open their windows and doors...'' Do you remember a Jewish child, a boy of ? He was in the work squad. He sang on the river. On the Narwa River ? Yes. - ls he still alive ? - Yes, he's alive. He sang a German song that the SS in Chelmno taught him. ''When the soldiers march, ''the girls open their windows and doors...'' SlMON SREBNlK, the survivor of the nd period of extermination at CHELMNO (the church period) So it's a holiday in Chemno ! What holiday ? What's being celebrated ? The birth of the Virgin Mary. lt's her birthday. lt's a huge crowd, isn't it ? But the weather's bad... lt's raining. Ask them if they're glad to see Srebnik again. Very. lt's a great pleasure. Why ? They're glad to see him again, because they know all he's lived through. Seeing him as he is now, they're very pleased. They're pleased ? Why does the whole village remember him ? They remember him well because he walked with chains on his ankles, and he sang on the river. He was young, he was skinny, he looked ready for his coffin. Ripe for a coffin ! Did he seem happy or sad ? Even the lady, when she saw that child, she told the German, ''Let that child go !'' He asked her, ''Where to ?'' ''To his father and mother.'' Looking at the sky, he said: ''He'll soon go to them.'' The German said that ? They remember when the Jews were locked in this church ? Yes, they do. They brought them to the church in trucks. At what time of day ? All day long and into the night. What happened ? Can they describe it in detail ? At first, the Jews were taken to the castle. Only later were they put into the church. The second phase, right ! ln the morning, they were taken into the woods. How were they taken into the woods ? ln very big armored vans. The gas came through the bottom. Then they were carried in gas vans, right ? Yes, in gas vans. Where did the vans pick them up ? The Jews ? Yes. Here, at the church door. The trucks pulled up where they are now ? No, they went right to the door. The vans came to the church door? And they all knew these were death vans? Yes, they couldn't help knowing. They heard screams at night ? The Jews moaned, they were hungry. They were shut in and starved. Did they have any food ? You couldn't look there. You couldn't talk to a Jew. Even going by on the road, you couldn't look there. Did they look anyway ? Yes, vans came and the Jews were moved farther off. You could see them, but on the sly. ln sidelong glances. That's right, in sidelong glances. What kinds of cries and moans were heard at night ? They called on Jesus and Mary and God, sometimes in German, as she puts it. The Jews called on Jesus, Mary and God ! The presbytery was full of suitcases. The Jew's suitcases ? Yes, and there was gold. How does she know there was gold ? The procession ! We'll stop now. Were there as many Jews in the church as there were Christians today ? Almost. How many gas vans were needed to empty it out? An average of . lt took vans to empty it! ln a steady stream? Yes. The lady said before that the Jews' suitcases were dumped in the house opposite. What was in this baggage? Pots with false bottoms. What was in the false bottoms? Valuables... objects of value. They also had gold in their clothes. When given food, the Jews sometimes threw them valuables or sometimes money. They said before it was forbidden to talk to Jews. Absolutely forbidden. Ask them if they miss the Jews. Of course. We wept too, Madam says. And Mr. Kantarowski gave them bread and cucumbers. Why do they think all this happened to the Jews ? Because they were the richest ! Many Poles were also exterminated. Even priests. Mr. Kantarowski will tell us what a friend told him. lt happened in Myno jewyce, near Warsaw. Go on. The Jews were gathered in a square. The rabbi asked an SS man, ''Can l talk to them ?'' The guard said yes. So the rabbi said that around years ago, the Jews condemned the innocent Christ to death. And when they did that, they cried out : ''Let his blood fall on our heads and on our sons' heads Then the rabbi told them : ''Perhaps the time has come for that, so let us do nothing.'' ''Let's us go, let us do as we're asked.'' He thinks the Jews expiated the death of Christ ? He doesn't think so, or even that Christ sought revenge. He didn't say that. The rabbi said it. lt was God's will, that's all ! What'd she say ? So Pilate washed his hands and said : ''Christ is innocent'', he sent Barrabas. But the Jews cried out : ''let his blood fall on our heads'' That's all, now you know ! Was the road between Chelmno, the village and the woods where the pits were asphalted as it is now? The road was narrower then, but it was asphalted. How many feet were the pits from the road ? They were around , feet, maybe , or feet away. So even from the road, you couldn't see them. How fast did the vans go? PAN FALBORSKl At moderate speed, kind of slow. lt was a calculated speed because they had to kill the people inside on the way. When they went too fast, the people weren't quite dead on arrival in the woods. By going slower, they had time to kill the people inside. Once a van skidded on a curve. Half an hour later, l arrived at the hut of a forest warden named Sendjak. He told me : ''Too bad you were late. ''You could have seen a van that skidded. ''The rear of the van opened ''and the Jews fell out on the road. ''They were still alive. ''Seeing those Jews crawling, a Gestapo man ''took out his revolver and shot them. ''He finished them all off. ''Then they brought Jews who were working in the woods. ''They righted the van, ''and put the bodies back inside.'' This was the road the gas vans used. There were people in each van. When they arrived, the SS said : ''Open the doors !'' We opened them. The bodies tumbled right out. An SS man said, '' men inside !'' These men worked at the ovens. They were experienced. Another SS man screamed : ''Hurry up ! The other van's coming !'' We worked until the whole shipment was burned. That's how it went, all day long. So it went. l remember that once they were still alive. The ovens were full, and the people lay on the ground. They were all moving, they were coming back to life, and when they were thrown into the ovens, they were all conscious. Alive. They could feel the fire burn them. When we built the ovens, l wondered what they were for. An SS man told me : ''To make charcoal. For laundry irons.'' That's what he told me. l didn't know. Whe the ovens were completed, the logs put in and the gasoline poured on and lighted, and when the first gas van arrived, then we knew why the ovens were built. When l saw all that, it didn't affect me. Neither did the nd or rd shipment. l was only and all l'd ever seen until then were dead bodies. Maybe l didn't understand. Maybe if l'd been older l'd have understood, but the fact is, l didn't. l'd never seen anything else. ln the ghetto, l saw... in the ghetto in Lodz, that as soon as anyone took a step, he fell dead. l thought that's the way things had to be, it was normal. l'd walk the streets of Lodz, maybe yards, and there'd be bodies. People were hungry. They went into the street and they fell, they fell... Sons took their father's bread, fathers took their sons', everyone wanted to stay alive. So when l came here, to Chelmno, l was already l didn't care about anything. l thought : if l survive, l just want one thing : loaves of bread. To eat. That's all. That's what l thought. But l dreamed, too, that if l survive, l'll be the only one left in the world, not another soul Just me. One. Only me left in the world, if l get out of here. The RUHR ''Geheime Reichssache'', secret Reich business. ''Berlin, June . ''Changes to be made to special vehicles now in service ''at Kulmhof (Chelmno) and to those now being built. ''Since December , '' have been processed (verarbeite in German) ''by the vehicles in service, with no major incidence. ''ln the light of observation made so far, however, ''the following technical changes are needed : ''First, the van's normal load ''is usually to per square yard. ''ln Saucer vehicles, which are very spacious, ''maximum use of space is impossible, ''not because of any possible overload, ''but because loading to full capacity ''would affect the vehicle's stability. ''So reduction of the load space seems necessary. ''lt must absolutely be reduced by a yard, ''instead of trying to solve the problem, as hitherto, ''by reducing the number of pieces loaded. ''Besides, this extends the operating time, ''as the empty void must also be filled with carbon monoxid. ''On the other hand, if the load space is reduced ''and the vehicle is packed solid, ''the operating time can be considerably shortened. ''The manufactures told us during a discussion, ''that reducing the size of the van's rear ''would throw it badly off balance. ''The front axle, they claim, would be overloaded. ''ln fact, the balance is automatically restored ''because the merchandise aboard displays ''during the operation ''a natural tendency to rush to the rear doors, and ''mainly found lying there at the end of the operation. ''So the front axle is not overloaded. ''Secondly : ''The lighting must be better protected than now. ''The lamps must be enclosed in a steel grid ''to prevent their being damaged. ''Lights could be eliminated, ''since they apparently are never used. ''However, it has been observed ''that when the doors are shut, ''the load always presses hard against them (against the doors ) ''as soon as darkness sets in. ''This is because the load naturally rushes ''toward the light when darkness sets in, ''which makes closing the doors difficult. ''Also, because of the alarming nature of darkness, ''screaming always occurs when the doors are closed. ''lt would therefore be useful to light the lamp ''before and during the first moments of the operation. ''Third : ''For easy cleaning of the vehicle, ''there must be a sealed drain in the middle of the floor. ''The drainage hole's cover, to inches in diameter, ''would be equipped with a slanting trap, ''so that fluid liquids ''can drain off during the operation. ''During cleaning, the drain can be used ''to evacuate large pieces of dirt ''The aforementioned technical changes ''are to be made to vehicles in service ''only when they come in for repairs. ''As for the vehicles ordered from Saurer, ''they must be equipped with all innovations and changes. ''shown by use and experience to be necessary. ''Submitted for decision to Gruppenleiter ll D, ''SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Walter Rauff. ''Signed Just.'' FRANZ SUCHOMEL SS Unterscharführer ''Looking squarely ahead, brave and joyous, ''at the world. ''The squads march to work. ''All that matters to us now is Treblinka. ''lt is our destiny. ''That's why we've become one with Treblinka ''in no time at all. ''We know only the word of our Commander. ''We know only obedience and duty. ''We want to serve, to go on serving ''until little luck ends it all. Hurray!'' Once more, but louder! We're laughing about it but it's so sad! No one's laughing. Don't be sore at me. You want History. l'm giving you History. Franz wrote the words. The melody came from Buchenwald. Camp Buchenwald, where Franz was a guard. New Jews who arrived in the morning New ''worker Jews''? They were taught the song and by evening all of them had to sing it. Sing it again. All right. lt's very important. But loud! ''Looking squarely ahead, brave and joyous, ''at the world. ''The squads march to work. ''All that matters to us now is Treblinka. ''lt is our destiny. ''That's why we've become one with Treblinka ''in no time at all. ''We know only the word of our Commander. ''We know only obedience and duty. ''We want to serve, to go on serving ''until little luck ends it all. Hurray!'' Satisfied? That's unique. No Jews knows that today! How was it possible in Treblinka in peak days to ''process'' people? is too high. But l read that figure in court reports. Sure. To ''process'' people. To liquidate them. Mr Lanzmann, that's an exaggeration. Believe me. How many? to . But we had to spend half the night at it. ln January, the trains started arriving at a.m. Always at a.m.? Not always. Often. Yes. The schedules were erratic. Yes. Sometimes one came at a.m. then another at noon, maybe another late in the evening. You see? So a train arrived. l'd like you to describe in detail the whole process. During the peak period. The trains left Malkinia station, for Treblinka station. How many miles from Malkinia to Treblinka? About six miles. Treblinka was a village. A small village. As a station, it gained in importance because of the transports of Jews. They were divided into sections of or or cars. Or cars? And shunted into Treblinka Camp, and brought to the ramp. The other cars waited, loaded with people, in Treblinka station. The windows were closed off with barbed wire, so no one could get out. On the roofs were the ''hellhounds'', the Ukrainians or Latvians. The Latvians were the worst. On the ramp, for each car, there stood two Jews from Blue Squad to speed things up. They said : ''Get out, get out. Hurry, hurry!'' There were also Ukrainians and Germans. How many Germans? to . No more? No more. l can assure you. How many Ukrainians? Ten. Ukrainians, Germans. ... people from the Blue Squad. Men from the Blue Squad were here and here. They sent the people inside. The Red Squad was here. So the Red Squad was here. What was the Red Squad's Job? The clothes... to carry the clothes taken off by the men and by the women up here immediately. How much time elapsed between unloading at the ramp and the undressing, how many minutes? For the women, let's say an hour in all. An hour, an hour and a half. A whole train took hours. Yes. ln hours, it was all over. Between the time of arrival and death. lt was all over in hours? hours, / hours, hours. A whole train? Yes, a whole train. And for only one section, for cars, how long? l can't calculate that because the sections came one after another and people flooded in constantly, understand? Usually, the men waiting who sat there, or there, were sent straight up via the ''funnel''. The women were sent last. At the end. They had to go up there too, and often waited here. ... at a time. people. women with children. They had to wait here until there was room here. Naked. Naked. ln summer and winter. Winter in Treblinka can be very cold. Well, in winter, in December anyway after Christmas. But even before Christmas it was cold as hell. Between and minus . l know : at first it was cold as hell for us, too. We didn't have suitable uniforms. lt was cold for us too. But it was colder for. For those poor people. ln the ''funnel''. ln the ''funnel'', it was very, very cold. Can you... describe this ''funnel'' precisely? What was it like? How wide? How was it for the people in this ''funnel''? lt was about feet wide. As wide as this room. On each side were walls this high or this high. Walls? No, barbed wire. Woven into the barbed wire were branches of pine trees. You understand? lt was know as ''camouflage''. There was a ''Camouflage Squad'' of Jews. They brought in new branches every day. From the woods? That's right. So everything was screened. People couldn't see anything to the left or right. Nothing. You couldn't see through it. lmpossible. Here and here too. Here, too. lmpossible to see through. Treblinka, where so many people were exterminated wasn't big, right? lt wasn't big. feet at the widest point. lt wasn't a rectangle, more like a rhomboid. You must realize that here the ground was flat, and here it began to rise. And at the top of the slope was the gas-chamber. You had to climb up to it. The ''funnel'' was called the ''Road to Heaven'', right? The Jews called it the ''Ascension''. Also ''The Last Road''. l only heard those two names for it. l need to see it. The people go into the ''funnel''. Then what happens? They're totally naked? Totally naked. Here stood two Ukrainians guards. Yes. Mainly for the men. lf the men wouldn't go in, they were beaten with whips. Here too. Even here. Ah, yes. The men were ''driven'' along. Not the women. Not the women. No, they weren't beaten. Why such humanity? l didn't see it. l didn't see it. Maybe they were beaten too. Why not? They were about to die anyway. Why not? At the entrance to the gas-chambers, undoubtedly. ABRAHAM BOMBA - lSRAEL - ln the ''funnel'', the women had to wait. They heard the motors of the gas-chamber. Maybe they also heard people screaming and imploring. As they waited, ''death-panic'' overwhelmed them. ''Death-panic'' makes people let go. They empty themselves, from the front of the rear. So often, where the women stood, there were or rows of excrement. They stood? They could squat or do it standing. l didn't see them do it. l only saw the feces. Only women? Not the men, only the women. The men were chased through the ''funnel''. The women had to wait until a gas-chamber was empty. And the men? No, they were whipped in first. You understand? The men were always first? Yes, they always went first. They didn't have to wait. They weren't given time to wait, no. And this ''death-panic''... When this ''death-panic'' sets in, one lets go. lt's well-known when someone's terrified, and knows he's about to die. lt can happen in bed. My mother was kneeling by her bed. Your mother? Yes. Then there was a big pile. That's a fact. lt's been medically proved. Since you wanted to know : as soon as they were unloaded, if they'd been loaded in Warsaw, or elsewhere, they'd already been beaten. Beaten hard, worse than in Treblinka, l can assure you. Then during the train journey, standing in cars, no toilets, nothing, hardly any water. Fear. Then the doors opened and it started again, ''Bremze, bremze!'' ''Czipsze, czipsze!'' l can't pronounce it : l have false teeth. lt's Polish. ''Bremze'' or ''czipsze''. What does ''bremze'' mean? lt's a Ukrainian word. lt means ''faster''. Again the chase... a hail of whiplashes. The SS man Kuttner's whip was this long. Women to the left, men to the right. And always more blows. No respite? None. Go in there, strip. Hurry, hurry! Always running. Always running. Running and screaming. That's how they were finished off. That was the technique. Yes, the technique. You must remember : it had to go fast. And the Blue Squad also had the task of leading the sick and the aged... To the ''infirmary'', so as not to delay the flow of the people to the gas-chambers. Old people would have slowed it down. Assignment to the ''infirmary'' was decided by Germans. The Jews of the Blue Squad only implemented the decision : leading the people there, or carrying them on stretchers. Old women, sick children, children whose mother was sick, or whose grandmother was very old, were sent along with the grandma because she didn't know about the ''infirmary''. lt had a white flag with a red cross. A passage led to it. Until they reached the end, they saw nothing. Then they'd see the dead in the pit. They were forced to strip, to sit on a sandbank, and were killed with a shot in the neck. They fell into the pit. There was always a fire in the pit. With rubbish, paper and gasoline, people burn very well. RlCHARD GLAZAR - S WlTZERLAN D - The ''infirmary'' was a narrow site very close to the ramp to which the aged were led. l had to do this too. This execution site wasn't covered, just an open place with the roof, but screened by a fence, so no one could see in. The way in was a narrow passage, very short, but somewhat similar to the ''funnel''. A sort of tiny labyrinth. ln the middle of it, there was a pit. And to the left as one came in, there was a little booth, with a kind of wooden plank in it, like a springboard. lf people were too weak to stand on it, they'd have to sit on it, and then, as the saying went in Treblinka jargon, SS man Miete would ''cure each one ''with a single pill'' : a shot in the neck. ln the peak periods, that happened daily. ln those days, the pit... and it was at least to feet deep... was full of corpses. There were also cases of children who for some reason arrived alone or got separated from their parents. These children were led to the ''infirmary'' and shot there. The ''infirmary'' was also for us, the Treblinka slaves, the last stop. Not the gas-chamber. We always ended up in the ''infirmary''. AUSCHWITZ today. The sorting station. RUDOLF VRBA Su rv ivor of AU SC HWlTZ Before each gassing operation, the SS took sterned precautions. The crematorium was ringed with the SS men. Many SS men patrolled the court with dogs and machine-guns. To the right were the steps that led underground to the ''undressing room''. ln Birkenau, there were crematoria, crematorium ll, lll and lV, V. Crematorium ll was similar to lll. ln ll and lll, the ''undressing room'' and the gas-chambers were underground. A large ''undressing room'' of about square feet and a large gas-chamber where one could gas up to people at a time. Crematorium lV and V were of a different type in that they weren't located underground. Everything was at ground level. ln lV and V, there were gas-chambers with a total capacity of at most to people at a time. AU SC HWlTZ Museum Model of crematoriums ll and lll E lev ators hoisted bod ies to the ovens Crematorium ll and lll had ovens each. Crematorium lV and V had ovens each. As people reached the crematorium, they saw everything this horribly violent scene. The whole area was ringed with SS men. Dogs barked. Machine-guns. They all, mainly the Polish Jews, had misgivings. They knew something was seriously amiss. But one of them had the faintest of notions that in or hours they'd be reduced to ashes. When they reached the ''undressing room'', they saw that it looked like an lnternational lnformation Center! On the walls were hooks and each hook had a number. Beneath the hooks were wooden benches. So people could undress ''more comfortably'', it was said. And on the numerous pillars that held up this underground ''undressing room'', there were signs with slogan in several languages : ''Clean is good!'' ''Lice can kill!'' ''Wash yourself!'' ''To the disinfection area.'' All those signs were only there to lure people into the gas-chambers already undress. And to the left, at a right-angle, was the gas-chamber with its massive door. C rematorium lll : the und ressing room The gas chamber ln Crematoria ll and lll, Zyklon gas cystals were poured in by a so-called ''SS-disinfection squad'', through the ceiling, and in Crematoria lV and V through side openings. With or cannisters of gas, they could kill around people. This so-called ''disinfection squad'' arrived in a truck marked with a red-cross and escorted people along to make them believe they were being led to take a bath. But the red-cross was only a mark to hide the cannisters of Zyklon gas and the hammers to open them. The gas took about to minutes to kill. The most horrible thing was, once the doors of the gas- chambers were opened... the unbearable sight. People were packed together like basalt, like block of stone. How they tumbled out of the gas-chamber? l saw that several times. That was the toughest thing to take. You could never get used to that. lt was impossible. C rematorium lV. lmpossible Yes. You see, once the gas was poured in, it worked like this : it rose from the ground upwards. And in the terrible struggle that followed, because it was struggle. The lights were switched off in the gas-chambers. lt was dark, no one could see. So the strongest people tried to climb higher. Because they probably realized that the higher they got, the more air there was. They could breathe better. That caused the struggle. Secondly, most people tried to push their way to the door. lt was psychological : they knew where the door was, so maybe they could force their way. lt was instinctive a death struggle. Which is my children... and weaker people, and the aged, always wound up at the bottom. The strongest were on top. Because in the death struggle... a father didn't realize his son lay beneath him. And when the doors were opened? They fell out. People fell out like blocks of stone, like rocks falling out of a truck. But near the Zyklon gas, there was a void. There was no one where the gas crystals went in. An empty space. Probably the victims realized that the gas worked strongest there. And the people were...? The people were battered. They struggled and fought in the darkness. They were covered in excrement, in blood, from ears and noses. One also sometimes saw that the people lying on the ground, because of the pressure of the others, were unrecognizable. Children had their skulls crushed. Yes. How? lt was awful. Vomit. Blood from the ears and noses. Probably even menstrual fluid... sure of it. There was everything in that struggle for life that death struggle. lt was terrible to see. That was the toughest part. FlLlP MU LLER, C zech Jew, su rv ivor of the liqu idations of the AU SC HWlTZ ''special detail'' lt was pointless to tell the truth to anyone who crossed the threshold of the crematorium. You couldn't save anyone there. lt was impossible to save people. One day, in when l was already in Crematorium