HIPPOPOTAMUS (BXB)

Act Seven

I'm making up for being dodgy with my uploading by doing two in a row.

ENJOY!

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Theo's P.O.V

It was Friday afternoon and we were at rehearsals. Odd, because it was Friday and not Thursday, but our director had double booked herself yesterday with a doctor's appointment and moved rehearsals to today. So after rehearsals us three were going back to Matty's; Sebastian was going to pick us up and take us there.

"What lady is that, which doth enrich the hand of yonder knight?" I asked Wayne the servant, as our group for the scene stood on stage.

"I know not, sir," he replied. He was one of the only ones without a script like myself, but that was because he had only one line.

"Oh, 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 over 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 never saw true beauty till this night," I said to the audience, then turned to Hazel. "If I profane with my un-worthiest 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." I grabbed Hazel's hand and kissed it. I felt sick just looking at her, but it's called acting.

"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 palmer's kiss," Hazel said bashfully. I had to hand it to her, the girl could act.

"Have not saints' lips, and holy palmer's too?" I asked, leaning in to kiss her. She pulled away.

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." I doubted Hazel's lips were as clean as sweet Juliet's.

"Oh, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." We lent in towards each other.

"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take," I said. That was where we were supposed to kiss, but we did not. The director had advised no real kissing until at maximum two weeks before opening. I was so thankful for that. "Thus, from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged."

"Then have my lips the sin that they have took."

"Sin from thy lips? Oh trespass sweetly urge! Give me my sin again." We lent in once more, but did not kiss.

"You kiss by the book," Hazel sighed.

"Madam, your mother craves a word with you," the nurse interrupted us. I turned to the nurse as Juliet was whisked away from me.

"What is her mother?" I asked the 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 talked withal; I tell you, he that can lay hold of her shall have the chinks," the nurse told me.

"Is she a Capulet?" I anguished. "Oh dear account! My life is my foe's debt." Ronan stepped forward.

"Away, begone; the sport is at the best," he told me, beckoning me away from Juliet's sight.