Malec Modern Romeo & Juliet

Chapter 11 Act 2 Scene 3

Brother Zachariah enters by himself, carrying a basket.

Brother Zachariah
The smiling morning is replacing the frowning night. Darkness is stumbling out of the sun's path like a drunk man. Now, before the sun comes up and burns away the dew, I have to fill this basket of mine with poisonous weeds and medicinal flowers. The Earth is nature's mother and also nature's tomb. Plants are born out of the Earth, and they are buried in the Earth when they die. From the Earth's womb, many different sorts of plants and animals come forth, and the Earth provides her children with many excellent forms of nourishment. Everything nature creates has some special property, and each one is different. Herbs, plants, and stones possess great power. There is nothing on Earth that is so evil that it does not provide the earth with some special quality. And there is nothing that does not turn bad if it's put to the wrong use and abused. Virtue turns to vice if it's misused. Vice sometimes becomes virtue through the right activity.

Magnus enters.

Inside the little rind of this weak flower, there is both poison and powerful medicine. If you smell it, you feel good all over your body. But if you taste it, you die. There are two opposite elements in everything, in men as well as in herbs-good and evil.

When evil is dominant, death soon kills the body like cancer.

Magnus
Good morning, father.

Brother Zachariah
God bless you. Who greets me so early in the morning? Young man, something's wrong if you're getting out of bed this early. Every old man has worries, and worried men never get any sleep, but young men shouldn't have a care in the world. They should get to bed early and get plenty of sleep. Therefore, the fact that you're awake this early tells me you've been upset with some anxiety. If that's not the case, then this must be the answer: You, Magnus, have not been to bed tonight.

Magnus
Your last guess is right. I enjoyed a sweeter rest than sleep.

Brother Zachariah
May God forgive you if you've sinned! -Were you with Camille?

Magnus
With Camille, father? No, I have forgotten that girl and all the sadness she brought me.

Brother Zachariah
That's good, my boy. But where have you been?

Magnus
I'll tell you before you have to ask me again. I have been feasting with my enemy. Suddenly someone wounded me with love and was wounded with love by me. You have the sacred power to cure both of us. I carry no hatred, holy man, because my request will benefit my enemy.

Brother Zachariah
Speak plainly, make your meaning clear, my son. A jumbled confession can only receive a jumbled absolution.

Magnus
I love rich Lightwood's son. I love him, and he loves me. We're bound to each other in every possible way, except we need you to marry us. I'll tell you more later about when and where we met, how we fell in love, and how we exchanged promises, but now I'm begging you: please, agree to marry us today.

Brother Zachariah
Holy Saint Francis, this is a drastic change! Have you given up so quickly on Camille, whom you loved so much? Then young men love with their eyes, not with their hearts. Jesus and Mary, how many tears did you cry for Camille? How many salty teardrops did you waste salting a love you never tasted? The sun hasn't yet melted away the fog you made with all your sighs. The groans you used to make are still ringing in my old ears. There's still a stain on your cheek from an old tear that hasn't been washed off yet. If you were ever yourself, and this sadness was yours, you and your sadness were all for Camille. And now you've changed? Then repeat this after me: you can't expect women to be faithful when men are so unreliable.

Magnus
You scolded me often for loving Camille.

Brother Zachariah
I scolded you for obsessing about her, not for loving her, my student.

Magnus
And you told me to bury my love.

Brother Zachariah
I didn't tell you to get rid of one love and replace her with another.

Magnus
Please, I beg you, don't scold me. The boy I love now returns my love. The other girl did not love me.

Brother Zachariah
Oh, she knew very well that you were acting like you were in love without really knowing what love means. But come on, inconsistent young man, come with me. I'll help you with your secret wedding. This marriage may be lucky enough to turn the hatred between your families into pure love.

Magnus
Let's get out of here. I'm in a rush.

Brother Zachariah
Go wisely and slowly. Those who rush stumble and fall.

They exit.