himself to be drawn into a quarrel with her kinsman. The two adversaries clash nonetheless, and Mercutio falls, struck down; whereupon Romeo rouses himself to avenge him and deals Tybalt mortal wounds. Count Capulet comes up and sees what has happened. Those present cry "Here is the Duke!" at the sight of the Duke of Verona followed by his retinue. The Count demands that right be done — meaning vengeance — accusing Romeo of Tybalt's killing. When the Duke learns the cause of the quarrel, he pronounces his sentence: Romeo is banished from Verona. Romeo laments his ill fortune and renews his vow to see Juliet once more before leaving the city. As for the Capulets, they renew their hatred of the Montagues, crying: "Peace? No — never, never!"

Act Four The scene: Juliet's chamber.

It is night, and by the light of a torch Juliet reclines on a soft couch, with Romeo seated at her feet. He has managed to make his way into the house of the Capulets once more — but this time on pain of death.

The two lovers are stealing happy moments before Romeo goes into exile, and together they sing the song "O holy night — sweet night of love!" At last Romeo says sorrowfully to his beloved that

he hears the twittering of the morning lark, while Juliet assures him that it is the song of the nightingale. But what use is it — the hour of parting has come, and Romeo must leave the place as he came, by the balcony.

He has scarcely gone a little way when Gertrude comes hurrying in and tells her mistress that her father and Friar Laurence are coming. The father knows nothing of his daughter's secret marriage to Romeo, and has come to tell her that he is hastening the preparations for her marriage to Count Paris. Neither Juliet nor the Friar dares tell the father openly of the secret marriage.

Juliet and the Friar are alone in the room. She asks his help and shows him a dagger she hides in her bosom, with which to stab herself should she be forced into union with Count Paris. The priest tells her that there is a potion that will make her appear dead, and promises to bring her husband to her, so that the two may flee together as soon as she wakes from her feigned "death."

The Friar withdraws, and Count Capulet enters, accompanied by Count Paris. Juliet takes the potion and collapses to the ground like a corpse without a soul.

Act Five The scene: the tomb of the Capulets.

A solemn musical prelude reflects

the stillness of the tomb in which Juliet lies in her "last sleep," still in her swoon. Romeo steals into the place with all caution and falls to gazing sorrowfully at his bride. He does not know that Juliet is only temporarily unconscious and has not died; for the messenger whom Friar Laurence dispatched to inform him of the agreed plan was unable to reach him. Only moments pass before he raises a vial of poison to his lips and swallows its contents.

He has scarcely done so when he is astonished to see Juliet stir and rise out of her swoon. He rushes to her in utter amazement. She murmurs his name, and he cries out: "Juliet lives!" The two lovers embrace, and Juliet asks him to carry her away to where safety and happiness lie.

And Romeo realizes the fatal error he has committed, and confesses to her that he drank the poison believing her dead. There remains to them only one brief moment in which to bid each other farewell with the song "Why despair?" Romeo slips from her arms and falls to the ground. Juliet takes up the vial of poison and reproaches him for not leaving her a single drop to drink; then she remembers the dagger she hides in her bosom, draws it, and stabs herself. And the two lovers breathe their last, locked in each other's embrace...

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