V, when l was already in Crematorium V, a train from Byalistock arrived. A prisoner on the ''special detail'' saw a woman in the ''undressing room'', who was the wife of a friend of his. He came right out and told her : ''You are going to be exterminated. ''ln hours you'll be ashes''. The woman believed him because she knew him. She ran all over and warned to the other women. ''We're going to be killed. ''We're going to be gassed''. Mothers carrying their children on their shoulders, didn't want to hear that. They decided the woman was crazy. They chased her away. So she went to the men. To no avail. Not that they didn't believe her. They'd heard rumors in the Byalistock ghetto, or in Grodno, and elsewhere. But who wanted to hear that! When she saw that no one would listen, she scratched her whole face. Out of despair. ln shock. Ans she started to scream. So what happened? Everyone was gassed. The woman was held back. We had to line up in front of the oven. First they tortured her horribly, because she wouldn't betray him. ln the end, she pointed to him. He was taken out of the line and thrown alive into the oven. We were told : ''Whoever tell anything will end like that!'' We, in the ''special detail'', kept trying to figure out if there was a way we could tell people to inform them. But our experience, in several instances, where we were able to tell people, showed that it was of no use. That it made their last moments even harder to bear. At most, we thought it might help... Jews from Poland, or Jews from Theresienstdat (the Czech family camp), who'd already spent months in Birkenau, we thought it might have been of use in such cases to tell people. But imagine what it was like in other cases : Jews from Greece, from from Hungary, from Corfu who'd been traveling for or days, starving, without water for days dying of thirst, they were half-crazed when they arrived. They were dealt with differently. They were only told : ''Get undressed, you'll soon get a mug of tea.'' These people were in such a state because they'd been traveling so long, that their only thought was to quench their thirst. And the SS executioners knew that very well. lt was all preprogrammed a calculated part of the extermination process that if people were so weak, and weren't given something to drink, they'd rush into the gas-chamber. But in fact, all these people were already being exterminated before reaching the gas-chambers. Think of the children. They begged their mothers, screaming : ''Mother, please, water, water!'' The adults, too, who'd spent days without water, had the same obsession. lnforming those people was quite pointless. C ORFU MOSHE MORDO These are my nephews. They burned them in Birkenau. Two of my brother's kids. They took them to the crematorium with their Mom. They were all burned in Birkenau. My brother. He was sick, and they put him in the oven, in the crematorium, and burned him. That was at Birkenau. The oldest boy was the second was . Two more kids ''kaput'' with their Mom. Yes, children l lost. Your father too? My Dad, him too. How old was your father? Dad was years old. He was years old and he died in Auschwitz. Auschwitz, that's right. and he died at Birkenau. My father. Your father made the whole trip. The whole family died. First the gas-chamber, then the crematorium. On Friday morning, June members of the Corfu Jewish community came, very frightened, and reported to the Germans. This square was full of Gestapo men and police, and we went forward. There were even traitors, the Recanati brothers, Athens Jews. After the war they were sentenced to life imprisonment. But they're already free. We were ordered to go forward. By the street? Yes, by this street. How many of you were there? Exactly , . Quite a crowd? A lot of people. Christians stopped there. Christians, that's right. And they saw. Where were the Christians? At the street corner? Yes. And on the balconies. After we gathered here, Gestapo men with machine-guns came up behind us. What time was it? lt was a.m. ln the morning. A fine day? Yes, the day was fine. o'clock in the morning. , . That's a lot of people in the street. People gathered. The Christians heard the Jews were being rounded up. Why'd they come? To see the show. Let's hope it never happens again. Were you scared? Very scared. There were young people, sick people, little children, the old, the crazy, and so on. When we saw they'd even brought the insane, even the sick from the survival we were frightened for the survival of the whole community. What were you told? That we were to appear here at the fort to be taken to work in Germany. Poland. Poland, that's right. The Germans had put up a proclamation on all the walls in Corfu. lt said all Jews had to report. And now that we were all rounded up, life would be without us in Greece. lt was signed by the police chiefs, by officials. and by the mayors. That it's better without Jews? Yes. We found out after we came back, right? Was Corfu antisemitic? Corfu's always had antisemitism? lt existed, sure, but it wasn't so strong in the years just before that. Why not? Because they didn't think like that against the Jews. ARMANDO AARON P resident of the Corfu Jewish commun ity And now? Now we're free. How do you get on with the Christians now? Very well. What'd he say? He asked me what you said. He agrees our relations with the Christians are very good. Did all the Jews live in the ghetto? Most of them. What happened after the Jews left? They took all our possession all the gold we had with us. They took the keys to our houses and stole everything. To whom was all this given? Who stole it all? By law, it was to go to the Greek government. But the state got only a small part of it. The rest was stolen, usurped. By whom? By everybody, and by the Germans. Of the , people deported around were saved. % of them died. Was it a long trip from Corfu to Auschwitz? We were arrested here on June and finally arrived June . Most were burned on the night of the th. lt lasted from June to ? We stayed here for around days. Here in the fort. No one dared escape and leaved his father, mother, brothers. Our solidarity was on religious and family grounds. The first group left on June . l went with the nd convoy on June . What kind of a boat were you on? A zattera. That's a boat made of barrels and planks. lt was towed by a small boat with Germans in it. On our boat there were , or guards, not many Germans, but we were terrified. You can understand, terror is the best of guards. What the journey like? Terrible! Terrible! No water, nothing to eat. cars that were good for only animals, all of us standing up. A lot of us died. Later they put the dead in another car in quicklime. They burned them in Auschwitz, too. Next figu re : WALTER STlER Ex-member of the Nazi party Former head, Reich Railway s, Bu reau (''Railroads of the Reich'') You never saw a train? No, never. We had so much work, l never left my desk. We worked day and night. ''G.E.D.O.B.'' ''GEDOB'' means ''Head office of Eastbound Traffic''. ln Jan. l was assigned to GEDOB Krakow. ln mid- l was moved to Warsaw. l was made chief traffic planner. Chief of the Traffic planning office. But your duties were the same before and after ? The only change : l was promoted head of the department. What were your specific duties at GEDOB in Poland during the war? The work was barely different from the work in Germany : preparing timetables, coordinating the movement of special trains with regular trains. There were several departments? Yes. Department was in charge of special trains and regular trains. The special trains were handled by Dept. . You were always in the Dept. of special trains? Yes. What's the difference between a special and a regular train? A regular train maybe used by anyone who purchases a ticket. Say from Krakow to Warsaw. Or from Krakow to Lemberg. A special train has to be ordered. The train is specially put together and people pay group fares. Are there still special trains now? Of course. Just as there were then. For group vacations you can organize a special train? Yes, for instance, for immigrant workers returning home for the holidays special trains are scheduled. Or else one couldn't handle the traffic. You said after the war you handled trains for visiting dignitaries. After the war, yes. lf a king visits Germany by train that's a special train? That's a special train. But the procedure isn't the same as for special trains for group tours, and so on. State visits are handled by the Foreign Service. Right. May l ask you another question? Why were there more special trains during the war, than before or after? l see what you're getting at. You're referring to the so-called ''Resettlement trains''. ''Resettlement''. That's it. That's what they were called. Those trains were ordered by the Ministry of Transport of the Reich. You needed an order from the Ministry of Transport of the Reich - ln Berlin? - Correct. And as for the implementation of those orders, the Head Office of Eastbound Traffic in Berlin dealt with it. Yes, l understand. - ls that clear? - Perfectly. But mostly, at that time, who was being ''resettled''? No! We didn't know that. Only when we were fleeing from Warsaw ourselves, did we learn that they could have been Jews or criminals or similar people? Jews, criminals? Criminals. All kinds. Special trains for criminals? No, that was just an expression. You couldn't talk about that. Unless you were tired of life, it was best not to mention that. But you knew that the trains to Treblinka or Auschwitz were... Of course we knew. l was the last district : without me, these trains couldn't reach their destination. For instance a train that started in Essen, had to go through the district of Wuppertal, Hannover, Magdeburg, Berlin, Frankfurt/Oder, Posen, Warsaw, etc. So l had to. Did you know that Treblinka meant extermination? Of course not! You didn't know? Good God, no! How could we know? l never went to Treblinka. l stayed in Krakow, in Warsaw, glued to my desk. You were a... l was strictly a bureaucrat! l see. But it's astonishing that people in the department of special trains never knew about the ''final solution''. We were at war. Because there were others who worked for the railroads who knew. Like the train conductors. Yes, they saw it. They did. But as to what happened, l didn't. What was Treblinka for you? Treblinka or Auschwitz? Yes, for us Treblinka, Belzec, and all that, were concentration camps. A destination. Yes, that's all. But not death. No, no. People were put up there. For instance, for a train coming Essen or Cologne, or elsewhere, room had to be made for them there. Whith the war and the allies advancing everywhere, those people had to be concentrated in camps. When exactly did you find out? Well, when the word got around, when it was whispered. lt was never said outright. Good God, no! They'd have hauled you off at once! We heard things... Rumors? That's it, rumors. During the war? Towards the end of the war. Not in ? No! Good God, no! Not a word! Towards the end of maybe. End of ? Not before? What did you...? lt was said that people were being sent to camps, and those who weren't in good healt probably wouldn't survive. Extermination came to you as a big surprise? Completely. Yes. You had no idea. Not the slightest. Like that camp, what was its name...? lt was in the Oppeln district. l've got it : Auschwitz! Yes. Auschwitz was in the Oppeln district. Right. Auschwitz wasn't far from Krakow. That's true. We never heard a word about that. Auschwitz to Krakow is miles. That's noy very far. And we knew nothing. Not a clue. But you knew that the Nazis... That Hitler didn't like the Jews. That we did. lt was well-known, it apparead in print. lt was no secret. But as to their extermination, that was news to us. l mean, even today people deny it. They say there couldn't have been so many Jews. ls it true? l don't know. That's what they say. Anyway what was done was an outrage. What? The extermination. Everyone condemns it. Every decent person. But as for knowing about it, we didn't. The Poles, for instance. The Polish people knew everything. That not surprising, Dr. Sorel. They lived nearby, they heard, they talked. And they didn't have to keep quiet. TREBLlNKA - the station The ''special detail'''s life depended on the trainloads due for extermination. When a lot of them came in, the ''special detail'' was enlarged. They couldn't do without the detail, so there was no weeding-out. OSWlEClM (AUSCHWlTZ) the station today. But when there were fewer trainloads, it meant immediate extermination for us. We, in the ''special detail'', knew that a lack of trains would lead to our liquidation. - FlLlP MULLER - The ''special detail'' lived in a crisis situation . Every day, we saw thousands and thousands of innocent people disappear up the chimney. With our own eyes, we could truly fathom what it means to be a human being. There they came, men, women, children, all innocent. They suddenly vanished, and the world said nothing! We felt abandoned. By the world, by humanity. But the situation taught us fully what the possibility of survival meant. For we could gauge the infinite value of human life. And we were convinced that hope lingers in man as long as he lives. Where there's life, hope must never be relinquished. That's why we struggled through our lives of hardship, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, hoping against hope to survive, to escape that hell. At that time, in January, February, March, hardly any trains arrived. Was Treblinka glum without the trains? l wouldn't say the Jews were glum. They became so when they realized... l'll come to that later, it's a story in itself. Yes, l know. The Jews, those in the work squads, thought at first that they'd survive. But in January, when they stopped receiving food, for Wirth had decreed that there were too many of them, there were a good to of them in Camp l. Up there? Yes. To keep them from rebelling, they weren't shot or gassed, but starved. Then an epidemic broke out, a kind of typhus. The Jews stopped believing they'd make it. They were left to die. They dropped like flies. lt was all over. FRANZ SUCHOMEL They'd stopped believing. lt was all very well to say... We kept on insisting : ''You're going to live!'' We almost believed it ourselves. lf you lie enough, you believe your own lies. Yes. But they replied to me : ''No, chief, we're just reprieved corpses''. The ''dead season'', as it was called began in February after the big trainloads came in from Grodno and Bialystok. Absolute quiet. lt quieted in late January, February and into March. Nothing. Not one trainload. The whole camp was empty, and suddenly, everywhere, there was hunger. lt kept increasing. And one day when the famine was at its peak, Oberscharfuhrer Kurt Franz appeared before us and told us : ''The trains will be coming in again, starting tomorrow.'' We didn't say anything. We just looked at each other, and each of us thought, ''Tomorrow ''the hunger will end.'' At that period, we were actively planning the rebellion. We all wanted to survive until the rebellion. The trainloads came from an assembly camp in Salonika. They'd brought in Jews from Bulgaria, Macedonia. These were rich people : the passenger cars bulged with possessions. Then an awful feeling gripped us, all of us, my companions as well as myself, a feeling of helplessness, of shame. For the threw ourselves on their food. A detail brought a crate full of crackers, another full of jam. They deliberately dropped the crates, falling over each other, filling their mouths with crackers and jam. The trainloads from the Balkans brought us to a terrible realization : RlCHARD GLAZAR we were the workers in the Treblinka factory, and our lives depended on the whole manufacturing process, that is, the slaughtering process at Treblinka. This realization came suddenly with the fresh trainloads? Maybe it wasn't so sudden, but it was only with the Balkans trainloads that it became so stark to us, unadorned. Why? people, probably with not a sick person among them, not an invalid, all healthy and robust! l recall our watching them from our barracks. They were already naked, milling among their baggage. And David. David Bratt. said to me : ''Maccabbees! ''The Maccabees have arrived in Treblinka!'' Sturdy, physically strong people, unlike the others. Fighters! Yes, they could have been fighters. lt was staggering for us, for these men and women, all splendid, were wholly unaware of what was in store for them. Wholly unaware. Never before had things gone so smoothly and quickly. Never. We felt ashamed, and also that this couldn't go on, that something had to happen. Not just a few people acting but all of us. The idea was almost ripe back in November . Beginning in November ' we'd noticed that we were being ''spared'', in quotes. We noticed it and we also learned that Stangl, the commandant, wanted, for efficiency's sake, to hang on to men who were already trained specialists in the various sorters, corpse-haulers, barbers who cut the women's hair, and so on. This in fact is what later gave us the chance to prepare to organize the uprising. We had a plan worked out in January code-named ''The Time''. At a set time, we were to attack the SS everywhere, seize their weapons and attack the Kommandantur. But we couldn't do it because things were at a standstill in the camp, and because typhus had already broken out. ln the fall of when it was clear to all of us that no one would help us unless we helped ourselves, a key question faced us all : for us in the ''special detail'', was there any chance to halt this wave of extermination and still save our lives? We could see only one : armed rebellion. We thought that if we could get hold of a few weapons and secure the participation of all the inmates throughout the camp, there was a chance of success. That was the essential thing That's why our liaison men contacted the leaders of the Resistance movement, first in Birkenau, then in Auschwitz l, so the revolt could be coordinated everywhere. FlLlP MULLER The answer came that the Resistance command in Auschwitz l agreed with our plan and would join with us. Unfortunately, among the Resistance leaders there were very few Jews. Most were political prisoners whose lives weren't at stake, and for whom each day of life lived through increased their chances of survival. For us in the ''special detail'', it was the opposite. RUDOLF VRBA AUSCHWITZ - BIRKENAU RUTH ELIAS (ISRAEL) C rematorium V At the end of February, l was in a night squad at Crematorium V. Around midnight, there appeared a man from the political section : Oberscharfuhrer Hustek. He handed Oberscharfuhrer Voss a note. Voss was then in charge of the crematoria. l saw Voss unfold the note and talk to himself, saying, ''Sure, always Voss. ''What'd they do without Voss? How can we do it?'' That's how he talked to himself. Suddenly he told me, ''Go get the kapos''. l fetched the kapos, kapo Schloime, and kapo Wacek. They came in, and he asked them : ''How many pieces are left?'' By ''pieces'' he meant bodies. They told him : ''Around pieces.'' He said : ''By morning, those pieces must be ''reduced to ashes. ''You're sure it's ?'' ''Just about'', they said. ''Assholes! What do you mean ''just about''?'' Then he left for the ''undressing room'' to see for himself. Where the bodies were. They were piled there : at Crematorium V, the ''Undressing room'' also serve as a warehouse for bodies After the gassing? After the gassing the bodies were dragged there. Voss went there to check. He forgot the note leaving it on the table. l quickly scanned it and was shocked by what l read. BlRKENAU The lake of ashes The crematorium was to be gotten ready for ''special treatment'' of the Czech family camp. ln the morning, when the day squad came on, l ran into kapo Kaminski, one of the Resistance leaders in the ''special detail'' and told him the news. He informed me that Crematorium ll was also being prepared. That the ovens were ready there, too. And he exhorted me : ''You have friends and fellow-countrymen. ''Go see them. They're locksmiths and can move around ''so they can go to Camp B ll B. ''Tell them to warn these people ''of what's in store for them ''and say that if they defend themselves, we'll reduce ''the crematoria to ashes. ''And at camp B ll B, they can immediately ''burn down their barracks.'' We were certain that the next night, these people would be gassed. But when no night squad went out, we were relieved. The deadline had been postponed for a few days. But many prisoners, including the Czechs in the family camp, accused us of spreading panic of having circulated false reports. That night l was at Crematorium ll. As soon as the people got out of the vans, they were blinded by floodlights and forced through a corridor to the stairs leading to the ''undressing room''. They were blinded, made to run. Blows were rained on them. Those who didn't run fast enough were beaten to death. by the SS. The violence used against them was extraordinary. And suddenly... Without explanation? Not a word. As soon as they left the vans, the beatings began. When they entered the ''undressing room'', l was standing near the rear door, and from there l witnessed the frightful scene. The people were bloodied. They knew then where they were. They stared at the pillars of the so-called ''lnternational lnformation Center'' l've mentioned, and that terrified them. What they read didn't reassure them. On the contrary, it panicked them. They knew the score. They'd learned at Camp B ll B what went on there. They were in despair. Children clung to each other. Their mothers, their parents, the old people all cried, overcome with misery. Suddenly, some SS officers appeared on the steps, including the camp commandant, Schwarzhuber. He'd given them his word as an SS officer that they'd be transferred to Heidebreck. So they all began to cry out, to beg, shouting : ''Heidebreck was a trick! ''We were lied to! We want to live! We want to work!'' They looked their SS executioners in the eye, but the SS men remained impassive, just staring at them. There was a movement in the crowd. They probably wanted to rush to the SS men and tell them how they'd been lied to, then some guards surged forward, wielding clubs, and more people were injured. ln the ''undressing room''? Yes. The violence climaxed when they tried to force the people to undress. A few obeyed, only a handful. Most of them refused to follow the order. Suddenly, as though in chorus like a chorus.... they all began to sing. The whole ''undressing room'' rang with the Czech national anthem, and the ''Hatikva''. That moved me terribly, that... Please stop! That was happening to my countrymen, and l realized that my life had become meaningless. Why go on living? For what? So l went into the gas-chamber with them, resolved to die. With them. Suddenly, some who recognize me came up to me. For my locksmith friends and l had sometimes gone into the family camp. A small group of women approached. They looked at me and said right there in the gas-chamber. You were inside the gas-chamber? One of them said : ''So you want to die. But that's senseless. ''Your death won't give us back our lives. ''That's no way. ''You must get out of here alive, ''you must bear witness to our suffering, ''and to the injustice done to us.'' RUDOLF VRBA and h is friend WETZLER escaped on april . Several prisonners had prev iously tried to flee, but all were caugh t. JAN KARSKY, University Professor (USA) Former courier of the Polish Government in exile NEW YORK WASHINGTON The RUHR AUSCHWITZ - BIRKENAU WARSAW WARSAW Next figure : Dr FRANZ GRASSLER, deputy to AUERSWALD, the Nazi Commissioner of the WARSAW ghetto. You don't remember those days? Not much. l recall more clearly my pre-war mountaineering trips than the entire war period and those days in Warsaw. All in all, those were bad times. lt's a fact : we tend to forget, thank God, the bad times more easily than the good. The bad times are repressed. l'll help you remember... ln Warsaw you were Dr. Auerswald's deputy. Yes. Dr. Auerswald was... Commissioner of the ''Jewish district'' of Warsaw. Dr. Grassler, this is Czerniakow's diary. You're mentioned in it. lt's been printed, it exists? He kept a diary that was recently published. He wrote on July : July ? That's the first time l've re-learned a date. May l take notes? After all... it interests me too. So in July l was already there! He wrote on July : ''Morning in the Community'' -- the Jewish Council HQ -- ''and later with Auerswald, Schlosser...'' Schlosser was... ''And Grassler, ''on routine matters.'' That's the first time... That my name is mentioned... Yes, but there were of us. Schlosser... was in... the ''economic department''. l think he had to do with economics. And the second time was on July . C ZERN lAKOW was president of the Warsaw Jewish Council He wrote every day? Yes. Yes, every day. lt's quite amazing that the diary was saved. lt's amazing that it was saved. BURLlNGTON - VERMONT (U.S.A.) RAUL HlLBERG Did you go into the ghetto? Seldom. When l had to visit Czerniakow. What were the conditions like? Awful. Yes, appalling. Yes? l never went back when l saw what it was like. Unless l had to : in the whole period l think l only went once or twice. We, at the Commission, tried to maintain the ghetto for its labor force, and especially to prevent epidemic, like typhus. That was the big danger. Yes. Yes? Can you tell us about typhus? l'm not a doctor. l only know that typhus is a very dangerous epidemic that wipes people out like the plague, and that it can't be confined to a ghetto. lf typhus had broken out -- l don't think it did, but there was fear that if might -- it would have it the Poles and the Germans. Why was there typhus in the ghetto? l don't know if there was, but there was a danger, because of the famine. People didn't get enough to eat. That's what was so awful. We at the Commission, did our best to feed the ghetto, so it wouldn't become an incubator of epidemics. Aside from humanitarian factors, that's what mattered. lf typhus had broken out -- and it didn't -- it wouldn't have stopped at the ghetto. Czerniakow also wrote : that one of the reasons the ghetto was walled in was because of this German fear. Yes, absolutely! Fear of typhus. He says Germans always associated Jews with typhus. Maybe. l'm not sure if there were grounds for it. But imagine that mass of people packed in the ghetto... There weren't only the Warsaw Jews, but others who came later. The danger kept on growing. The Germans had a policy on the Warsaw ghetto. What was that policy? You're asking more than l know. The policy that wound up with extermination, the Final Solution... we knew nothing about it. Our job was to maintain the ghetto, and try to preserve the Jews as a work force. The Commission's goal, in fact, was very different from the one that later led to extermination. Yes, but do you know how many people died in the ghetto each month in ? l don't know now... if l ever knew it. But you did know. There are exact figures. l probably knew... Yes : a month. a month? Yes, well... That's a lot. That's a lot, of course. But there were far too many people in the ghetto. That was it. Far too many. Far too many. My question is philosophical. What does a ghetto mean, in your opinion? History's full of ghettos, going back centuries, for all l know. Persecution of the Jews wasn't a German invention, and it didn't start with World War ll. The Poles persecuted them too. But a ghetto like Warsaw's, in a great capital, in the heart of the city that was unusual. You say you wanted to maintain the ghetto. Our mission wasn't to annihilate the ghetto, but to keep it alive, to maintain it. What does ''alive'' mean in such That was the problem. That was the whole problem... But people were dying in the streets. There were bodies everywhere. Yes. That was the paradox. You see it as a paradox? l'm sure of it. Why? Can you explain? No. Why not? Explain what? But the fact is... Jews were being exterminated daily in the ghetto. Czerniakow wrote... To maintain it properly we'd have needed more substantial rations, and less crowding. Why weren't the rations more humane? Why weren't they? That was a German decision, no? There was no real decision to starve the ghetto. The big decision to exterminate came much later. That's right, later. ln . Precisely! years later. Just so. Our mission, as l recall it, was to manage the ghetto, and, naturally, with those inadequate rations, and the overcrowding, a high, even excessive, death rate was inevitable. Yes. What does ''maintain'' the ghetto mean in such condition... the food, sanitation, etc.? What would the Jews do against such measures? They couldn't do anything. The Final Solution Conference was held here BELZEC - S ite of the exterm ination camp Why did Czerniakow commit suicide? Because he realized there was no future for the ghetto. He probably saw before l did that the Jews would be killed. l suppose the Jews already had their excellent secret services. They were too well informed, better than we were. Think so? Yes, l do. The Jews knew more than you? l'm convinced of it! lt's hard to believe. The German administration was never informed of what would happened to the Jews. When was the first deportation to Treblinka? Before Auerswald's suicide, l think. Auerswald's? l mean Czerniakow's. Sorry. July . Those are dates... So the deportations began July . Yes. To... Treblinka. And Czerniakow killed himself July . Yes, that is... The next day. The next day. So that was it, he'd realized that his idea... lt was his idea, l think of working in good faith with the Germans, in the Jews' best interests. He'd realized this idea, this dream, was destroyed. That the idea was a dream. Yes. And when the dream faded, he took the logical way out. Did you think this idea of a ghetto was a good one? A sort of self-management, right? That's right. A mini-State? lt worked well. But it was self-management for death, no? We know that now. But at the time... Even then! No! Czerniakow wrote : ''We're puppets, we have no power''. Yes. No power. Sure... that was... You Germans were the overlords. Yes. The overlords. The masters. Obviously. Czerniakow was merely a tool. Yes, but a good tool. Jewish self-management worked well, l can tell you. lt worked well for years, , ... / years... and in the end... ln the end... ''Worked well'' for what? To what end? For self-preservation. No! For death! Yes, but... Self-management, self-preservation... That's easy to say now. You admitted the conditions were inhuman. Atrocious... horrible! Yes. So it was clear even then... No! Extermination wasn't clear. Now we see the result. Extermination isn't so simple. One step was taken, then another, and another, and another... Yes. But to understand the process, one must... l repeat : extermination did not take place in the ghetto, not at first. Only with the evacuations. Evacuations? The evacuations to Treblinka. The ghetto could have been wiped out with weapons, as was finally done, after the rebellion. After l'd left. But at the start... Mr. Lanzmann, this is getting us nowhere. We're reaching no new conclusions. l don't think we can. l didn't know then what l know now. You weren't a nonentity. But l was! You were important. You overestimate my role. No. You were nd to the Commissioner of the Warsaw ''Jewish district''. But l had no power. lt was something. You were part of the vast German power structure. Correct. But a small part. You overestimate the authority of a deputy of then. - You were . - . At you were... you were mature. Yes, but for a lawyer who got his degree at it's just a beginning. You had a doctorate. The title proves nothing. Did Auerswald have one too? No. But the title's irrelevant. Doctor of Law... What did you do after the war? l was with a moutaineering publishing house. That so? l wrote and published mountain guide books. l published a climbers' magazine. ls climbing your main interest? Yes. The mountains, the air... Yes. The sun, the pure air... Not like the ghetto air. N EW YORK. GERTRU DE SC H N ElDER and her mother. LOHAME HAGHETTAOT KlBBUTZ MUSEUM. Ghetto fighters' Kibbutz -- lSRAEL. The Jewish Combat Organization J.C.O. in the Warsaw ghetto was officially formed on July . After the first mass deportation to Treblinka, wich was interrupted on Sept. some Jews remained in the ghetto. On January the deportations were resumed. Despite a severe lack of weapons, the members of the J.C.O. called for resistance, and started fighting, to the Germans' total surprise. lt lasted days. The Nazis withdrew with losses, abandoning weapons the Jews grabbed. The deportations were stopped. The Germans now knew they had to fight to conquer the ghetto. The battle began on the evening of April the eve of Pessach Passover. lt had to be a fight to as the death. SlMHA ROTTEM, know as ''Kajik''. lTZHAK ZUCKERMANN, know as ''Antek'', nd in command of the J.C.O. l began drinking after the war. lt was very difficult. Claude, you asked for my impression. lf you could lick my heart, it would poison you. At the request of Mordechai Anielewicz, commander-in-chief of the J.C.O., Antek had left the ghetto days before the German attack. His mission : to ask Polish Resistance leaders to arm the Jews. They refused. l don't think the human tongue can describe the horror we went through in the ghetto. ln the streets, if you can call them that, for nothing was left of the streets, we had to step over heaps of corpses. There was no room to pass beside them. Besides fighting the Germans we fought hunger and thirst. We had no contact with the outside world, we were completely isolated, cut off from the world. We were in such a state that we could no longer understand the very meaning of why we went on fighting. We thought of attempting a break-out to the Aryan part of Warsaw, outside the ghetto. Just before May l, Sigmund and l were sent to try to contact Antek in Aryan Warsaw. We found a tunnel under Bonifratrska Street that led out into Aryan Warsaw. Early in the morning, we suddenly emerged into a street in broad daylight. lmagine us on that sunny May , stunned to find ourselves in the street, among normal people. We'd come from another planet. People immediately jumped on us because we certainly looked exhausted, skinny, in rags. Around the ghetto, there were always suspicious Poles who grabbed Jews. By a miracle, we escaped them. ln Aryan Warsaw, life went on as naturally and normally as before. The cafés operated normally, the restaurants, buses, streetcars... The movies were open. The ghetto was an isolated island amid normal life. Our job was to contact ltzhak Zuckermann to try to mount a rescue operation, to try to save the few fighters who might still be alive in the ghetto. We managed to contact Zuckermann. We found two sewer workers. On the night of May - we decided to return to the ghetto with another buddy, Riszek, and the sewers. After the curfew, we entered the sewers. We were entirely at the mercy of the two workmen, since only they knew the ghetto's underground layout. Halfway there, they decided to turn back, they tried to drop us, and we had to threaten them with our guns. We went on through the sewers, until one of the workmen told us we were under the ghetto. Riszek guarded them so they couldn't escape. MlLA . J.C.O bun ker headquarters l raised the manhole cover to go up into the ghetto. At bunker Mila l missed them by a day. l had returned the night of May - . The Germans found the bunker on the morning of the th. WARS AW the monument to the ghetto figh ters Most of its survivors committed suicide, or succumbed to gas in the bunkers. The replica of the monument to the ghetto figh ters l went to bunker Francziskanska . There was no answer when l yelled the password, so l had to go on through the ghetto. l suddenly heard a woman calling from the ruins. lt was darkest night, no lights, you saw nothing. All the houses were in ruins and l heard only one voice. l thought some evil spell had been cast on me, a woman's voice talking from the rubble. l circled the ruins. l didn't look at my watch, but l must have spent a half-hour exploring, trying to find the woman whose voice guided me, but, unfortunately, l didn't find her. Were there fires? Strictly speaking, no, for the flames had died down, but there was still smoke, and that awful smell of charred flesh of people who had surely been burned alive. l continued on my way, going to other bunkers in search of fighting units, but it was the same everywhere. l'd give the password : ''Jan''. That's a Polish first name, Jan. Right. And l got no answer. l went from bunker to bunker and after walking for hours in the ghetto, l went back toward the sewers. Was he alone then? Yes, l was alone all the time. Except for that woman's voice, and a man l met as l came out of the sewers, l was alone throughout my tour of the ghetto. l didn't meet a living soul. At one point, l recall feeling a kind of peace, of serenity, when l said to myself, ''l'm the last Jew. ''l'll wait for morning and for the Germans.'' Special help by SergeiK Hudson, The Helmetless. Formerly Of: 41st Elite Corps & Green Company, Coruscant Guard, 327th Star Corps, Galactic Marines, Special Operations, 187th Legion, Defense and Recon Regimental Commander, 212th Attack Battalion, RANCOR, and for Jedi General Quinlan Vos and Jedi Advisor Shaak Ti. Link to comment
Raven Stark Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 "I'll wait for morning, and for the Gamers" Link to comment
Banjans Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 Scrolling through this on a phone is complete hell lmao Link to comment
Fizzik Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 Hudson wtf Rule-maker and rule-breaker. Link to comment
IKE Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 ACT I PROLOGUE Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. SCENE I. Verona. A public place. Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY, of the house of Capulet, armed with swords and bucklers SAMPSON Gregory, o' my word, we'll not carry coals. GREGORY No, for then we should be colliers. SAMPSON I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw. GREGORY Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar. SAMPSON I strike quickly, being moved. GREGORY But thou art not quickly moved to strike. SAMPSON A dog of the house of Montague moves me. GREGORY To move is to stir; and to be valiant is to stand: therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn'st away. SAMPSON A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's. GREGORY That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall. SAMPSON True; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall. GREGORY The quarrel is between our masters and us their men. SAMPSON 'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids, and cut off their heads. GREGORY The heads of the maids? SAMPSON Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take it in what sense thou wilt. GREGORY They must take it in sense that feel it. SAMPSON Me they shall feel while I am able to stand: and 'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh. GREGORY 'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor John. Draw thy tool! here comes two of the house of the Montagues. SAMPSON My naked weapon is out: quarrel, I will back thee. GREGORY How! turn thy back and run? SAMPSON Fear me not. GREGORY No, marry; I fear thee! SAMPSON Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin. GREGORY I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list. SAMPSON Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it. Enter ABRAHAM and BALTHASAR ABRAHAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? SAMPSON I do bite my thumb, sir. ABRAHAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? SAMPSON [Aside to GREGORY] Is the law of our side, if I say ay? GREGORY No. SAMPSON No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir. GREGORY Do you quarrel, sir? ABRAHAM Quarrel sir! no, sir. SAMPSON If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you. ABRAHAM No better. SAMPSON Well, sir. GREGORY Say 'better:' here comes one of my master's kinsmen. SAMPSON Yes, better, sir. ABRAHAM You lie. SAMPSON Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. They fight Enter BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Part, fools! Put up your swords; you know not what you do. Beats down their swords Enter TYBALT TYBALT What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death. BENVOLIO I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these men with me. TYBALT What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee: Have at thee, coward! They fight Enter, several of both houses, who join the fray; then enter Citizens, with clubs First Citizen Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down! Down with the Capulets! down with the Montagues! Enter CAPULET in his gown, and LADY CAPULET CAPULET What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho! LADY CAPULET A crutch, a crutch! why call you for a sword? CAPULET My sword, I say! Old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in spite of me. Enter MONTAGUE and LADY MONTAGUE MONTAGUE Thou villain Capulet,--Hold me not, let me go. LADY MONTAGUE Thou shalt not stir a foot to seek a foe. Enter PRINCE, with Attendants PRINCE Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel,-- Will they not hear? What, ho! you men, you beasts, That quench the fire of your pernicious rage With purple fountains issuing from your veins, On pain of torture, from those bloody hands Throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground, And hear the sentence of your moved prince. Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets, And made Verona's ancient citizens Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, To wield old partisans, in hands as old, Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate: If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. For this time, all the rest depart away: You Capulet; shall go along with me: And, Montague, come you this afternoon, To know our further pleasure in this case, To old Free-town, our common judgment-place. Once more, on pain of death, all men depart. Exeunt all but MONTAGUE, LADY MONTAGUE, and BENVOLIO MONTAGUE Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach? Speak, nephew, were you by when it began? BENVOLIO Here were the servants of your adversary, And yours, close fighting ere I did approach: I drew to part them: in the instant came The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepared, Which, as he breathed defiance to my ears, He swung about his head and cut the winds, Who nothing hurt withal hiss'd him in scorn: While we were interchanging thrusts and blows, Came more and more and fought on part and part, Till the prince came, who parted either part. LADY MONTAGUE O, where is Romeo? saw you him to-day? Right glad I am he was not at this fray. BENVOLIO Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun Peer'd forth the golden window of the east, A troubled mind drave me to walk abroad; Where, underneath the grove of sycamore That westward rooteth from the city's side, So early walking did I see your son: Towards him I made, but he was ware of me And stole into the covert of the wood: I, measuring his affections by my own, That most are busied when they're most alone, Pursued my humour not pursuing his, And gladly shunn'd who gladly fled from me. MONTAGUE Many a morning hath he there been seen, With tears augmenting the fresh morning dew. Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs; But all so soon as the all-cheering sun Should in the furthest east begin to draw The shady curtains from Aurora's bed, Away from the light steals home my heavy son, And private in his chamber pens himself, Shuts up his windows, locks far daylight out And makes himself an artificial night: Black and portentous must this humour prove, Unless good counsel may the cause remove. BENVOLIO My noble uncle, do you know the cause? MONTAGUE I neither know it nor can learn of him. BENVOLIO Have you importuned him by any means? MONTAGUE Both by myself and many other friends: But he, his own affections' counsellor, Is to himself--I will not say how true-- But to himself so secret and so close, So far from sounding and discovery, As is the bud bit with an envious worm, Ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the air, Or dedicate his beauty to the sun. Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow. We would as willingly give cure as know. Enter ROMEO BENVOLIO See, where he comes: so please you, step aside; I'll know his grievance, or be much denied. MONTAGUE I would thou wert so happy by thy stay, To hear true shrift. Come, madam, let's away. Exeunt MONTAGUE and LADY MONTAGUE BENVOLIO Good-morrow, cousin. ROMEO Is the day so young? BENVOLIO But new struck nine. ROMEO Ay me! sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast? BENVOLIO It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours? ROMEO Not having that, which, having, makes them short. BENVOLIO In love? ROMEO Out-- BENVOLIO Of love? ROMEO Out of her favour, where I am in love. BENVOLIO Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof! ROMEO Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will! Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Here's much to do with hate, but more with love. Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O any thing, of nothing first create! O heavy lightness! serious vanity! Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! This love feel I, that feel no love in this. Dost thou not laugh? BENVOLIO No, coz, I rather weep. ROMEO Good heart, at what? BENVOLIO At thy good heart's oppression. ROMEO Why, such is love's transgression. Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast, Which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest With more of thine: this love that thou hast shown Doth add more grief to too much of mine own. Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs; Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears: What is it else? a madness most discreet, A choking gall and a preserving sweet. Farewell, my coz. BENVOLIO Soft! I will go along; An if you leave me so, you do me wrong. ROMEO Tut, I have lost myself; I am not here; This is not Romeo, he's some other where. BENVOLIO Tell me in sadness, who is that you love. ROMEO What, shall I groan and tell thee? BENVOLIO Groan! why, no. But sadly tell me who. ROMEO Bid a sick man in sadness make his will: Ah, word ill urged to one that is so ill! In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman. BENVOLIO I aim'd so near, when I supposed you loved. ROMEO A right good mark-man! And she's fair I love. BENVOLIO A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit. ROMEO Well, in that hit you miss: she'll not be hit With Cupid's arrow; she hath Dian's wit; And, in strong proof of chastity well arm'd, From love's weak childish bow she lives unharm'd. She will not stay the siege of loving terms, Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes, Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold: O, she is rich in beauty, only poor, That when she dies with beauty dies her store. BENVOLIO Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste? ROMEO She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste, For beauty starved with her severity Cuts beauty off from all posterity. She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair, To merit bliss by making me despair: She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow Do I live dead that live to tell it now. BENVOLIO Be ruled by me, forget to think of her. ROMEO O, teach me how I should forget to think. BENVOLIO By giving liberty unto thine eyes; Examine other beauties. ROMEO 'Tis the way To call hers exquisite, in question more: These happy masks that kiss fair ladies' brows Being black put us in mind they hide the fair; He that is strucken blind cannot forget The precious treasure of his eyesight lost: Show me a mistress that is passing fair, What doth her beauty serve, but as a note Where I may read who pass'd that passing fair? Farewell: thou canst not teach me to forget. BENVOLIO I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt. Exeunt SCENE II. A street. Enter CAPULET, PARIS, and Servant CAPULET But Montague is bound as well as I, In penalty alike; and 'tis not hard, I think, For men so old as we to keep the peace. PARIS Of honourable reckoning are you both; And pity 'tis you lived at odds so long. But now, my lord, what say you to my suit? CAPULET But saying o'er what I have said before: My child is yet a stranger in the world; She hath not seen the change of fourteen years, Let two more summers wither in their pride, Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride. PARIS Younger than she are happy mothers made. CAPULET And too soon marr'd are those so early made. The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she, She is the hopeful lady of my earth: But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart, My will to her consent is but a part; An she agree, within her scope of choice Lies my consent and fair according voice. This night I hold an old accustom'd feast, Whereto I have invited many a guest, Such as I love; and you, among the store, One more, most welcome, makes my number more. At my poor house look to behold this night Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light: Such comfort as do lusty young men feel When well-apparell'd April on the heel Of limping winter treads, even such delight Among fresh female buds shall you this night Inherit at my house; hear all, all see, And like her most whose merit most shall be: Which on more view, of many mine being one May stand in number, though in reckoning none, Come, go with me. To Servant, giving a paper Go, sirrah, trudge about Through fair Verona; find those persons out Whose names are written there, and to them say, My house and welcome on their pleasure stay. Exeunt CAPULET and PARIS Servant Find them out whose names are written here! It is written, that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard, and the tailor with his last, the fisher with his pencil, and the painter with his nets; but I am sent to find those persons whose names are here writ, and can never find what names the writing person hath here writ. I must to the learned.