William Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet

ACT I. 3. Scene III. Room in Capulet's House. (continued)

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 com'st 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 nurs'd:
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.