Benvolio and Rosaline

3- A memorable party

The evening arrived quickly in Verone: the bakers closed their bakers, the stallians took the animals to the stables for the night and the sound of the children's crying echoed in the houses and in the narrow alleys.The city was illuminated by torches and carriages passed through the streets and stopped outside the large palace of the rich Capulet.From the window of one of the rooms there were Rosaline and Juliet who were finishing fixing their hair, adorning them with pearls and flowers (The Capulet girls had to be impeccable)Rosaline wore a long turquoise dress with ocean blue and white details. The sleeves were long that left the wrist and almost the elbow uncovered. He wore blue dance boots and some accessories such as pearl earrings."Good bet cousin, may the best win" said Juliet while mirroring herself, but Rosaline was not willing to listen to her.In fact, he was looking out the window, so as to understand who had invited his father."I didn't know your father sympathised with the Montague" he said looking outside."What are you saying Rosa?" The cousin asked approaching the window."See there, leaning against the wall, that's Mercutio, a friend of the Montague" Juliet opened her eyes wide: "Do you say he's here to make war?""No. He must have come here just to see the charm of us Capulets" Rosaline said laughing."Maybe he's right. Let's go down, everyone is waiting for us," said Juliet and then headed downstairs with Rosaline.

Out on the road, Mercutio was joined by other Montague boys, including Romeo and Benvolio. Boys of life, burned youth, young lions, angels with the gun, guitars played in the sun, hair escaped in the wind, water games children of a summer that was too short. Here they are, the true kings of the world; Mercutio, Benvolio, Romeo. Their bodies are open to the disguided season of love, to fields of inviolate poppies, to the fists in the street and to the blessing of pagan stars that crowd their fast skies. Romeo's friends, Benvolio and the insane Mercuzio implore him, they want Romeo to give freedom to his eyes and return to contemplate other beauties.They were all dressed in a suit, mainly in dark colours, such as brown, blue and green.Only Benvolio wore his usual fire red suit. "So, shall we enter with an excuse or without saying a word?" Romeo asked."Let's go in without saying a word, let's take a look at the girls and go out," Benvolio said."As long as you dance, young Romeo" Mercutio then intervened."No, I can't. You all have light shoes suitable for dancing. I have a lead soul that keeps me anchored to the ground""What's the problem, lend your wings from Cupid and fly on mere mortals""The weight of love crushes me to the ground""Does such a tender thing have so much weight?""Love, a tender thing? It's violent, fierce, hard" "If love is hard on you, be hard on it. Prick it if it stings you and you'll win it" concluded the friend and then made Romeo laugh."Friends, come: we knock and enter; and as soon as inside everyone is ready to have fun" said Benvolio encouraging all his friends."Our intention is good to go there, but nevertheless it is not smart to go to this party" said Romeo."And why not, please?" Mercutio asked surrounded by other boys."I had a dream last night""And me too""And what was yours?""That liars dream a lot" the Montague boys laughed and together with them also Romeo and Benvolio were added."Yes, of course, but they dream of real things," Romeo added."Ah! I see that Queen Mab also came to see you" "Mab, and who is she?" One of the boys asked."She is the fairy herder, and no bigger than the agate that shines on the finger of a notable. His waggon is a hazelnut shell that hovers over the nose of those who sleep. Mab gallops every night through the brains of the lovers, and makes them dream of love; it rests on the knees of the courtiers, who dream of reverence; on the fingers of the lawyers, who dream of honours; on the lips of the ladies, who immediately dream of kisses. But the disdainful Mab often covers them with bubbles, because their breath is affected by the jams eaten.Sometimes he gallops on the nose of a court man because he dreams of a plea, or tickles the nose of a priest with a pig tail because he dreams of collecting another tithe. Other times, however, he trots on the neck of a soldier and he dreams of cut enemies, of breaches and ambushes, of swords of Toledo, of barrels melts five arms, and then rolls a drum in his ears, to wake him up with a start and after making him throw two or three blasphemies he lets him go back to sleep."The tone of his voice began to be louder, as if everyone had to listen to what he was saying."It's really that Mab! That at night weaves the horse's manes and reduces the fatal manes into fairy and greasy hairs that if they melt bring disaster. She is that witch that whenThe young virgins are supine, jump on their stomachs so they learn how to get ridden!""Shut up, shut up, Mercutio, you talk... about nothing" said Romeo trying to calm his friend."It's true, you're right. I'm talking about dreams, born of an idle brain, out of nowhere, given to light by the vain imagination" "If we continue to stay here arguing we will miss the party. I'm sure they've already finished eating" said Benvolio interrupting the conversation between Romeo and Mercutio "Come on friends let's go, or we'll be too late" he continued and then walked towards the Capulet house, followed by Mercuzio and the other friends."Or maybe too soon. I have an omen in me that some sad story, which is still suspended in the stars, will have its painful beginning in this night's party, which will put an end to this life of contempt"