--In good time. Enter BENVOLIO and ROMEO BENVOLIO Tut, man, one fire burns out another's burning, One pain is lessen'd by another's anguish; Turn giddy, and be holp by backward turning; One desperate grief cures with another's languish: Take thou some new infection to thy eye, And the rank poison of the old will die. ROMEO Your plaintain-leaf is excellent for that. BENVOLIO For what, I pray thee? ROMEO For your broken shin. BENVOLIO Why, Romeo, art thou mad? ROMEO Not mad, but bound more than a mad-man is; Shut up in prison, kept without my food, Whipp'd and tormented and--God-den, good fellow. Servant God gi' god-den. I pray, sir, can you read? ROMEO Ay, mine own fortune in my misery. Servant Perhaps you have learned it without book: but, I pray, can you read any thing you see? ROMEO Ay, if I know the letters and the language. Servant Ye say honestly: rest you merry! ROMEO Stay, fellow; I can read. Reads 'Signior Martino and his wife and daughters; County Anselme and his beauteous sisters; the lady widow of Vitravio; Signior Placentio and his lovely nieces; Mercutio and his brother Valentine; mine uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters; my fair niece Rosaline; Livia; Signior Valentio and his cousin Tybalt, Lucio and the lively Helena.' A fair assembly: whither should they come? Servant Up. ROMEO Whither? Servant To supper; to our house. ROMEO Whose house? Servant My master's. ROMEO Indeed, I should have ask'd you that before. Servant Now I'll tell you without asking: my master is the great rich Capulet; and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry! Exit BENVOLIO At this same ancient feast of Capulet's Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lovest, With all the admired beauties of Verona: Go thither; and, with unattainted eye, Compare her face with some that I shall show, And I will make thee think thy swan a crow. ROMEO When the devout religion of mine eye Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires; And these, who often drown'd could never die, Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars! One fairer than my love! the all-seeing sun Ne'er saw her match since first the world begun. BENVOLIO Tut, you saw her fair, none else being by, Herself poised with herself in either eye: But in that crystal scales let there be weigh'd Your lady's love against some other maid That I will show you shining at this feast, And she shall scant show well that now shows best. ROMEO I'll go along, no such sight to be shown, But to rejoice in splendor of mine own. Exeunt SCENE III. A room in Capulet's house. Enter LADY CAPULET and Nurse LADY CAPULET Nurse, where's my daughter? call her forth to me. Nurse Now, by my maidenhead, at twelve year old, I bade her come. What, lamb! what, ladybird! God forbid! Where's this girl? What, Juliet! Enter JULIET JULIET How now! who calls? Nurse Your mother. JULIET Madam, I am here. What is your will? LADY CAPULET This is the matter:--Nurse, give leave awhile, We must talk in secret:--nurse, come back again; I have remember'd me, thou's hear our counsel. Thou know'st my daughter's of a pretty age. Nurse Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour. LADY CAPULET She's not fourteen. Nurse I'll lay fourteen of my teeth,-- And yet, to my teeth be it spoken, I have but four-- She is not fourteen. How long is it now To Lammas-tide? LADY CAPULET A fortnight and odd days. Nurse Even or odd, of all days in the year, Come Lammas-eve at night shall she be fourteen. Susan and she--God rest all Christian souls!-- Were of an age: well, Susan is with God; She was too good for me: but, as I said, On Lammas-eve at night shall she be fourteen; That shall she, marry; I remember it well. 'Tis since the earthquake now eleven years; And she was wean'd,--I never shall forget it,-- Of all the days of the year, upon that day: For I had then laid wormwood to my dug, Sitting in the sun under the dove-house wall; My lord and you were then at Mantua:-- Nay, I do bear a brain:--but, as I said, When it did taste the wormwood on the nipple Of my dug and felt it bitter, pretty fool, To see it tetchy and fall out with the dug! Shake quoth the dove-house: 'twas no need, I trow, To bid me trudge: And since that time it is eleven years; For then she could stand alone; nay, by the rood, She could have run and waddled all about; For even the day before, she broke her brow: And then my husband--God be with his soul! A' was a merry man--took up the child: 'Yea,' quoth he, 'dost thou fall upon thy face? Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit; Wilt thou not, Jule?' and, by my holidame, The pretty wretch left crying and said 'Ay.' To see, now, how a jest shall come about! I warrant, an I should live a thousand years, I never should forget it: 'Wilt thou not, Jule?' quoth he; And, pretty fool, it stinted and said 'Ay.' LADY CAPULET Enough of this; I pray thee, hold thy peace. Nurse Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' And yet, I warrant, it had upon its brow A bump as big as a young cockerel's stone; A parlous knock; and it cried bitterly: 'Yea,' quoth my husband,'fall'st upon thy face? Thou wilt fall backward when thou comest to age; Wilt thou not, Jule?' it stinted and said 'Ay.' JULIET And stint thou too, I pray thee, nurse, say I. Nurse Peace, I have done. God mark thee to his grace! Thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er I nursed: An I might live to see thee married once, I have my wish. LADY CAPULET Marry, that 'marry' is the very theme I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Juliet, How stands your disposition to be married? JULIET It is an honour that I dream not of. Nurse An honour! were not I thine only nurse, I would say thou hadst suck'd wisdom from thy teat. LADY CAPULET Well, think of marriage now; younger than you, Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, Are made already mothers: by my count, I was your mother much upon these years That you are now a maid. Thus then in brief: The valiant Paris seeks you for his love. Nurse A man, young lady! lady, such a man As all the world--why, he's a man of wax. LADY CAPULET Verona's summer hath not such a flower. Nurse Nay, he's a flower; in faith, a very flower. LADY CAPULET What say you? can you love the gentleman? This night you shall behold him at our feast; Read o'er the volume of young Paris' face, And find delight writ there with beauty's pen; Examine every married lineament, And see how one another lends content And what obscured in this fair volume lies Find written in the margent of his eyes. This precious book of love, this unbound lover, To beautify him, only lacks a cover: The fish lives in the sea, and 'tis much pride For fair without the fair within to hide: That book in many's eyes doth share the glory, That in gold clasps locks in the golden story; So shall you share all that he doth possess, By having him, making yourself no less. Nurse No less! nay, bigger; women grow by men. LADY CAPULET Speak briefly, can you like of Paris' love? JULIET I'll look to like, if looking liking move: But no more deep will I endart mine eye Than your consent gives strength to make it fly. Enter a Servant Servant Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my young lady asked for, the nurse cursed in the pantry, and every thing in extremity. I must hence to wait; I beseech you, follow straight. LADY CAPULET We follow thee. Exit Servant Juliet, the county stays. Nurse Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days. Exeunt SCENE IV. A street. Enter ROMEO, MERCUTIO, BENVOLIO, with five or six Maskers, Torch-bearers, and others ROMEO What, shall this speech be spoke for our excuse? Or shall we on without a apology? BENVOLIO The date is out of such prolixity: We'll have no Cupid hoodwink'd with a scarf, Bearing a Tartar's painted bow of lath, Scaring the ladies like a crow-keeper; Nor no without-book prologue, faintly spoke After the prompter, for our entrance: But let them measure us by what they will; We'll measure them a measure, and be gone. ROMEO Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling; Being but heavy, I will bear the light. MERCUTIO Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance. ROMEO Not I, believe me: you have dancing shoes With nimble soles: I have a soul of lead So stakes me to the ground I cannot move. MERCUTIO You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings, And soar with them above a common bound. ROMEO I am too sore enpierced with his shaft To soar with his light feathers, and so bound, I cannot bound a pitch above dull woe: Under love's heavy burden do I sink. MERCUTIO And, to sink in it, should you burden love; Too great oppression for a tender thing. ROMEO Is love a tender thing? it is too rough, Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn. MERCUTIO If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. Give me a case to put my visage in: A visor for a visor! what care I What curious eye doth quote deformities? Here are the beetle brows shall blush for me. BENVOLIO Come, knock and enter; and no sooner in, But every man betake him to his legs. ROMEO A torch for me: let wantons light of heart Tickle the senseless rushes with their heels, For I am proverb'd with a grandsire phrase; I'll be a candle-holder, and look on. The game was ne'er so fair, and I am done. MERCUTIO Tut, dun's the mouse, the constable's own word: If thou art dun, we'll draw thee from the mire Of this sir-reverence love, wherein thou stick'st Up to the ears. Come, we burn daylight, ho! ROMEO Nay, that's not so. MERCUTIO I mean, sir, in delay We waste our lights in vain, like lamps by day. Take our good meaning, for our judgment sits Five times in that ere once in our five wits. ROMEO And we mean well in going to this mask; But 'tis no wit to go. MERCUTIO Why, may one ask? ROMEO I dream'd a dream to-night. MERCUTIO And so did I. ROMEO Well, what was yours? MERCUTIO That dreamers often lie. ROMEO In bed asleep, while they do dream things true. MERCUTIO O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you. She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes In shape no bigger than an agate-stone On the fore-finger of an alderman, Drawn with a team of little atomies Athwart men's noses as they lie asleep; Her wagon-spokes made of long spiders' legs, The cover of the wings of grasshoppers, The traces of the smallest spider's web, The collars of the moonshine's watery beams, Her whip of cricket's bone, the lash of film, Her wagoner a small grey-coated gnat, Not so big as a round little worm Prick'd from the lazy finger of a maid; Her chariot is an empty hazel-nut Made by the joiner squirrel or old grub, Time out o' mind the fairies' coachmakers. And in this state she gallops night by night Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love; O'er courtiers' knees, that dream on court'sies straight, O'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees, O'er ladies ' lips, who straight on kisses dream, Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues, Because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are: Sometime she gallops o'er a courtier's nose, And then dreams he of smelling out a suit; And sometime comes she with a tithe-pig's tail Tickling a parson's nose as a' lies asleep, Then dreams, he of another benefice: Sometime she driveth o'er a soldier's neck, And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades, Of healths five-fathom deep; and then anon Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes, And being thus frighted swears a prayer or two And sleeps again. This is that very Mab That plats the manes of horses in the night, And bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs, Which once untangled, much misfortune bodes: This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs, That presses them and learns them first to bear, Making them women of good carriage: This is she-- ROMEO Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace! Thou talk'st of nothing. MERCUTIO True, I talk of dreams, Which are the children of an idle brain, Begot of nothing but vain fantasy, Which is as thin of substance as the air And more inconstant than the wind, who wooes Even now the frozen bosom of the north, And, being anger'd, puffs away from thence, Turning his face to the dew-dropping south. BENVOLIO This wind, you talk of, blows us from ourselves; Supper is done, and we shall come too late. ROMEO I fear, too early: for my mind misgives Some consequence yet hanging in the stars Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this night's revels and expire the term Of a despised life closed in my breast By some vile forfeit of untimely death. But He, that hath the steerage of my course, Direct my sail! On, lusty gentlemen. BENVOLIO Strike, drum. Exeunt SCENE V. A hall in Capulet's house. Musicians waiting. Enter Servingmen with napkins First Servant Where's Potpan, that he helps not to take away? He shift a trencher? he scrape a trencher! Second Servant When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's hands and they unwashed too, 'tis a foul thing. First Servant Away with the joint-stools, remove the court-cupboard, look to the plate. Good thou, save me a piece of marchpane; and, as thou lovest me, let the porter let in Susan Grindstone and Nell. Antony, and Potpan! Second Servant Ay, boy, ready. First Servant You are looked for and called for, asked for and sought for, in the great chamber. Second Servant We cannot be here and there too. Cheerly, boys; be brisk awhile, and the longer liver take all. Enter CAPULET, with JULIET and others of his house, meeting the Guests and Maskers CAPULET Welcome, gentlemen! ladies that have their toes Unplagued with corns will have a bout with you. Ah ha, my mistresses! which of you all Will now deny to dance? she that makes dainty, She, I'll swear, hath corns; am I come near ye now? Welcome, gentlemen! I have seen the day That I have worn a visor and could tell A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear, Such as would please: 'tis gone, 'tis gone, 'tis gone: You are welcome, gentlemen! come, musicians, play. A hall, a hall! give room! and foot it, girls. Music plays, and they dance More light, you knaves; and turn the tables up, And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot. Ah, sirrah, this unlook'd-for sport comes well. Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet; For you and I are past our dancing days: How long is't now since last yourself and I Were in a mask? Second Capulet By'r lady, thirty years. CAPULET What, man! 'tis not so much, 'tis not so much: 'Tis since the nuptials of Lucentio, Come pentecost as quickly as it will, Some five and twenty years; and then we mask'd. Second Capulet 'Tis more, 'tis more, his son is elder, sir; His son is thirty. CAPULET Will you tell me that? His son was but a ward two years ago. ROMEO [To a Servingman] What lady is that, which doth enrich the hand Of yonder knight? Servant I know not, sir. ROMEO O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night. TYBALT This, by his voice, should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the slave Come hither, cover'd with an antic face, To fleer and scorn at our solemnity? Now, by the stock and honour of my kin, To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin. CAPULET Why, how now, kinsman! wherefore storm you so? TYBALT Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe, A villain that is hither come in spite, To scorn at our solemnity this night. CAPULET Young Romeo is it? TYBALT 'Tis he, that villain Romeo. CAPULET Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone; He bears him like a portly gentleman; And, to say truth, Verona brags of him To be a virtuous and well-govern'd youth: I would not for the wealth of all the town Here in my house do him disparagement: Therefore be patient, take no note of him: It is my will, the which if thou respect, Show a fair presence and put off these frowns, And ill-beseeming semblance for a feast. TYBALT It fits, when such a villain is a guest: I'll not endure him. CAPULET He shall be endured: What, goodman boy! I say, he shall: go to; Am I the master here, or you? go to. You'll not endure him! God shall mend my soul! You'll make a mutiny among my guests! You will set cock-a-hoop! you'll be the man! TYBALT Why, uncle, 'tis a shame. CAPULET Go to, go to; You are a saucy boy: is't so, indeed? This trick may chance to scathe you, I know what: You must contrary me! marry, 'tis time. Well said, my hearts! You are a princox; go: Be quiet, or--More light, more light! For shame! I'll make you quiet. What, cheerly, my hearts! TYBALT Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting. I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall Now seeming sweet convert to bitter gall. Exit ROMEO [To JULIET] If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. JULIET Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss. ROMEO Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? JULIET Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. ROMEO O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair. JULIET Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake. ROMEO Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged. JULIET Then have my lips the sin that they have took. ROMEO Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again. JULIET You kiss by the book. Nurse Madam, your mother craves a word with you. ROMEO What is her mother? Nurse Marry, bachelor, Her mother is the lady of the house, And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous I nursed her daughter, that you talk'd withal; I tell you, he that can lay hold of her Shall have the chinks. ROMEO Is she a Capulet? O dear account! my life is my foe's debt. BENVOLIO Away, begone; the sport is at the best. ROMEO Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest. CAPULET Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone; We have a trifling foolish banquet towards. Is it e'en so? why, then, I thank you all I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night. More torches here! Come on then, let's to bed. Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late: I'll to my rest. Exeunt all but JULIET and Nurse JULIET Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman? Nurse The son and heir of old Tiberio. JULIET What's he that now is going out of door? Nurse Marry, that, I think, be young Petrucio. JULIET What's he that follows there, that would not dance? Nurse I know not. JULIET Go ask his name: if he be married. My grave is like to be my wedding bed. Nurse His name is Romeo, and a Montague; The only son of your great enemy. JULIET My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, That I must love a loathed enemy. Nurse What's this? what's this? JULIET A rhyme I learn'd even now Of one I danced withal. One calls within 'Juliet.' Nurse Anon, anon! Come, let's away; the strangers all are gone. Exeunt ACT II PROLOGUE Enter Chorus Chorus Now old desire doth in his death-bed lie, And young affection gapes to be his heir; That fair for which love groan'd for and would die, With tender Juliet match'd, is now not fair. Now Romeo is beloved and loves again, Alike betwitched by the charm of looks, But to his foe supposed he must complain, And she steal love's sweet bait from fearful hooks: Being held a foe, he may not have access To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear; And she as much in love, her means much less To meet her new-beloved any where: But passion lends them power, time means, to meet Tempering extremities with extreme sweet. Exit SCENE I. A lane by the wall of Capulet's orchard. Enter ROMEO ROMEO Can I go forward when my heart is here? Turn back, dull earth, and find thy centre out. He climbs the wall, and leaps down within it Enter BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO BENVOLIO Romeo! my cousin Romeo! MERCUTIO He is wise; And, on my lie, hath stol'n him home to bed. BENVOLIO He ran this way, and leap'd this orchard wall: Call, good Mercutio. MERCUTIO Nay, I'll conjure too. Romeo! humours! madman! passion! lover! Appear thou in the likeness of a sigh: Speak but one rhyme, and I am satisfied; Cry but 'Ay me!' pronounce but 'love' and 'dove;' Speak to my gossip Venus one fair word, One nick-name for her purblind son and heir, Young Adam Cupid, he that shot so trim, When King Cophetua loved the beggar-maid! He heareth not, he stirreth not, he moveth not; The ape is dead, and I must conjure him. I conjure thee by Rosaline's bright eyes, By her high forehead and her scarlet lip, By her fine foot, straight leg and quivering thigh And the demesnes that there adjacent lie, That in thy likeness thou appear to us! BENVOLIO And if he hear thee, thou wilt anger him. MERCUTIO This cannot anger him: 'twould anger him To raise a spirit in his mistress' circle Of some strange nature, letting it there stand Till she had laid it and conjured it down; That were some spite: my invocation Is fair and honest, and in his mistres s' name I conjure only but to raise up him. BENVOLIO Come, he hath hid himself among these trees, To be consorted with the humorous night: Blind is his love and best befits the dark. MERCUTIO If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark. Now will he sit under a medlar tree, And wish his mistress were that kind of fruit As maids call medlars, when they laugh alone. Romeo, that she were, O, that she were An open et caetera, thou a poperin pear! Romeo, good night: I'll to my truckle-bed; This field-bed is too cold for me to sleep: Come, shall we go? BENVOLIO Go, then; for 'tis in vain To seek him here that means not to be found. Exeunt SCENE II. Capulet's orchard. Enter ROMEO ROMEO He jests at scars that never felt a wound. JULIET appears above at a window But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she: Be not her maid, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green And none but fools do wear it; cast it off. It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, Having some business, do entreat her eyes To twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night. See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek! JULIET Ay me! ROMEO She speaks: O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art As glorious to this night, being o'er my head As is a winged messenger of heaven Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds And sails upon the bosom of the air. JULIET O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet. ROMEO [Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? JULIET 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee Take all myself. ROMEO I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo. JULIET What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night So stumblest on my counsel? ROMEO By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am: My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, Because it is an enemy to thee; Had I it written, I would tear the word. JULIET My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound: Art thou not Romeo and a Montague? ROMEO Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike. JULIET How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, And the place death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here. ROMEO With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out, And what love can do that dares love attempt; Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me. JULIET If they do see thee, they will murder thee. ROMEO Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye Than twenty of their swords: look thou but sweet, And I am proof against their enmity. JULIET I would not for the world they saw thee here. ROMEO I have night's cloak to hide me from their sight; And but thou love me, let them find me here: My life were better ended by their hate, Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love. JULIET By whose direction found'st thou out this place? ROMEO By love, who first did prompt me to inquire; He lent me counsel and I lent him eyes. I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far As that vast shore wash'd with the farthest sea, I would adventure for such merchandise. JULIET Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face, Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny What I have spoke: but farewell compliment! Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say 'Ay,' And I will take thy word: yet if thou swear'st, Thou mayst prove false; at lovers' perjuries Then say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo, If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully: Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won, I'll frown and be perverse an say thee nay, So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world. In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond, And therefore thou mayst think my 'havior light: But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true Than those that have more cunning to be strange. I should have been more strange, I must confess, But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware, My true love's passion: therefore pardon me, And not impute this yielding to light love, Which the dark night hath so discovered. ROMEO Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops-- JULIET O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. ROMEO What shall I swear by? JULIET Do not swear at all; Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self, Which is the god of my idolatry, And I'll believe thee. ROMEO If my heart's dear love-- JULIET Well, do not swear: although I joy in thee, I have no joy of this contract to-night: It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden; Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be Ere one can say 'It lightens.' Sweet, good night! This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet. Good night, good night! as sweet repose and rest Come to thy heart as that within my breast! ROMEO O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied? JULIET What satisfaction canst thou have to-night? ROMEO The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine. JULIET I gave thee mine before thou didst request it: And yet I would it were to give again. ROMEO Wouldst thou withdraw it? for what purpose, love? JULIET But to be frank, and give it thee again. And yet I wish but for the thing I have: My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite. Nurse calls within I hear some noise within; dear love, adieu! Anon, good nurse! Sweet Montague, be true. Stay but a little, I will come again. Exit, above ROMEO O blessed, blessed night! I am afeard. Being in night, all this is but a dream, Too flattering-sweet to be substantial. Re-enter JULIET, above JULIET Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed. If that thy bent of love be honourable, Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow, By one that I'll procure to come to thee, Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite; And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay And follow thee my lord throughout the world. Nurse [Within] Madam! JULIET I come, anon.--But if thou mean'st not well, I do beseech thee-- Nurse [Within] Madam! JULIET By and by, I come:-- To cease thy suit, and leave me to my grief: To-morrow will I send. ROMEO So thrive my soul-- JULIET A thousand times good night! Exit, above ROMEO A thousand times the worse, to want thy light. Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their books, But love from love, toward school with heavy looks. Retiring Re-enter JULIET, above JULIET Hist! Romeo, hist! O, for a falconer's voice, To lure this tassel-gentle back again! Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud; Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies, And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine, With repetition of my Romeo's name. ROMEO It is my soul that calls upon my name: How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night, Like softest music to attending ears! JULIET Romeo! ROMEO My dear? JULIET At what o'clock to-morrow Shall I send to thee? ROMEO At the hour of nine. JULIET I will not fail: 'tis twenty years till then. I have forgot why I did call thee back. ROMEO Let me stand here till thou remember it. JULIET I shall forget, to have thee still stand there, Remembering how I love thy company. ROMEO And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget, Forgetting any other home but this. JULIET 'Tis almost morning; I would have thee gone: And yet no further than a wanton's bird; Who lets it hop a little from her hand, Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves, And with a silk thread plucks it back again, So loving-jealous of his liberty. ROMEO I would I were thy bird. JULIET Sweet, so would I: Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing. Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow. Exit above ROMEO Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast! Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest! Hence will I to my ghostly father's cell, His help to crave, and my dear hap to tell. Exit SCENE III. Friar Laurence's cell. Enter FRIAR LAURENCE, with a basket FRIAR LAURENCE The grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night, Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light, And flecked darkness like a drunkard reels From forth day's path and Titan's fiery wheels: Now, ere the sun advance his burning eye, The day to cheer and night's dank dew to dry, I must up-fill this osier cage of ours With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers. The earth that's nature's mother is her tomb; What is her burying grave that is her womb, And from her womb children of divers kind We sucking on her natural bosom find, Many for many virtues excellent, None but for some and yet all different. O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies In herbs, plants, stones, and their true qualities: For nought so vile that on the earth doth live But to the earth some special good doth give, Nor aught so good but strain'd from that fair use Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse: Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied; And vice sometimes by action dignified. Within the infant rind of this small flower Poison hath residence and medicine power: For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part; Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart. Two such opposed kings encamp them still In man as well as herbs, grace and rude will; And where the worser is predominant, Full soon the canker death eats up that plant. Enter ROMEO ROMEO Good morrow, father. FRIAR LAURENCE Benedicite! What early tongue so sweet saluteth me? Young son, it argues a distemper'd head So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed: Care keeps his watch in every old man's eye, And where care lodges, sleep will never lie; But where unbruised youth with unstuff'd brain Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign: Therefore thy earliness doth me assure Thou art up-roused by some distemperature; Or if not so, then here I hit it right, Our Romeo hath not been in bed to-night. ROMEO That last is true; the sweeter rest was mine. FRIAR LAURENCE God pardon sin! wast thou with Rosaline? ROMEO With Rosaline, my ghostly father? no; I have forgot that name, and that name's woe. FRIAR LAURENCE That's my good son: but where hast thou been, then? ROMEO I'll tell thee, ere thou ask it me again. I have been feasting with mine enemy, Where on a sudden one hath wounded me, That's by me wounded: both our remedies Within thy help and holy physic lies: I bear no hatred, blessed man, for, lo, My intercession likewise steads my foe. FRIAR LAURENCE Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift; Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift. ROMEO Then plainly know my heart's dear love is set On the fair daughter of rich Capulet: As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine; And all combined, save what thou must combine By holy marriage: when and where and how We met, we woo'd and made exchange of vow, I'll tell thee as we pass; but this I pray, That thou consent to marry us to-day. FRIAR LAURENCE Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken? young men's love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes. Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine Hath wash'd thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline! How much salt water thrown away in waste, To season love, that of it doth not taste! The sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears, Thy old groans ring yet in my ancient ears; Lo, here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit Of an old tear that is not wash'd off yet: If e'er thou wast thyself and these woes thine, Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline: And art thou changed? pronounce this sentence then, Women may fall, when there's no strength in men. ROMEO Thou chid'st me oft for loving Rosaline. FRIAR LAURENCE For doting, not for loving, pupil mine. ROMEO And bad'st me bury love. FRIAR LAURENCE Not in a grave, To lay one in, another out to have. ROMEO I pray thee, chide not; she whom I love now Doth grace for grace and love for love allow; The other did not so. FRIAR LAURENCE O, she knew well Thy love did read by rote and could not spell. But come, young waverer, come, go with me, In one respect I'll thy assistant be; For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households' rancour to pure love. ROMEO O, let us hence; I stand on sudden haste. FRIAR LAURENCE Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast. Exeunt SCENE IV. A street. Enter BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO MERCUTIO Where the devil should this Romeo be? Came he not home to-night? BENVOLIO Not to his father's; I spoke with his man. MERCUTIO Ah, that same pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline. Torments him so, that he will sure run mad. BENVOLIO Tybalt, the kinsman of old Capulet, Hath sent a letter to his father's house. MERCUTIO A challenge, on my life. BENVOLIO Romeo will answer it. MERCUTIO Any man that can write may answer a letter. BENVOLIO Nay, he will answer the letter's master, how he dares, being dared. MERCUTIO Alas poor Romeo! he is already dead; stabbed with a white wench's black eye; shot through the ear with a love-song; the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind bow-boy's butt-shaft: and is he a man to encounter Tybalt? BENVOLIO Why, what is Tybalt? MERCUTIO More than prince of cats, I can tell you. O, he is the courageous captain of compliments. He fights as you sing prick-song, keeps time, distance, and proportion; rests me his minim rest, one, two, and the third in your bosom: the very butcher of a silk button, a duellist, a duellist; a gentleman of the very first house, of the first and second cause: ah, the immortal passado! the punto reverso! the hai! BENVOLIO The what? MERCUTIO The pox of such antic, lisping, affecting fantasticoes; these new tuners of accents! 'By Jesu, a very good blade! a very tall man! a very good whore!' Why, is not this a lamentable thing, grandsire, that we should be thus afflicted with these strange flies, these fashion-mongers, these perdona-mi's, who stand so much on the new form, that they cannot at ease on the old bench? O, their bones, their bones! Enter ROMEO BENVOLIO Here comes Romeo, here comes Romeo. MERCUTIO Without his roe, like a dried herring: flesh, flesh, how art thou fishified! Now is he for the numbers that Petrarch flowed in: Laura to his lady was but a kitchen-wench; marry, she had a better love to be-rhyme her; Dido a dowdy; Cleopatra a gipsy; Helen and Hero hildings and harlots; Thisbe a grey eye or so, but not to the purpose. Signior Romeo, bon jour! there's a French salutation to your French slop. You gave us the counterfeit fairly last night. ROMEO Good morrow to you both. What counterfeit did I give you? MERCUTIO The ship, sir, the slip; can you not conceive? ROMEO Pardon, good Mercutio, my business was great; and in such a case as mine a man may strain courtesy. MERCUTIO That's as much as to say, such a case as yours constrains a man to bow in the hams. ROMEO Meaning, to court'sy. MERCUTIO Thou hast most kindly hit it. ROMEO A most courteous exposition. MERCUTIO Nay, I am the very pink of courtesy. ROMEO Pink for flower. MERCUTIO Right. ROMEO Why, then is my pump well flowered. MERCUTIO Well said: follow me this jest now till thou hast worn out thy pump, that when the single sole of it is worn, the jest may remain after the wearing sole singular. ROMEO O single-soled jest, solely singular for the singleness. MERCUTIO Come between us, good Benvolio; my wits faint. ROMEO Switch and spurs, switch and spurs; or I'll cry a match. MERCUTIO Nay, if thy wits run the wild-goose chase, I have done, for thou hast more of the wild-goose in one of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five: was I with you there for the goose? ROMEO Thou wast never with me for any thing when thou wast not there for the goose. MERCUTIO I will bite thee by the ear for that jest. ROMEO Nay, good goose, bite not. MERCUTIO Thy wit is a very bitter sweeting; it is a most sharp sauce. ROMEO And is it not well served in to a sweet goose? MERCUTIO O here's a wit of cheveril, that stretches from an inch narrow to an ell broad! ROMEO I stretch it out for that word 'broad;' which added to the goose, proves thee far and wide a broad goose. MERCUTIO Why, is not this better now than groaning for love? now art thou sociable, now art thou Romeo; now art thou what thou art, by art as well as by nature: for this drivelling love is like a great natural, that runs lolling up and down to hide his bauble in a hole. BENVOLIO Stop there, stop there. MERCUTIO Thou desirest me to stop in my tale against the hair. BENVOLIO Thou wouldst else have made thy tale large. MERCUTIO O, thou art deceived; I would have made it short: for I was come to the whole depth of my tale; and meant, indeed, to occupy the argument no longer. ROMEO Here's goodly gear! Enter Nurse and PETER MERCUTIO A sail, a sail! BENVOLIO Two, two; a shirt and a smock. Nurse Peter! PETER Anon! Nurse My fan, Peter. MERCUTIO Good Peter, to hide her face; for her fan's the fairer face. Nurse God ye good morrow, gentlemen. MERCUTIO God ye good den, fair gentlewoman. Nurse Is it good den? MERCUTIO 'Tis no less, I tell you, for the bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the prick of noon. Nurse Out upon you! what a man are you! ROMEO One, gentlewoman, that God hath made for himself to mar. Nurse By my troth, it is well said; 'for himself to mar,' quoth a'? Gentlemen, can any of you tell me where I may find the young Romeo? ROMEO I can tell you; but young Romeo will be older when you have found him than he was when you sought him: I am the youngest of that name, for fault of a worse. Nurse You say well. MERCUTIO Yea, is the worst well? very well took, i' faith; wisely, wisely. Nurse if you be he, sir, I desire some confidence with you. BENVOLIO She will indite him to some supper. MERCUTIO A bawd, a bawd, a bawd! so ho! ROMEO What hast thou found? MERCUTIO No hare, sir; unless a hare, sir, in a lenten pie, that is something stale and hoar ere it be spent. Sings An old hare hoar, And an old hare hoar, Is very good meat in lent But a hare that is hoar Is too much for a score, When it hoars ere it be spent. Romeo, will you come to your father's? we'll to dinner, thither. ROMEO I will follow you. MERCUTIO Farewell, ancient lady; farewell, Singing 'lady, lady, lady.' Exeunt MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO Nurse Marry, farewell! I pray you, sir, what saucy merchant was this, that was so full of his ropery? ROMEO A gentleman, nurse, that loves to hear himself talk, and will speak more in a minute than he will stand to in a month. Nurse An a' speak any thing against me, I'll take him down, an a' were lustier than he is, and twenty such Jacks; and if I cannot, I'll find those that shall. Scurvy knave! I am none of his flirt-gills; I am none of his skains-mates. And thou must stand by too, and suffer every knave to use me at his pleasure? PETER I saw no man use you a pleasure; if I had, my weapon should quickly have been out, I warrant you: I dare draw as soon as another man, if I see occasion in a good quarrel, and the law on my side. Nurse Now, afore God, I am so vexed, that every part about me quivers. Scurvy knave! Pray you, sir, a word: and as I told you, my young lady bade me inquire you out; what she bade me say, I will keep to myself: but first let me tell ye, if ye should lead her into a fool's paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behavior, as they say: for the gentlewoman is young; and, therefore, if you should deal double with her, truly it were an ill thing to be offered to any gentlewoman, and very weak dealing. ROMEO Nurse, commend me to thy lady and mistress. I protest unto thee-- Nurse Good heart, and, i' faith, I will tell her as much: Lord, Lord, she will be a joyful woman. ROMEO What wilt thou tell her, nurse? thou dost not mark me. Nurse I will tell her, sir, that you do protest; which, as I take it, is a gentlemanlike offer. ROMEO Bid her devise Some means to come to shrift this afternoon; And there she shall at Friar Laurence' cell Be shrived and married. Here is for thy pains. Nurse No truly sir; not a penny. ROMEO Go to; I say you shall. Nurse This afternoon, sir? well, she shall be there. ROMEO And stay, good nurse, behind the abbey wall: Within this hour my man shall be with thee And bring thee cords made like a tackled stair; Which to the high top-gallant of my joy Must be my convoy in the secret night. Farewell; be trusty, and I'll quit thy pains: Farewell; commend me to thy mistress. Nurse Now God in heaven bless thee! Hark you, sir. ROMEO What say'st thou, my dear nurse? Nurse Is your man secret? Did you ne'er hear say, Two may keep counsel, putting one away? ROMEO I warrant thee, my man's as true as steel. NURSE Well, sir; my mistress is the sweetest lady--Lord, Lord! when 'twas a little prating thing:--O, there is a nobleman in town, one Paris, that would fain lay knife aboard; but she, good soul, had as lief see a toad, a very toad, as see him. I anger her sometimes and tell her that Paris is the properer man; but, I'll warrant you, when I say so, she looks as pale as any clout in the versal world. Doth not rosemary and Romeo begin both with a letter? ROMEO Ay, nurse; what of that? both with an R. Nurse Ah. mocker! that's the dog's name; R is for the--No; I know it begins with some other letter:--and she hath the prettiest sententious of it, of you and rosemary, that it would do you good to hear it. ROMEO Commend me to thy lady. Nurse Ay, a thousand times. Exit Romeo Peter! PETER Anon! Nurse Peter, take my fan, and go before and apace. Exeunt SCENE V. Capulet's orchard. Enter JULIET JULIET The clock struck nine when I did send the nurse; In half an hour she promised to return. Perchance she cannot meet him: that's not so. O, she is lame! love's heralds should be thoughts, Which ten times faster glide than the sun's beams, Driving back shadows over louring hills: Therefore do nimble-pinion'd doves draw love, And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings. Now is the sun upon the highmost hill Of this day's journey, and from nine till twelve Is three long hours, yet she is not come. Had she affections and warm youthful blood, She would be as swift in motion as a ball; My words would bandy her to my sweet love, And his to me: But old folks, many feign as they were dead; Unwieldy, slow, heavy and pale as lead. O God, she comes! Enter Nurse and PETER O honey nurse, what news? Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away. Nurse Peter, stay at the gate. Exit PETER JULIET Now, good sweet nurse,--O Lord, why look'st thou sad? Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily; If good, thou shamest the music of sweet news By playing it to me with so sour a face. Nurse I am a-weary, give me leave awhile: Fie, how my bones ache! what a jaunt have I had! JULIET I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news: Nay, come, I pray thee, speak; good, good nurse, speak. Nurse Jesu, what haste? can you not stay awhile? Do you not see that I am out of breath? JULIET How art thou out of breath, when thou hast breath To say to me that thou art out of breath? The excuse that thou dost make in this delay Is longer than the tale thou dost excuse. Is thy news good, or bad? answer to that; Say either, and I'll stay the circumstance: Let me be satisfied, is't good or bad? Nurse Well, you have made a simple choice; you know not how to choose a man: Romeo! no, not he; though his face be better than any man's, yet his leg excels all men's; and for a hand, and a foot, and a body, though they be not to be talked on, yet they are past compare: he is not the flower of courtesy, but, I'll warrant him, as gentle as a lamb. Go thy ways, wench; serve God. What, have you dined at home? JULIET No, no: but all this did I know before. What says he of our marriage? what of that? Nurse Lord, how my head aches! what a head have I! It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces. My back o' t' other side,--O, my back, my back! Beshrew your heart for sending me about, To catch my death with jaunting up and down! JULIET I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love? Nurse Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I warrant, a virtuous,--Where is your mother? JULIET Where is my mother! why, she is within; Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest! 'Your love says, like an honest gentleman, Where is your mother?' Nurse O God's lady dear! Are you so hot? marry, come up, I trow; Is this the poultice for my aching bones? Henceforward do your messages yourself. JULIET Here's such a coil! come, what says Romeo? Nurse Have you got leave to go to shrift to-day? JULIET I have. Nurse Then hie you hence to Friar Laurence' cell; There stays a husband to make you a wife: Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks, They'll be in scarlet straight at any news. Hie you to church; I must another way, To fetch a ladder, by the which your love Must climb a bird's nest soon when it is dark: I am the drudge and toil in your delight, But you shall bear the burden soon at night. Go; I'll to dinner: hie you to the cell. JULIET Hie to high fortune! Honest nurse, farewell. Exeunt SCENE VI. Friar Laurence's cell. Enter FRIAR LAURENCE and ROMEO FRIAR LAURENCE So smile the heavens upon this holy act, That after hours with sorrow chide us not! ROMEO Amen, amen! but come what sorrow can, It cannot countervail the exchange of joy That one short minute gives me in her sight: Do thou but close our hands with holy words, Then love-devouring death do what he dare; It is enough I may but call her mine. FRIAR LAURENCE These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume: the sweetest honey Is loathsome in his own deliciousness And in the taste confounds the appetite: Therefore love moderately; long love doth so; Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow. Enter JULIET Here comes the lady: O, so light a foot Will ne'er wear out the everlasting flint: A lover may bestride the gossamer That idles in the wanton summer air, And yet not fall; so light is vanity. JULIET Good even to my ghostly confessor. FRIAR LAURENCE Romeo shall thank thee, daughter, for us both. JULIET As much to him, else is his thanks too much. ROMEO Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy Be heap'd like mine and that thy skill be more To blazon it, then sweeten with thy breath This neighbour air, and let rich music's tongue Unfold the imagined happiness that both Receive in either by this dear encounter. JULIET Conceit, more rich in matter than in words, Brags of his substance, not of ornament: They are but beggars that can count their worth; But my true love is grown to such excess I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth. FRIAR LAURENCE Come, come with me, and we will make short work; For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone Till holy church incorporate two in one. Exeunt ACT III SCENE I. A public place. Enter MERCUTIO, BENVOLIO, Page, and Servants BENVOLIO I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire: The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, And, if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl; For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring. MERCUTIO Thou art like one of those fellows that when he enters the confines of a tavern claps me his sword upon the table and says 'God send me no need of thee!' and by the operation of the second cup draws it on the drawer, when indeed there is no need. BENVOLIO Am I like such a fellow? MERCUTIO Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy, and as soon moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved. BENVOLIO And what to? MERCUTIO Nay, an there were two such, we should have none shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou! why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more, or a hair less, in his beard, than thou hast: thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes: what eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel? Thy head is as fun of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling: thou hast quarrelled with a man for coughing in the street, because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun: didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter? with another, for tying his new shoes with old riband? and yet thou wilt tutor me from quarrelling! BENVOLIO An I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy the fee-simple of my life for an hour and a quarter. MERCUTIO The fee-simple! O simple! BENVOLIO By my head, here come the Capulets. MERCUTIO By my heel, I care not. Enter TYBALT and others TYBALT Follow me close, for I will speak to them. Gentlemen, good den: a word with one of you. MERCUTIO And but one word with one of us? couple it with something; make it a word and a blow. TYBALT You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, an you will give me occasion. MERCUTIO Could you not take some occasion without giving? TYBALT Mercutio, thou consort'st with Romeo,-- MERCUTIO Consort! what, dost thou make us minstrels? an thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords: here's my fiddlestick; here's that shall make you dance. 