Malec Modern Romeo & Juliet

Chapter 5 Act 1 Scene 3

Maryse and the NURSE enter.

Maryse
Nurse, where's my son? Tell him to come to me.

Aline
I swear to you by my virginity at age twelve, I already told him to come. Come on! Where is he? What is he doing? What, Alec!

Alec enters.

Alec
What is it? Who's calling me?

Aline
Your mother.

Alec
Madam, I'm here. What do you want?

Maryse
I'll tell you what's the matter-Nurse, leave us alone for a little while. We must talk privately-Nurse, come back here. I just remembered; you can listen to our secrets. You know how young my son is.

Aline
Yes, I know his age down to the hour.

Maryse
He's not even eighteen.

Aline
I'd bet eighteen of my own teeth-but, I'm sorry to say, I only have eight teeth-he's not eighteen. How long is it until Lammastide?

Maryse
Two weeks and a few odd days.

Aline
Whether it's even or odd, of all the days in the year, on the night of Lammas Eve, he'll be eighteen. He and Susan-God rest him and all Christian souls-were born on the same day. Well, Susan died and is with God. He was too good for me. But like I said, on the night of Lammas Eve, he will be eighteen. Yes, he will. Indeed, I remember it well. It's been fourteen years since the earthquake. He stopped nursing from my breast on that very day. I'll never forget it. I had put bitter wormwood on my breast as I was sitting in the sun, under the wall of the dove house. You and your husband were in Mantua. Boy, do I have some memory! But like I said, when he tasted the bitter wormwood on my nipple, the pretty little babe got irritated and started to quarrel with my breast. Then the dove house shook with the earthquake. There was no need to tell me to get out of there. That was fourteen years ago. By then he could stand up all by himself. No, I swear, by that time he could run and waddle all around. I remember because he had cut him forehead just the day before. My husband-God rest his soul; he was a happy man-picked up the child. "Oh," he said, "Did you fall on your face? You'll fall backward when you grow smarter. Won't you, Alec." And I swear, the poor pretty thing stopped crying and said, "Yes." Oh, to watch a joke come true! I bet if I live a thousand years, I'll never forget it. "Won't you, Alec," he said. And the pretty fool stopped crying and said, "Yes."

Maryse
Enough of this. Please be quiet.

Aline
Yes, madam. But I can't help laughing to think that the baby stopped crying and said, "Yes." I swear, he had a bump on his forehead as big as a rooster's testicle. It was a painful bruise, and he was crying bitterly. "Yes," said my husband, "Did you fall on your face? You'll fall backward when you grow up, won't you, Alec?" And he stopped crying and said, "Yes."

Alec
Now you stop too, Nurse, please.

Aline
Peace. I'm done talking. May God choose you to receive his grace. You were the prettiest baby I ever nursed. If I live to see you get married someday, all my wishes will come true.

Maryse
Well, marriage is exactly what we have to discuss. Tell me, my son Alec, what is your attitude about getting married?

Alec
It is an honour that I do not dream of.

Aline
"An honour?" If I weren't your only nurse, I'd say you had sucked wisdom from the breast that fed you.

Maryse
Well, start thinking about marriage now. Here in New York there are boys younger than you-boys from noble families-who have already become fathers. By my count, I was already your mother at just about your age, while you remain a virgin. Well then, I'll say this quickly: the valiant Underhill wants you as his groom.

Aline
What a man, young sir. He's as great a man as any in the whole world. He's as perfect as if he were sculpted from wax.

Maryse
Summertime in New York has no flower as fine as him.

Aline
No, he's a fine flower, truly, a flower.

Maryse
(to Alec) What do you say? Can you love this gentleman? Tonight, you'll see him at our feast. Study Underhill's face and find pleasure in his beauty. Examine every line of his features and see how they work together to make him handsome. If you are confused, just look into his eyes. This man is single, and he lacks only a groom to make him perfect and complete. As is right, fish live in the sea, and it's wrong for a beauty like you to hide from a handsome man like him. Many people think he's handsome, and whoever becomes his bride will be just as admired. You would share all that he possesses, and by having him, you would lose nothing.

Aline
Lose nothing? In fact, luckily, he won't get bigger. Men make women bigger by getting them pregnant.

Maryse
(to Alec) Give us a quick answer. Can you accept Underhill's love?

Alec
I'll look at him and try to like him, at least if what I see is likable. But I won't let myself fall for him any more than your permission allows.

PETER enters.

PETER
Madam, the guests are here, dinner is served, people are calling for you, people have asked for Alec, and in the pantry, people are cursing the Nurse. Everything's out of control. I must go and serve the guests. Please, follow straight after me.

Maryse
We'll follow you.

Alec, the count is waiting for you.

Aline
Go, boy, look for a man who'll give you happy nights at the end of happy days.

They all exit.