'Zounds, consort! BENVOLIO We talk here in the public haunt of men: Either withdraw unto some private place, And reason coldly of your grievances, Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us. MERCUTIO Men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze; I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I. Enter ROMEO TYBALT Well, peace be with you, sir: here comes my man. MERCUTIO But I'll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery: Marry, go before to field, he'll be your follower; Your worship in that sense may call him 'man.' TYBALT Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford No better term than this,--thou art a villain. ROMEO Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage To such a greeting: villain am I none; Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not. TYBALT Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries That thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw. ROMEO I do protest, I never injured thee, But love thee better than thou canst devise, Till thou shalt know the reason of my love: And so, good Capulet,--which name I tender As dearly as my own,--be satisfied. MERCUTIO O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! Alla stoccata carries it away. Draws Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk? TYBALT What wouldst thou have with me? MERCUTIO Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and as you shall use me hereafter, drybeat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pitcher by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out. TYBALT I am for you. Drawing ROMEO Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up. MERCUTIO Come, sir, your passado. They fight ROMEO Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons. Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage! Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath Forbidden bandying in Verona streets: Hold, Tybalt! good Mercutio! TYBALT under ROMEO's arm stabs MERCUTIO, and flies with his followers MERCUTIO I am hurt. A plague o' both your houses! I am sped. Is he gone, and hath nothing? BENVOLIO What, art thou hurt? MERCUTIO Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough. Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon. Exit Page ROMEO Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much. MERCUTIO No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough,'twill serve: ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o' both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm. ROMEO I thought all for the best. MERCUTIO Help me into some house, Benvolio, Or I shall faint. A plague o' both your houses! They have made worms' meat of me: I have it, And soundly too: your houses! Exeunt MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO ROMEO This gentleman, the prince's near ally, My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt In my behalf; my reputation stain'd With Tybalt's slander,--Tybalt, that an hour Hath been my kinsman! O sweet Juliet, Thy beauty hath made me effeminate And in my temper soften'd valour's steel! Re-enter BENVOLIO BENVOLIO O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio's dead! That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds, Which too untimely here did scorn the earth. ROMEO This day's black fate on more days doth depend; This but begins the woe, others must end. BENVOLIO Here comes the furious Tybalt back again. ROMEO Alive, in triumph! and Mercutio slain! Away to heaven, respective lenity, And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now! Re-enter TYBALT Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again, That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio's soul Is but a little way above our heads, Staying for thine to keep him company: Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him. TYBALT Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here, Shalt with him hence. ROMEO This shall determine that. They fight; TYBALT falls BENVOLIO Romeo, away, be gone! The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain. Stand not amazed: the prince will doom thee death, If thou art taken: hence, be gone, away! ROMEO O, I am fortune's fool! BENVOLIO Why dost thou stay? Exit ROMEO Enter Citizens, & c First Citizen Which way ran he that kill'd Mercutio? Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he? BENVOLIO There lies that Tybalt. First Citizen Up, sir, go with me; I charge thee in the princes name, obey. Enter Prince, attended; MONTAGUE, CAPULET, their Wives, and others PRINCE Where are the vile beginners of this fray? BENVOLIO O noble prince, I can discover all The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl: There lies the man, slain by young Romeo, That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio. LADY CAPULET Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother's child! O prince! O cousin! husband! O, the blood is spilt O my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true, For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague. O cousin, cousin! PRINCE Benvolio, who began this bloody fray? BENVOLIO Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay; Romeo that spoke him fair, bade him bethink How nice the quarrel was, and urged withal Your high displeasure: all this uttered With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow'd, Could not take truce with the unruly spleen Of Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he tilts With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast, Who all as hot, turns deadly point to point, And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats Cold death aside, and with the other sends It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity, Retorts it: Romeo he cries aloud, 'Hold, friends! friends, part!' and, swifter than his tongue, His agile arm beats down their fatal points, And 'twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled; But by and by comes back to Romeo, Who had but newly entertain'd revenge, And to 't they go like lightning, for, ere I Could draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain. And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly. This is the truth, or let Benvolio die. LADY CAPULET He is a kinsman to the Montague; Affection makes him false; he speaks not true: Some twenty of them fought in this black strife, And all those twenty could but kill one life. I beg for justice, which thou, prince, must give; Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live. PRINCE Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio; Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe? MONTAGUE Not Romeo, prince, he was Mercutio's friend; His fault concludes but what the law should end, The life of Tybalt. PRINCE And for that offence Immediately we do exile him hence: I have an interest in your hate's proceeding, My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding; But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine That you shall all repent the loss of mine: I will be deaf to pleading and excuses; Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses: Therefore use none: let Romeo hence in haste, Else, when he's found, that hour is his last. Bear hence this body and attend our will: Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill. Exeunt SCENE II. Capulet's orchard. Enter JULIET JULIET Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds, Towards Phoebus' lodging: such a wagoner As Phaethon would whip you to the west, And bring in cloudy night immediately. Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night, That runaway's eyes may wink and Romeo Leap to these arms, untalk'd of and unseen. Lovers can see to do their amorous rites By their own beauties; or, if love be blind, It best agrees with night. Come, civil night, Thou sober-suited matron, all in black, And learn me how to lose a winning match, Play'd for a pair of stainless maidenhoods: Hood my unmann'd blood, bating in my cheeks, With thy black mantle; till strange love, grown bold, Think true love acted simple modesty. Come, night; come, Romeo; come, thou day in night; For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night Whiter than new snow on a raven's back. Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-brow'd night, Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night And pay no worship to the garish sun. O, I have bought the mansion of a love, But not possess'd it, and, though I am sold, Not yet enjoy'd: so tedious is this day As is the night before some festival To an impatient child that hath new robes And may not wear them. O, here comes my nurse, And she brings news; and every tongue that speaks But Romeo's name speaks heavenly eloquence. Enter Nurse, with cords Now, nurse, what news? What hast thou there? the cords That Romeo bid thee fetch? Nurse Ay, ay, the cords. Throws them down JULIET Ay me! what news? why dost thou wring thy hands? Nurse Ah, well-a-day! he's dead, he's dead, he's dead! We are undone, lady, we are undone! Alack the day! he's gone, he's kill'd, he's dead! JULIET Can heaven be so envious? Nurse Romeo can, Though heaven cannot: O Romeo, Romeo! Who ever would have thought it? Romeo! JULIET What devil art thou, that dost torment me thus? This torture should be roar'd in dismal hell. Hath Romeo slain himself? say thou but 'I,' And that bare vowel 'I' shall poison more Than the death-darting eye of cockatrice: I am not I, if there be such an I; Or those eyes shut, that make thee answer 'I.' If he be slain, say 'I'; or if not, no: Brief sounds determine of my weal or woe. Nurse I saw the wound, I saw it with mine eyes,-- God save the mark!--here on his manly breast: A piteous corse, a bloody piteous corse; Pale, pale as ashes, all bedaub'd in blood, All in gore-blood; I swounded at the sight. JULIET O, break, my heart! poor bankrupt, break at once! To prison, eyes, ne'er look on liberty! Vile earth, to earth resign; end motion here; And thou and Romeo press one heavy bier! Nurse O Tybalt, Tybalt, the best friend I had! O courteous Tybalt! honest gentleman! That ever I should live to see thee dead! JULIET What storm is this that blows so contrary? Is Romeo slaughter'd, and is Tybalt dead? My dear-loved cousin, and my dearer lord? Then, dreadful trumpet, sound the general doom! For who is living, if those two are gone? Nurse Tybalt is gone, and Romeo banished; Romeo that kill'd him, he is banished. JULIET O God! did Romeo's hand shed Tybalt's blood? Nurse It did, it did; alas the day, it did! JULIET O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face! Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave? Beautiful tyrant! fiend angelical! Dove-feather'd raven! wolvish-ravening lamb! Despised substance of divinest show! Just opposite to what thou justly seem'st, A damned saint, an honourable villain! O nature, what hadst thou to do in hell, When thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend In moral paradise of such sweet flesh? Was ever book containing such vile matter So fairly bound? O that deceit should dwell In such a gorgeous palace! Nurse There's no trust, No faith, no honesty in men; all perjured, All forsworn, all naught, all dissemblers. Ah, where's my man? give me some aqua vitae: These griefs, these woes, these sorrows make me old. Shame come to Romeo! JULIET Blister'd be thy tongue For such a wish! he was not born to shame: Upon his brow shame is ashamed to sit; For 'tis a throne where honour may be crown'd Sole monarch of the universal earth. O, what a beast was I to chide at him! Nurse Will you speak well of him that kill'd your cousin? JULIET Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband? Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name, When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it? But, wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin? That villain cousin would have kill'd my husband: Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring; Your tributary drops belong to woe, Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy. My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain; And Tybalt's dead, that would have slain my husband: All this is comfort; wherefore weep I then? Some word there was, worser than Tybalt's death, That murder'd me: I would forget it fain; But, O, it presses to my memory, Like damned guilty deeds to sinners' minds: 'Tybalt is dead, and Romeo--banished;' That 'banished,' that one word 'banished,' Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt's death Was woe enough, if it had ended there: Or, if sour woe delights in fellowship And needly will be rank'd with other griefs, Why follow'd not, when she said 'Tybalt's dead,' Thy father, or thy mother, nay, or both, Which modern lamentations might have moved? But with a rear-ward following Tybalt's death, 'Romeo is banished,' to speak that word, Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet, All slain, all dead. 'Romeo is banished!' There is no end, no limit, measure, bound, In that word's death; no words can that woe sound. Where is my father, and my mother, nurse? Nurse Weeping and wailing over Tybalt's corse: Will you go to them? I will bring you thither. JULIET Wash they his wounds with tears: mine shall be spent, When theirs are dry, for Romeo's banishment. Take up those cords: poor ropes, you are beguiled, Both you and I; for Romeo is exiled: He made you for a highway to my bed; But I, a maid, die maiden-widowed. Come, cords, come, nurse; I'll to my wedding-bed; And death, not Romeo, take my maidenhead! Nurse Hie to your chamber: I'll find Romeo To comfort you: I wot well where he is. Hark ye, your Romeo will be here at night: I'll to him; he is hid at Laurence' cell. JULIET O, find him! give this ring to my true knight, And bid him come to take his last farewell. Exeunt SCENE III. Friar Laurence's cell. Enter FRIAR LAURENCE FRIAR LAURENCE Romeo, come forth; come forth, thou fearful man: Affliction is enamour'd of thy parts, And thou art wedded to calamity. Enter ROMEO ROMEO Father, what news? what is the prince's doom? What sorrow craves acquaintance at my hand, That I yet know not? FRIAR LAURENCE Too familiar Is my dear son with such sour company: I bring thee tidings of the prince's doom. ROMEO What less than dooms-day is the prince's doom? FRIAR LAURENCE A gentler judgment vanish'd from his lips, Not body's death, but body's banishment. ROMEO Ha, banishment! be merciful, say 'death;' For exile hath more terror in his look, Much more than death: do not say 'banishment.' FRIAR LAURENCE Hence from Verona art thou banished: Be patient, for the world is broad and wide. ROMEO There is no world without Verona walls, But purgatory, torture, hell itself. Hence-banished is banish'd from the world, And world's exile is death: then banished, Is death mis-term'd: calling death banishment, Thou cutt'st my head off with a golden axe, And smilest upon the stroke that murders me. FRIAR LAURENCE O deadly sin! O rude unthankfulness! Thy fault our law calls death; but the kind prince, Taking thy part, hath rush'd aside the law, And turn'd that black word death to banishment: This is dear mercy, and thou seest it not. ROMEO 'Tis torture, and not mercy: heaven is here, Where Juliet lives; and every cat and dog And little mouse, every unworthy thing, Live here in heaven and may look on her; But Romeo may not: more validity, More honourable state, more courtship lives In carrion-flies than Romeo: they my seize On the white wonder of dear Juliet's hand And steal immortal blessing from her lips, Who even in pure and vestal modesty, Still blush, as thinking their own kisses sin; But Romeo may not; he is banished: Flies may do this, but I from this must fly: They are free men, but I am banished. And say'st thou yet that exile is not death? Hadst thou no poison mix'd, no sharp-ground knife, No sudden mean of death, though ne'er so mean, But 'banished' to kill me?--'banished'? O friar, the damned use that word in hell; Howlings attend it: how hast thou the heart, Being a divine, a ghostly confessor, A sin-absolver, and my friend profess'd, To mangle me with that word 'banished'? FRIAR LAURENCE Thou fond mad man, hear me but speak a word. ROMEO O, thou wilt speak again of banishment. FRIAR LAURENCE I'll give thee armour to keep off that word: Adversity's sweet milk, philosophy, To comfort thee, though thou art banished. ROMEO Yet 'banished'? Hang up philosophy! Unless philosophy can make a Juliet, Displant a town, reverse a prince's doom, It helps not, it prevails not: talk no more. FRIAR LAURENCE O, then I see that madmen have no ears. ROMEO How should they, when that wise men have no eyes? FRIAR LAURENCE Let me dispute with thee of thy estate. ROMEO Thou canst not speak of that thou dost not feel: Wert thou as young as I, Juliet thy love, An hour but married, Tybalt murdered, Doting like me and like me banished, Then mightst thou speak, then mightst thou tear thy hair, And fall upon the ground, as I do now, Taking the measure of an unmade grave. Knocking within FRIAR LAURENCE Arise; one knocks; good Romeo, hide thyself. ROMEO Not I; unless the breath of heartsick groans, Mist-like, infold me from the search of eyes. Knocking FRIAR LAURENCE Hark, how they knock! Who's there? Romeo, arise; Thou wilt be taken. Stay awhile! Stand up; Knocking Run to my study. By and by! God's will, What simpleness is this! I come, I come! Knocking Who knocks so hard? whence come you? what's your will? Nurse [Within] Let me come in, and you shall know my errand; I come from Lady Juliet. FRIAR LAURENCE Welcome, then. Enter Nurse Nurse O holy friar, O, tell me, holy friar, Where is my lady's lord, where's Romeo? FRIAR LAURENCE There on the ground, with his own tears made drunk. Nurse O, he is even in my mistress' case, Just in her case! O woful sympathy! Piteous predicament! Even so lies she, Blubbering and weeping, weeping and blubbering. Stand up, stand up; stand, and you be a man: For Juliet's sake, for her sake, rise and stand; Why should you fall into so deep an O? ROMEO Nurse! Nurse Ah sir! ah sir! Well, death's the end of all. ROMEO Spakest thou of Juliet? how is it with her? Doth she not think me an old murderer, Now I have stain'd the childhood of our joy With blood removed but little from her own? Where is she? and how doth she? and what says My conceal'd lady to our cancell'd love? Nurse O, she says nothing, sir, but weeps and weeps; And now falls on her bed; and then starts up, And Tybalt calls; and then on Romeo cries, And then down falls again. ROMEO As if that name, Shot from the deadly level of a gun, Did murder her; as that name's cursed hand Murder'd her kinsman. O, tell me, friar, tell me, In what vile part of this anatomy Doth my name lodge? tell me, that I may sack The hateful mansion. Drawing his sword FRIAR LAURENCE Hold thy desperate hand: Art thou a man? thy form cries out thou art: Thy tears are womanish; thy wild acts denote The unreasonable fury of a beast: Unseemly woman in a seeming man! Or ill-beseeming beast in seeming both! Thou hast amazed me: by my holy order, I thought thy disposition better temper'd. Hast thou slain Tybalt? wilt thou slay thyself? And stay thy lady too that lives in thee, By doing damned hate upon thyself? Why rail'st thou on thy birth, the heaven, and earth? Since birth, and heaven, and earth, all three do meet In thee at once; which thou at once wouldst lose. Fie, fie, thou shamest thy shape, thy love, thy wit; Which, like a usurer, abound'st in all, And usest none in that true use indeed Which should bedeck thy shape, thy love, thy wit: Thy noble shape is but a form of wax, Digressing from the valour of a man; Thy dear love sworn but hollow perjury, Killing that love which thou hast vow'd to cherish; Thy wit, that ornament to shape and love, Misshapen in the conduct of them both, Like powder in a skitless soldier's flask, Is set afire by thine own ignorance, And thou dismember'd with thine own defence. What, rouse thee, man! thy Juliet is alive, For whose dear sake thou wast but lately dead; There art thou happy: Tybalt would kill thee, But thou slew'st Tybalt; there are thou happy too: The law that threaten'd death becomes thy friend And turns it to exile; there art thou happy: A pack of blessings lights up upon thy back; Happiness courts thee in her best array; But, like a misbehaved and sullen wench, Thou pout'st upon thy fortune and thy love: Take heed, take heed, for such die miserable. Go, get thee to thy love, as was decreed, Ascend her chamber, hence and comfort her: But look thou stay not till the watch be set, For then thou canst not pass to Mantua; Where thou shalt live, till we can find a time To blaze your marriage, reconcile your friends, Beg pardon of the prince, and call thee back With twenty hundred thousand times more joy Than thou went'st forth in lamentation. Go before, nurse: commend me to thy lady; And bid her hasten all the house to bed, Which heavy sorrow makes them apt unto: Romeo is coming. Nurse O Lord, I could have stay'd here all the night To hear good counsel: O, what learning is! My lord, I'll tell my lady you will come. ROMEO Do so, and bid my sweet prepare to chide. Nurse Here, sir, a ring she bid me give you, sir: Hie you, make haste, for it grows very late. Exit ROMEO How well my comfort is revived by this! FRIAR LAURENCE Go hence; good night; and here stands all your state: Either be gone before the watch be set, Or by the break of day disguised from hence: Sojourn in Mantua; I'll find out your man, And he shall signify from time to time Every good hap to you that chances here: Give me thy hand; 'tis late: farewell; good night. ROMEO But that a joy past joy calls out on me, It were a grief, so brief to part with thee: Farewell. Exeunt SCENE IV. A room in Capulet's house. Enter CAPULET, LADY CAPULET, and PARIS CAPULET Things have fall'n out, sir, so unluckily, That we have had no time to move our daughter: Look you, she loved her kinsman Tybalt dearly, And so did I:--Well, we were born to die. 'Tis very late, she'll not come down to-night: I promise you, but for your company, I would have been a-bed an hour ago. PARIS These times of woe afford no time to woo. Madam, good night: commend me to your daughter. LADY CAPULET I will, and know her mind early to-morrow; To-night she is mew'd up to her heaviness. CAPULET Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender Of my child's love: I think she will be ruled In all respects by me; nay, more, I doubt it not. Wife, go you to her ere you go to bed; Acquaint her here of my son Paris' love; And bid her, mark you me, on Wednesday next-- But, soft! what day is this? PARIS Monday, my lord, CAPULET Monday! ha, ha! Well, Wednesday is too soon, O' Thursday let it be: o' Thursday, tell her, She shall be married to this noble earl. Will you be ready? do you like this haste? We'll keep no great ado,--a friend or two; For, hark you, Tybalt being slain so late, It may be thought we held him carelessly, Being our kinsman, if we revel much: Therefore we'll have some half a dozen friends, And there an end. But what say you to Thursday? PARIS My lord, I would that Thursday were to-morrow. CAPULET Well get you gone: o' Thursday be it, then. Go you to Juliet ere you go to bed, Prepare her, wife, against this wedding-day. Farewell, my lord. Light to my chamber, ho! Afore me! it is so very very late, That we may call it early by and by. Good night. Exeunt SCENE V. Capulet's orchard. Enter ROMEO and JULIET above, at the window JULIET Wilt thou be gone? it is not yet near day: It was the nightingale, and not the lark, That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear; Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate-tree: Believe me, love, it was the nightingale. ROMEO It was the lark, the herald of the morn, No nightingale: look, love, what envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east: Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops. I must be gone and live, or stay and die. JULIET Yon light is not day-light, I know it, I: It is some meteor that the sun exhales, To be to thee this night a torch-bearer, And light thee on thy way to Mantua: Therefore stay yet; thou need'st not to be gone. ROMEO Let me be ta'en, let me be put to death; I am content, so thou wilt have it so. I'll say yon grey is not the morning's eye, 'Tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow; Nor that is not the lark, whose notes do beat The vaulty heaven so high above our heads: I have more care to stay than will to go: Come, death, and welcome! Juliet wills it so. How is't, my soul? let's talk; it is not day. JULIET It is, it is: hie hence, be gone, away! It is the lark that sings so out of tune, Straining harsh discords and unpleasing sharps. Some say the lark makes sweet division; This doth not so, for she divideth us: Some say the lark and loathed toad change eyes, O, now I would they had changed voices too! Since arm from arm that voice doth us affray, Hunting thee hence with hunt's-up to the day, O, now be gone; more light and light it grows. ROMEO More light and light; more dark and dark our woes! Enter Nurse, to the chamber Nurse Madam! JULIET Nurse? Nurse Your lady mother is coming to your chamber: The day is broke; be wary, look about. Exit JULIET Then, window, let day in, and let life out. ROMEO Farewell, farewell! one kiss, and I'll descend. He goeth down JULIET Art thou gone so? love, lord, ay, husband, friend! I must hear from thee every day in the hour, For in a minute there are many days: O, by this count I shall be much in years Ere I again behold my Romeo! ROMEO Farewell! I will omit no opportunity That may convey my greetings, love, to thee. JULIET O think'st thou we shall ever meet again? ROMEO I doubt it not; and all these woes shall serve For sweet discourses in our time to come. JULIET O God, I have an ill-divining soul! Methinks I see thee, now thou art below, As one dead in the bottom of a tomb: Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale. ROMEO And trust me, love, in my eye so do you: Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, adieu! Exit JULIET O fortune, fortune! all men call thee fickle: If thou art fickle, what dost thou with him. That is renown'd for faith? Be fickle, fortune; For then, I hope, thou wilt not keep him long, But send him back. LADY CAPULET [Within] Ho, daughter! are you up? JULIET Who is't that calls? is it my lady mother? Is she not down so late, or up so early? What unaccustom'd cause procures her hither? Enter LADY CAPULET LADY CAPULET Why, how now, Juliet! JULIET Madam, I am not well. LADY CAPULET Evermore weeping for your cousin's death? What, wilt thou wash him from his grave with tears? An if thou couldst, thou couldst not make him live; Therefore, have done: some grief shows much of love; But much of grief shows still some want of wit. JULIET Yet let me weep for such a feeling loss. LADY CAPULET So shall you feel the loss, but not the friend Which you weep for. JULIET Feeling so the loss, Cannot choose but ever weep the friend. LADY CAPULET Well, girl, thou weep'st not so much for his death, As that the villain lives which slaughter'd him. JULIET What villain madam? LADY CAPULET That same villain, Romeo. JULIET [Aside] Villain and he be many miles asunder.-- God Pardon him! I do, with all my heart; And yet no man like he doth grieve my heart. LADY CAPULET That is, because the traitor murderer lives. JULIET Ay, madam, from the reach of these my hands: Would none but I might venge my cousin's death! LADY CAPULET We will have vengeance for it, fear thou not: Then weep no more. I'll send to one in Mantua, Where that same banish'd runagate doth live, Shall give him such an unaccustom'd dram, That he shall soon keep Tybalt company: And then, I hope, thou wilt be satisfied. JULIET Indeed, I never shall be satisfied With Romeo, till I behold him--dead-- Is my poor heart for a kinsman vex'd. Madam, if you could find out but a man To bear a poison, I would temper it; That Romeo should, upon receipt thereof, Soon sleep in quiet. O, how my heart abhors To hear him named, and cannot come to him. To wreak the love I bore my cousin Upon his body that slaughter'd him! LADY CAPULET Find thou the means, and I'll find such a man. But now I'll tell thee joyful tidings, girl. JULIET And joy comes well in such a needy time: What are they, I beseech your ladyship? LADY CAPULET Well, well, thou hast a careful father, child; One who, to put thee from thy heaviness, Hath sorted out a sudden day of joy, That thou expect'st not nor I look'd not for. JULIET Madam, in happy time, what day is that? LADY CAPULET Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn, The gallant, young and noble gentleman, The County Paris, at Saint Peter's Church, Shall happily make thee there a joyful bride. JULIET Now, by Saint Peter's Church and Peter too, He shall not make me there a joyful bride. I wonder at this haste; that I must wed Ere he, that should be husband, comes to woo. I pray you, tell my lord and father, madam, I will not marry yet; and, when I do, I swear, It shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, Rather than Paris. These are news indeed! LADY CAPULET Here comes your father; tell him so yourself, And see how he will take it at your hands. Enter CAPULET and Nurse CAPULET When the sun sets, the air doth drizzle dew; But for the sunset of my brother's son It rains downright. How now! a conduit, girl? what, still in tears? Evermore showering? In one little body Thou counterfeit'st a bark, a sea, a wind; For still thy eyes, which I may call the sea, Do ebb and flow with tears; the bark thy body is, Sailing in this salt flood; the winds, thy sighs; Who, raging with thy tears, and they with them, Without a sudden calm, will overset Thy tempest-tossed body. How now, wife! Have you deliver'd to her our decree? LADY CAPULET Ay, sir; but she will none, she gives you thanks. I would the fool were married to her grave! CAPULET Soft! take me with you, take me with you, wife. How! will she none? doth she not give us thanks? Is she not proud? doth she not count her blest, Unworthy as she is, that we have wrought So worthy a gentleman to be her bridegroom? JULIET Not proud, you have; but thankful, that you have: Proud can I never be of what I hate; But thankful even for hate, that is meant love. CAPULET How now, how now, chop-logic! What is this? 'Proud,' and 'I thank you,' and 'I thank you not;' And yet 'not proud,' mistress minion, you, Thank me no thankings, nor, proud me no prouds, But fettle your fine joints 'gainst Thursday next, To go with Paris to Saint Peter's Church, Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither. Out, you green-sickness carrion! out, you baggage! You tallow-face! LADY CAPULET Fie, fie! what, are you mad? JULIET Good father, I beseech you on my knees, Hear me with patience but to speak a word. CAPULET Hang thee, young baggage! disobedient wretch! I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday, Or never after look me in the face: Speak not, reply not, do not answer me; My fingers itch. Wife, we scarce thought us blest That God had lent us but this only child; But now I see this one is one too much, And that we have a curse in having her: Out on her, hilding! Nurse God in heaven bless her! You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so. CAPULET And why, my lady wisdom? hold your tongue, Good prudence; smatter with your gossips, go. Nurse I speak no treason. CAPULET O, God ye god-den. Nurse May not one speak? CAPULET Peace, you mumbling fool! Utter your gravity o'er a gossip's bowl; For here we need it not. LADY CAPULET You are too hot. CAPULET God's bread! it makes me mad: Day, night, hour, tide, time, work, play, Alone, in company, still my care hath been To have her match'd: and having now provided A gentleman of noble parentage, Of fair demesnes, youthful, and nobly train'd, Stuff'd, as they say, with honourable parts, Proportion'd as one's thought would wish a man; And then to have a wretched puling fool, A whining mammet, in her fortune's tender, To answer 'I'll not wed; I cannot love, I am too young; I pray you, pardon me.' But, as you will not wed, I'll pardon you: Graze where you will you shall not house with me: Look to't, think on't, I do not use to jest. Thursday is near; lay hand on heart, advise: An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend; And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, For, by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee, Nor what is mine shall never do thee good: Trust to't, bethink you; I'll not be forsworn. Exit JULIET Is there no pity sitting in the clouds, That sees into the bottom of my grief? O, sweet my mother, cast me not away! Delay this marriage for a month, a week; Or, if you do not, make the bridal bed In that dim monument where Tybalt lies. LADY CAPULET Talk not to me, for I'll not speak a word: Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee. Exit JULIET O God!--O nurse, how shall this be prevented? My husband is on earth, my faith in heaven; How shall that faith return again to earth, Unless that husband send it me from heaven By leaving earth? comfort me, counsel me. Alack, alack, that heaven should practise stratagems Upon so soft a subject as myself! What say'st thou? hast thou not a word of joy? Some comfort, nurse. Nurse Faith, here it is. Romeo is banish'd; and all the world to nothing, That he dares ne'er come back to challenge you; Or, if he do, it needs must be by stealth. Then, since the case so stands as now it doth, I think it best you married with the county. O, he's a lovely gentleman! Romeo's a dishclout to him: an eagle, madam, Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye As Paris hath. Beshrew my very heart, I think you are happy in this second match, For it excels your first: or if it did not, Your first is dead; or 'twere as good he were, As living here and you no use of him. JULIET Speakest thou from thy heart? Nurse And from my soul too; Or else beshrew them both. JULIET Amen! Nurse What? JULIET Well, thou hast comforted me marvellous much. Go in: and tell my lady I am gone, Having displeased my father, to Laurence' cell, To make confession and to be absolved. Nurse Marry, I will; and this is wisely done. Exit JULIET Ancient damnation! O most wicked fiend! Is it more sin to wish me thus forsworn, Or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue Which she hath praised him with above compare So many thousand times? Go, counsellor; Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain. I'll to the friar, to know his remedy: If all else fail, myself have power to die. Exit ACT IV SCENE I. Friar Laurence's cell. Enter FRIAR LAURENCE and PARIS FRIAR LAURENCE On Thursday, sir? the time is very short. PARIS My father Capulet will have it so; And I am nothing slow to slack his haste. FRIAR LAURENCE You say you do not know the lady's mind: Uneven is the course, I like it not. PARIS Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt's death, And therefore have I little talk'd of love; For Venus smiles not in a house of tears. Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous That she doth give her sorrow so much sway, And in his wisdom hastes our marriage, To stop the inundation of her tears; Which, too much minded by herself alone, May be put from her by society: Now do you know the reason of this haste. FRIAR LAURENCE [Aside] I would I knew not why it should be slow'd. Look, sir, here comes the lady towards my cell. Enter JULIET PARIS Happily met, my lady and my wife! JULIET That may be, sir, when I may be a wife. PARIS That may be must be, love, on Thursday next. JULIET What must be shall be. FRIAR LAURENCE That's a certain text. PARIS Come you to make confession to this father? JULIET To answer that, I should confess to you. PARIS Do not deny to him that you love me. JULIET I will confess to you that I love him. PARIS So will ye, I am sure, that you love me. JULIET If I do so, it will be of more price, Being spoke behind your back, than to your face. PARIS Poor soul, thy face is much abused with tears. JULIET The tears have got small victory by that; For it was bad enough before their spite. PARIS Thou wrong'st it, more than tears, with that report. JULIET That is no slander, sir, which is a truth; And what I spake, I spake it to my face. PARIS Thy face is mine, and thou hast slander'd it. JULIET It may be so, for it is not mine own. Are you at leisure, holy father, now; Or shall I come to you at evening mass? FRIAR LAURENCE My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now. My lord, we must entreat the time alone. PARIS God shield I should disturb devotion! Juliet, on Thursday early will I rouse ye: Till then, adieu; and keep this holy kiss. Exit JULIET O shut the door! and when thou hast done so, Come weep with me; past hope, past cure, past help! FRIAR LAURENCE Ah, Juliet, I already know thy grief; It strains me past the compass of my wits: I hear thou must, and nothing may prorogue it, On Thursday next be married to this county. JULIET Tell me not, friar, that thou hear'st of this, Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it: If, in thy wisdom, thou canst give no help, Do thou but call my resolution wise, And with this knife I'll help it presently. God join'd my heart and Romeo's, thou our hands; And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo seal'd, Shall be the label to another deed, Or my true heart with treacherous revolt Turn to another, this shall slay them both: Therefore, out of thy long-experienced time, Give me some present counsel, or, behold, 'Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife Shall play the umpire, arbitrating that Which the commission of thy years and art Could to no issue of true honour bring. Be not so long to speak; I long to die, If what thou speak'st speak not of remedy. FRIAR LAURENCE Hold, daughter: I do spy a kind of hope, Which craves as desperate an execution. As that is desperate which we would prevent. If, rather than to marry County Paris, Thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself, Then is it likely thou wilt undertake A thing like death to chide away this shame, That copest with death himself to scape from it: And, if thou darest, I'll give thee remedy. JULIET O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris, From off the battlements of yonder tower; Or walk in thievish ways; or bid me lurk Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears; Or shut me nightly in a charnel-house, O'er-cover'd quite with dead men's rattling bones, With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls; Or bid me go into a new-made grave And hide me with a dead man in his shroud; Things that, to hear them told, have made me tremble; And I will do it without fear or doubt, To live an unstain'd wife to my sweet love. FRIAR LAURENCE Hold, then; go home, be merry, give consent To marry Paris: Wednesday is to-morrow: To-morrow night look that thou lie alone; Let not thy nurse lie with thee in thy chamber: Take thou this vial, being then in bed, And this distilled liquor drink thou off; When presently through all thy veins shall run A cold and drowsy humour, for no pulse Shall keep his native progress, but surcease: No warmth, no breath, shall testify thou livest; The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade To paly ashes, thy eyes' windows fall, Like death, when he shuts up the day of life; Each part, deprived of supple government, Shall, stiff and stark and cold, appear like death: And in this borrow'd likeness of shrunk death Thou shalt continue two and forty hours, And then awake as from a pleasant sleep. Now, when the bridegroom in the morning comes To rouse thee from thy bed, there art thou dead: Then, as the manner of our country is, In thy best robes uncover'd on the bier Thou shalt be borne to that same ancient vault Where all the kindred of the Capulets lie. In the mean time, against thou shalt awake, Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift, And hither shall he come: and he and I Will watch thy waking, and that very night Shall Romeo bear thee hence to Mantua. And this shall free thee from this present shame; If no inconstant toy, nor womanish fear, Abate thy valour in the acting it. JULIET Give me, give me! O, tell not me of fear! FRIAR LAURENCE Hold; get you gone, be strong and prosperous In this resolve: I'll send a friar with speed To Mantua, with my letters to thy lord. JULIET Love give me strength! and strength shall help afford. Farewell, dear father! Exeunt SCENE II. Hall in Capulet's house. Enter CAPULET, LADY CAPULET, Nurse, and two Servingmen CAPULET So many guests invite as here are writ. Exit First Servant Sirrah, go hire me twenty cunning cooks. Second Servant You shall have none ill, sir; for I'll try if they can lick their fingers. CAPULET How canst thou try them so? Second Servant Marry, sir, 'tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers: therefore he that cannot lick his fingers goes not with me. CAPULET Go, be gone. Exit Second Servant We shall be much unfurnished for this time. What, is my daughter gone to Friar Laurence? Nurse Ay, forsooth. CAPULET Well, he may chance to do some good on her: A peevish self-will'd harlotry it is. Nurse See where she comes from shrift with merry look. Enter JULIET CAPULET How now, my headstrong! where have you been gadding? JULIET Where I have learn'd me to repent the sin Of disobedient opposition To you and your behests, and am enjoin'd By holy Laurence to fall prostrate here, And beg your pardon: pardon, I beseech you! Henceforward I am ever ruled by you. CAPULET Send for the county; go tell him of this: I'll have this knot knit up to-morrow morning. JULIET I met the youthful lord at Laurence' cell; And gave him what becomed love I might, Not step o'er the bounds of modesty. CAPULET Why, I am glad on't; this is well: stand up: This is as't should be. Let me see the county; Ay, marry, go, I say, and fetch him hither. Now, afore God! this reverend holy friar, Our whole city is much bound to him. JULIET Nurse, will you go with me into my closet, To help me sort such needful ornaments As you think fit to furnish me to-morrow? LADY CAPULET No, not till Thursday; there is time enough. CAPULET Go, nurse, go with her: we'll to church to-morrow. Exeunt JULIET and Nurse LADY CAPULET We shall be short in our provision: 'Tis now near night. CAPULET Tush, I will stir about, And all things shall be well, I warrant thee, wife: Go thou to Juliet, help to deck up her; I'll not to bed to-night; let me alone; I'll play the housewife for this once. What, ho! They are all forth. Well, I will walk myself To County Paris, to prepare him up Against to-morrow: my heart is wondrous light, Since this same wayward girl is so reclaim'd. Exeunt SCENE III. Juliet's chamber. Enter JULIET and Nurse JULIET Ay, those attires are best: but, gentle nurse, I pray thee, leave me to my self to-night, For I have need of many orisons To move the heavens to smile upon my state, Which, well thou know'st, is cross, and full of sin. Enter LADY CAPULET LADY CAPULET What, are you busy, ho? need you my help? JULIET No, madam; we have cull'd such necessaries As are behoveful for our state to-morrow: So please you, let me now be left alone, And let the nurse this night sit up with you; For, I am sure, you have your hands full all, In this so sudden business. LADY CAPULET Good night: Get thee to bed, and rest; for thou hast need. Exeunt LADY CAPULET and Nurse JULIET Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again. I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins, That almost freezes up the heat of life: I'll call them back again to comfort me: Nurse! What should she do here? My dismal scene I needs must act alone. Come, vial. What if this mixture do not work at all? Shall I be married then to-morrow morning? No, no: this shall forbid it: lie thou there. Laying down her dagger What if it be a poison, which the friar Subtly hath minister'd to have me dead, Lest in this marriage he should be dishonour'd, Because he married me before to Romeo? I fear it is: and yet, methinks, it should not, For he hath still been tried a holy man. How if, when I am laid into the tomb, I wake before the time that Romeo Come to redeem me? there's a fearful point! Shall I not, then, be stifled in the vault, To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in, And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes? Or, if I live, is it not very like, The horrible conceit of death and night, Together with the terror of the place,-- As in a vault, an ancient receptacle, Where, for these many hundred years, the bones Of all my buried ancestors are packed: Where bloody Tybalt, yet but green in earth, Lies festering in his shroud; where, as they say, At some hours in the night spirits resort;-- Alack, alack, is it not like that I, So early waking, what with loathsome smells, And shrieks like mandrakes' torn out of the earth, That living mortals, hearing them, run mad:-- O, if I wake, shall I not be distraught, Environed with all these hideous fears? And madly play with my forefather's joints? And pluck the mangled Tybalt from his shroud? And, in this rage, with some great kinsman's bone, As with a club, dash out my desperate brains? O, look! methinks I see my cousin's ghost Seeking out Romeo, that did spit his body Upon a rapier's point: stay, Tybalt, stay! Romeo, I come! this do I drink to thee. She falls upon her bed, within the curtains SCENE IV. Hall in Capulet's house. Enter LADY CAPULET and Nurse LADY CAPULET Hold, take these keys, and fetch more spices, nurse. Nurse They call for dates and quinces in the pastry. Enter CAPULET CAPULET Come, stir, stir, stir! the second cock hath crow'd, The curfew-bell hath rung, 'tis three o'clock: Look to the baked meats, good Angelica: Spare not for the cost. Nurse Go, you cot-quean, go, Get you to bed; faith, You'll be sick to-morrow For this night's watching. CAPULET No, not a whit: what! I have watch'd ere now All night for lesser cause, and ne'er been sick. LADY CAPULET Ay, you have been a mouse-hunt in your time; But I will watch you from such watching now. Exeunt LADY CAPULET and Nurse CAPULET A jealous hood, a jealous hood! Enter three or four Servingmen, with spits, logs, and baskets Now, fellow, What's there? First Servant Things for the cook, sir; but I know not what. CAPULET Make haste, make haste. Exit First Servant Sirrah, fetch drier logs: Call Peter, he will show thee where they are. Second Servant I have a head, sir, that will find out logs, And never trouble Peter for the matter. Exit CAPULET Mass, and well said; a merry whoreson, ha! Thou shalt be logger-head. Good faith, 'tis day: The county will be here with music straight, For so he said he would: I hear him near. Music within Nurse! Wife! What, ho! What, nurse, I say! Re-enter Nurse Go waken Juliet, go and trim her up; I'll go and chat with Paris: hie, make haste, Make haste; the bridegroom he is come already: Make haste, I say. Exeunt SCENE V. Juliet's chamber. Enter Nurse Nurse Mistress! what, mistress! Juliet! fast, I warrant her, she: Why, lamb! why, lady! fie, you slug-a-bed! Why, love, I say! madam! sweet-heart! why, bride! What, not a word? you take your pennyworths now; Sleep for a week; for the next night, I warrant, The County Paris hath set up his rest, That you shall rest but little. God forgive me, Marry, and amen, how sound is she asleep! I must needs wake her. Madam, madam, madam! Ay, let the county take you in your bed; He'll fright you up, i' faith. Will it not be? Undraws the curtains What, dress'd! and in your clothes! and down again! I must needs wake you; Lady! lady! lady! Alas, alas! Help, help! my lady's dead! O, well-a-day, that ever I was born! Some aqua vitae, ho! My lord! my lady! Enter LADY CAPULET LADY CAPULET What noise is here? Nurse O lamentable day! LADY CAPULET What is the matter? Nurse Look, look! O heavy day! LADY CAPULET O me, O me! My child, my only life, Revive, look up, or I will die with thee! Help, help! Call help. Enter CAPULET CAPULET For shame, bring Juliet forth; her lord is come. Nurse She's dead, deceased, she's dead; alack the day! LADY CAPULET Alack the day, she's dead, she's dead, she's dead! CAPULET Ha! let me see her: out, alas! she's cold: Her blood is settled, and her joints are stiff; Life and these lips have long been separated: Death lies on her like an untimely frost Upon the sweetest flower of all the field. Nurse O lamentable day! LADY CAPULET O woful time! CAPULET Death, that hath ta'en her hence to make me wail, Ties up my tongue, and will not let me speak. Enter FRIAR LAURENCE and PARIS, with Musicians FRIAR LAURENCE Come, is the bride ready to go to church? CAPULET Ready to go, but never to return. O son! the night before thy wedding-day Hath Death lain with thy wife. There she lies, Flower as she was, deflowered by him. Death is my son-in-law, Death is my heir; My daughter he hath wedded: I will die, And leave him all; life, living, all is Death's. PARIS Have I thought long to see this morning's face, And doth it give me such a sight as this? LADY CAPULET Accursed, unhappy, wretched, hateful day! Most miserable hour that e'er time saw In lasting labour of his pilgrimage! But one, poor one, one poor and loving child, But one thing to rejoice and solace in, And cruel death hath catch'd it from my sight! Nurse O woe! O woful, woful, woful day! Most lamentable day, most woful day, That ever, ever, I did yet behold! O day! O day! O day! O hateful day! Never was seen so black a day as this: O woful day, O woful day! PARIS Beguiled, divorced, wronged, spited, slain! Most detestable death, by thee beguil'd, By cruel cruel thee quite overthrown! O love! O life! not life, but love in death! CAPULET Despised, distressed, hated, martyr'd, kill'd! Uncomfortable time, why camest thou now To murder, murder our solemnity? O child! O child! my soul, and not my child! Dead art thou! Alack! my child is dead; And with my child my joys are buried. FRIAR LAURENCE Peace, ho, for shame! confusion's cure lives not In these confusions. Heaven and yourself Had part in this fair maid; now heaven hath all, And all the better is it for the maid: Your part in her you could not keep from death, But heaven keeps his part in eternal life. The most you sought was her promotion; For 'twas your heaven she should be advanced: And weep ye now, seeing she is advanced Above the clouds, as high as heaven itself? O, in this love, you love your child so ill, That you run mad, seeing that she is well: She's not well married that lives married long; But she's best married that dies married young. Dry up your tears, and stick your rosemary On this fair corse; and, as the custom is, In all her best array bear her to church: For though fond nature bids us an lament, Yet nature's tears are reason's merriment. CAPULET All things that we ordained festival, Turn from their office to black funeral; Our instruments to melancholy bells, Our wedding cheer to a sad burial feast, Our solemn hymns to sullen dirges change, Our bridal flowers serve for a buried corse, And all things change them to the contrary. FRIAR LAURENCE Sir, go you in; and, madam, go with him; And go, Sir Paris; every one prepare To follow this fair corse unto her grave: The heavens do lour upon you for some ill; Move them no more by crossing their high will. Exeunt CAPULET, LADY CAPULET, PARIS, and FRIAR LAURENCE First Musician Faith, we may put up our pipes, and be gone. Nurse Honest goodfellows, ah, put up, put up; For, well you know, this is a pitiful case. Exit First Musician Ay, by my troth, the case may be amended. Enter PETER PETER Musicians, O, musicians, 'Heart's ease, Heart's ease:' O, an you will have me live, play 'Heart's ease.' First Musician Why 'Heart's ease?' PETER O, musicians, because my heart itself plays 'My heart is full of woe:' O, play me some merry dump, to comfort me. First Musician Not a dump we; 'tis no time to play now. PETER You will not, then? First Musician No. PETER I will then give it you soundly. First Musician What will you give us? PETER No money, on my faith, but the gleek; I will give you the minstrel. First Musician Then I will give you the serving-creature. PETER Then will I lay the serving-creature's dagger on your pate. I will carry no crotchets: I'll re you, I'll fa you; do you note me? First Musician An you re us and fa us, you note us. Second Musician Pray you, put up your dagger, and put out your wit. PETER Then have at you with my wit! I will dry-beat you with an iron wit, and put up my iron dagger. Answer me like men: 'When griping grief the heart doth wound, And doleful dumps the mind oppress, Then music with her silver sound'-- why 'silver sound'? why 'music with her silver sound'? What say you, Simon Catling? Musician Marry, sir, because silver hath a sweet sound. PETER Pretty! What say you, Hugh Rebeck? Second Musician I say 'silver sound,' because musicians sound for silver. PETER Pretty too! What say you, James Soundpost? Third Musician Faith, I know not what to say. PETER O, I cry you mercy; you are the singer: I will say for you. It is 'music with her silver sound,' because musicians have no gold for sounding: 'Then music with her silver sound With speedy help doth lend redress.' Exit First Musician What a pestilent knave is this same! Second Musician Hang him, Jack! Come, we'll in here; tarry for the mourners, and stay dinner. Exeunt ACT V SCENE I. Mantua. A street. Enter ROMEO ROMEO If I may trust the flattering truth of sleep, My dreams presage some joyful news at hand: My bosom's lord sits lightly in his throne; And all this day an unaccustom'd spirit Lifts me above the ground with cheerful thoughts. I dreamt my lady came and found me dead-- Strange dream, that gives a dead man leave to think!-- And breathed such life with kisses in my lips, That I revived, and was an emperor. Ah me! how sweet is love itself possess'd, When but love's shadows are so rich in joy! Enter BALTHASAR, booted News from Verona!--How now, Balthasar! Dost thou not bring me letters from the friar? How doth my lady? Is my father well? How fares my Juliet? that I ask again; For nothing can be ill, if she be well. BALTHASAR Then she is well, and nothing can be ill: Her body sleeps in Capel's monument, And her immortal part with angels lives. I saw her laid low in her kindred's vault, And presently took post to tell it you: O, pardon me for bringing these ill news, Since you did leave it for my office, sir. ROMEO Is it even so? then I defy you, stars! Thou know'st my lodging: get me ink and paper, And hire post-horses; I will hence to-night. BALTHASAR I do beseech you, sir, have patience: Your looks are pale and wild, and do import Some misadventure. ROMEO Tush, thou art deceived: Leave me, and do the thing I bid thee do. Hast thou no letters to me from the friar? BALTHASAR No, my good lord. ROMEO No matter: get thee gone, And hire those horses; I'll be with thee straight. Exit BALTHASAR Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee to-night. Let's see for means: O mischief, thou art swift To enter in the thoughts of desperate men! I do remember an apothecary,-- And hereabouts he dwells,--which late I noted In tatter'd weeds, with overwhelming brows, Culling of simples; meagre were his looks, Sharp misery had worn him to the bones: And in his needy shop a tortoise hung, An alligator stuff'd, and other skins Of ill-shaped fishes; and about his shelves A beggarly account of empty boxes, Green earthen pots, bladders and musty seeds, Remnants of packthread and old cakes of roses, Were thinly scatter'd, to make up a show. Noting this penury, to myself I said 'An if a man did need a poison now, Whose sale is present death in Mantua, Here lives a caitiff wretch would sell it him.' O, this same thought did but forerun my need; And this same needy man must sell it me. As I remember, this should be the house. Being holiday, the beggar's shop is shut. What, ho! apothecary! Enter Apothecary Apothecary Who calls so loud? ROMEO Come hither, man. I see that thou art poor: Hold, there is forty ducats: let me have A dram of poison, such soon-speeding gear As will disperse itself through all the veins That the life-weary taker may fall dead And that the trunk may be discharged of breath As violently as hasty powder fired Doth hurry from the fatal cannon's womb. Apothecary Such mortal drugs I have; but Mantua's law Is death to any he that utters them. ROMEO Art thou so bare and full of wretchedness, And fear'st to die? famine is in thy cheeks, Need and oppression starveth in thine eyes, Contempt and beggary hangs upon thy back; The world is not thy friend nor the world's law; The world affords no law to make thee rich; Then be not poor, but break it, and take this. Apothecary My poverty, but not my will, consents. ROMEO I pay thy poverty, and not thy will. Apothecary Put this in any liquid thing you will, And drink it off; and, if you had the strength Of twenty men, it would dispatch you straight. ROMEO There is thy gold, worse poison to men's souls, Doing more murders in this loathsome world, Than these poor compounds that thou mayst not sell. I sell thee poison; thou hast sold me none. Farewell: buy food, and get thyself in flesh. Come, cordial and not poison, go with me To Juliet's grave; for there must I use thee. Exeunt SCENE II. Friar Laurence's cell. Enter FRIAR JOHN FRIAR JOHN Holy Franciscan friar! brother, ho! Enter FRIAR LAURENCE FRIAR LAURENCE 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. FRIAR JOHN Going to find a bare-foot 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 Where the infectious pestilence did reign, Seal'd up the doors, and would not let us forth; So that my speed to Mantua there was stay'd. FRIAR LAURENCE Who bare my letter, then, to Romeo? FRIAR JOHN I could not send it,--here it is again,-- Nor get a messenger to bring it thee, So fearful were they of infection. FRIAR LAURENCE Unhappy fortune! by my brotherhood, The letter was not nice but full of charge Of 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. FRIAR JOHN Brother, I'll go and bring it thee. Exit FRIAR LAURENCE Now must I to the monument alone; Within three hours will fair Juliet wake: She will beshrew me much that Romeo Hath had no notice of these accidents; But I will write again to Mantua, And keep her at my cell till Romeo come; Poor living corse, closed in a dead man's tomb! Exit SCENE III. A churchyard; in it a tomb belonging to the Capulets. Enter PARIS, and his Page bearing flowers and a torch PARIS Give me thy torch, boy: hence, and stand aloof: Yet put it out, for I would not be seen. Under yond yew-trees lay thee all along, Holding thine ear close to the hollow ground; So shall no foot upon the churchyard tread, Being loose, unfirm, with digging up of graves, But thou shalt hear it: whistle then to me, As signal that thou hear'st something approach. Give me those flowers. Do as I bid thee, go. PAGE [Aside] I am almost afraid to stand alone Here in the churchyard; yet I will adventure. Retires PARIS Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew,-- O woe! thy canopy is dust and stones;-- Which with sweet water nightly I will dew, Or, wanting that, with tears distill'd by moans: The obsequies that I for thee will keep Nightly shall be to strew thy grave and weep. The Page whistles The boy gives warning something doth approach. What cursed foot wanders this way to-night, To cross my obsequies and true love's rite? What with a torch! muffle me, night, awhile. Retires Enter ROMEO and BALTHASAR, with a torch, mattock, & c ROMEO Give me that mattock and the wrenching iron. Hold, take this letter; early in the morning See thou deliver it to my lord and father. Give me the light: upon thy life, I charge thee, Whate'er thou hear'st or seest, stand all aloof, And do not interrupt me in my course. Why I descend into this bed of death, Is partly to behold my lady's face; But chiefly to take thence from her dead finger A precious ring, a ring that I must use In dear employment: therefore hence, be gone: But if thou, jealous, dost return to pry In what I further shall intend to do, By heaven, I will tear thee joint by joint And strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs: The time and my intents are savage-wild, More fierce and more inexorable far Than empty tigers or the roaring sea. BALTHASAR I will be gone, sir, and not trouble you. ROMEO So shalt thou show me friendship. Take thou that: Live, and be prosperous: and farewell, good fellow. BALTHASAR [Aside] For all this same, I'll hide me hereabout: His looks I fear, and his intents I doubt. Retires ROMEO Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death, Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth, Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open, And, in despite, I'll cram thee with more food! Opens the tomb PARIS This is that banish'd haughty Montague, That murder'd my love's cousin, with which grief, It is supposed, the fair creature died; And here is come to do some villanous shame To the dead bodies: I will apprehend him. Comes forward Stop thy unhallow'd toil, vile Montague! Can vengeance be pursued further than death? Condemned villain, I do apprehend thee: Obey, and go with me; for thou must die. ROMEO I must indeed; and therefore came I hither. Good gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man; Fly hence, and leave me: think upon these gone; Let them affright thee. I beseech thee, youth, Put not another sin upon my head, By urging me to fury: O, be gone! By heaven, I love thee better than myself; For I come hither arm'd against myself: Stay not, be gone; live, and hereafter say, A madman's mercy bade thee run away. PARIS I do defy thy conjurations, And apprehend thee for a felon here. ROMEO Wilt thou provoke me? then have at thee, boy! They fight PAGE O Lord, they fight! I will go call the watch. Exit PARIS O, I am slain! Falls If thou be merciful, Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet. Dies ROMEO In faith, I will. Let me peruse this face. Mercutio's kinsman, noble County Paris! What said my man, when my betossed soul Did not attend him as we rode? I think He told me Paris should have married Juliet: Said he not so? or did I dream it so? Or am I mad, hearing him talk of Juliet, To think it was so? O, give me thy hand, One writ with me in sour misfortune's book! I'll bury thee in a triumphant grave; A grave? O no! a lantern, slaughter'd youth, For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes This vault a feasting presence full of light. Death, lie thou there, by a dead man interr'd. Laying PARIS in the tomb How oft when men are at the point of death Have they been merry! which their keepers call A lightning before death: O, how may I Call this a lightning? O my love! my wife! Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath, Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty: Thou art not conquer'd; beauty's ensign yet Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks, And death's pale flag is not advanced there. Tybalt, liest thou there in thy bloody sheet? O, what more favour can I do to thee, Than with that hand that cut thy youth in twain To sunder his that was thine enemy? Forgive me, cousin! Ah, dear Juliet, Why art thou yet so fair? shall I believe That unsubstantial death is amorous, And that the lean abhorred monster keeps Thee here in dark to be his paramour? For fear of that, I still will stay with thee; And never from this palace of dim night Depart again: here, here will I remain With worms that are thy chamber-maids; O, here Will I set up my everlasting rest, And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars From this world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your last! Arms, take your last embrace! and, lips, O you The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss A dateless bargain to engrossing death! Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide! Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark! Here's to my love! Drinks O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. Dies Enter, at the other end of the churchyard, FRIAR LAURENCE, with a lantern, crow, and spade FRIAR LAURENCE Saint Francis be my speed! how oft to-night Have my old feet stumbled at graves! Who's there? BALTHASAR Here's one, a friend, and one that knows you well. FRIAR LAURENCE Bliss be upon you! Tell me, good my friend, What torch is yond, that vainly lends his light To grubs and eyeless skulls? as I discern, It burneth in the Capel's monument. BALTHASAR It doth so, holy sir; and there's my master, One that you love. FRIAR LAURENCE Who is it? BALTHASAR Romeo. FRIAR LAURENCE How long hath he been there? BALTHASAR Full half an hour. FRIAR LAURENCE Go with me to the vault. BALTHASAR I dare not, sir My master knows not but I am gone hence; And fearfully did menace me with death, If I did stay to look on his intents. FRIAR LAURENCE Stay, then; I'll go alone. Fear comes upon me: O, much I fear some ill unlucky thing. BALTHASAR As I did sleep under this yew-tree here, I dreamt my master and another fought, And that my master slew him. FRIAR LAURENCE Romeo! Advances Alack, alack, what blood is this, which stains The stony entrance of this sepulchre? What mean these masterless and gory swords To lie discolour'd by this place of peace? Enters the tomb Romeo! O, pale! Who else? what, Paris too? And steep'd in blood? Ah, what an unkind hour Is guilty of this lamentable chance! The lady stirs. JULIET wakes JULIET O comfortable friar! where is my lord? I do remember well where I should be, And there I am. Where is my Romeo? Noise within FRIAR LAURENCE I hear some noise. Lady, come from that nest Of death, contagion, and unnatural sleep: A greater power than we can contradict Hath thwarted our intents. Come, come away. Thy husband in thy bosom there lies dead; And Paris too. Come, I'll dispose of thee Among a sisterhood of holy nuns: Stay not to question, for the watch is coming; Come, go, good Juliet, Noise again I dare no longer stay. JULIET Go, get thee hence, for I will not away. Exit FRIAR LAURENCE What's here? a cup, closed in my true love's hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end: O churl! drunk all, and left no friendly drop To help me after? I will kiss thy lips; Haply some poison yet doth hang on them, To make die with a restorative. Kisses him Thy lips are warm. First Watchman [Within] Lead, boy: which way? JULIET Yea, noise? then I'll be brief. O happy dagger! Snatching ROMEO's dagger This is thy sheath; Stabs herself there rust, and let me die. Falls on ROMEO's body, and dies Enter Watch, with the Page of PARIS PAGE This is the place; there, where the torch doth burn. First Watchman The ground is bloody; search about the churchyard: Go, some of you, whoe'er you find attach. Pitiful sight! here lies the county slain, And Juliet bleeding, warm, and newly dead, Who here hath lain these two days buried. Go, tell the prince: run to the Capulets: Raise up the Montagues: some others search: We see the ground whereon these woes do lie; But the true ground of all these piteous woes We cannot without circumstance descry. Re-enter some of the Watch, with BALTHASAR Second Watchman Here's Romeo's man; we found him in the churchyard. First Watchman Hold him in safety, till the prince come hither. Re-enter others of the Watch, with FRIAR LAURENCE Third Watchman Here is a friar, that trembles, sighs and weeps: We took this mattock and this spade from him, As he was coming from this churchyard side. First Watchman A great suspicion: stay the friar too. Enter the PRINCE and Attendants PRINCE What misadventure is so early up, That calls our person from our morning's rest? Enter CAPULET, LADY CAPULET, and others CAPULET What should it be, that they so shriek abroad? LADY CAPULET The people in the street cry Romeo, Some Juliet, and some Paris; and all run, With open outcry toward our monument. PRINCE What fear is this which startles in our ears? First Watchman Sovereign, here lies the County Paris slain; And Romeo dead; and Juliet, dead before, Warm and new kill'd. PRINCE Search, seek, and know how this foul murder comes. First Watchman Here is a friar, and slaughter'd Romeo's man; With instruments upon them, fit to open These dead men's tombs. CAPULET O heavens! O wife, look how our daughter bleeds! This dagger hath mista'en--for, lo, his house Is empty on the back of Montague,-- And it mis-sheathed in my daughter's bosom! LADY CAPULET O me! this sight of death is as a bell, That warns my old age to a sepulchre. Enter MONTAGUE and others PRINCE Come, Montague; for thou art early up, To see thy son and heir more early down. MONTAGUE Alas, my liege, my wife is dead to-night; Grief of my son's exile hath stopp'd her breath: What further woe conspires against mine age? PRINCE Look, and thou shalt see. MONTAGUE O thou untaught! what manners is in this? To press before thy father to a grave? PRINCE Seal up the mouth of outrage for a while, Till we can clear these ambiguities, And know their spring, their head, their true descent; And then will I be general of your woes, And lead you even to death: meantime forbear, And let mischance be slave to patience. Bring forth the parties of suspicion. FRIAR LAURENCE I am the greatest, able to do least, Yet most suspected, as the time and place Doth make against me of this direful murder; And here I stand, both to impeach and purge Myself condemned and myself excused. PRINCE Then say at once what thou dost know in this. FRIAR LAURENCE I will be brief, for my short date of breath Is not so long as is a tedious tale. Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet; And she, there dead, that Romeo's faithful wife: I married them; and their stol'n marriage-day Was Tybalt's dooms-day, whose untimely death Banish'd the new-made bridegroom from the city, For whom, and not for Tybalt, Juliet pined. You, to remove that siege of grief from her, Betroth'd and would have married her perforce To County Paris: then comes she to me, And, with wild looks, bid me devise some mean To rid her from this second marriage, Or in my cell there would she kill herself. Then gave I her, so tutor'd by my art, A sleeping potion; which so took effect As I intended, for it wrought on her The form of death: meantime I writ to Romeo, That he should hither come as this dire night, To help to take her from her borrow'd grave, Being the time the potion's force should cease. But he which bore my letter, Friar John, Was stay'd by accident, and yesternight Return'd my letter back. Then all alone At the prefixed hour of her waking, Came I to take her from her kindred's vault; Meaning to keep her closely at my cell, Till I conveniently could send to Romeo: But when I came, some minute ere the time Of her awaking, here untimely lay The noble Paris and true Romeo dead. She wakes; and I entreated her come forth, And bear this work of heaven with patience: But then a noise did scare me from the tomb; And she, too desperate, would not go with me, But, as it seems, did violence on herself. All this I know; and to the marriage Her nurse is privy: and, if aught in this Miscarried by my fault, let my old life Be sacrificed, some hour before his time, Unto the rigour of severest law. PRINCE We still have known thee for a holy man. Where's Romeo's man? what can he say in this? BALTHASAR I brought my master news of Juliet's death; And then in post he came from Mantua To this same place, to this same monument. This letter he early bid me give his father, And threatened me with death, going in the vault, I departed not and left him there. PRINCE Give me the letter; I will look on it. Where is the county's page, that raised the watch? Sirrah, what made your master in this place? PAGE He came with flowers to strew his lady's grave; And bid me stand aloof, and so I did: Anon comes one with light to ope the tomb; And by and by my master drew on him; And then I ran away to call the watch. PRINCE This letter doth make good the friar's words, Their course of love, the tidings of her death: And here he writes that he did buy a poison Of a poor 'pothecary, and therewithal Came to this vault to die, and lie with Juliet. Where be these enemies? Capulet! Montague! See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate, That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love. And I for winking at your discords too Have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punish'd. CAPULET O brother Montague, give me thy hand: This is my daughter's jointure, for no more Can I demand. MONTAGUE But I can give thee more: For I will raise her statue in pure gold; That while Verona by that name is known, There shall no figure at such rate be set As that of true and faithful Juliet. CAPULET As rich shall Romeo's by his lady's lie; Poor sacrifices of our enmity! PRINCE A glooming peace this morning with it brings; The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head: Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished: For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo. Exeunt Link to comment
Bbstine Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 I've seen hell, and this is it. Link to comment
Hero Posted October 24, 2018 Report Share Posted October 24, 2018 I scrolled down here on mobile just to say, smh..... Link to comment
Luckyy Posted October 24, 2018 Report Share Posted October 24, 2018 AEIOU AND SOMETIMES NAZIS Link to comment
Hudson Posted October 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2018 22 hours ago, Fizzik said: Hudson wtf I'm in a Holocaust class, we watched a section of this movie. Hudson, The Helmetless. Formerly Of: 41st Elite Corps & Green Company, Coruscant Guard, 327th Star Corps, Galactic Marines, Special Operations, 187th Legion, Defense and Recon Regimental Commander, 212th Attack Battalion, RANCOR, and for Jedi General Quinlan Vos and Jedi Advisor Shaak Ti. Link to comment
Faded Posted October 27, 2018 Report Share Posted October 27, 2018 I forgot to mention this, but god damn. The time it took to scroll down here like fucking WW3 started. Link to comment
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