(Enter Romeo and his servant, Balthasar, with a torch, a mattock and an iron bar.)
Romeo: Give me that mattock and the iron bar.
Hold, take this letter. Early in the morning
See you deliver it to my lord and father.
Give me the light. Upon your life I order you
Whatever you hear or see keep away
And do not interrupt me in my action.
Why I descend into this bed of death
Is partly to admire my lady’s face
But mostly to take from her dead finger
A precious ring, a ring that I must use
In dear purpose. Therefore away from here!
Balthasar: I will be gone, sir, and not trouble you.
(He retires and Romeo starts opening the door to the vault.)

(Paris appears.)
Paris: This is that banished arrogant Montague
That murdered my love’s cousin – with which grief
It is supposed the fair creature died
And here has come to do some villainous act
To the dead bodies. I will stop him.
(Advancing.)
Stop your evil effort, vile Montague!
Obey and go with me, for you must die!
Romeo: I must indeed, and for this I came.
Good gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man.
Fly from here and leave me. Think upon these dead.
Put not another sin upon my head
By pushing me to fury. O, be gone!
Stay not, be gone, live and forget not to say
A mad man’s mercy let you run away.
Paris: Obey and go with me! You are a vile murderer!
Romeo: Will you provoke me? Then look out, boy!
(They fight.)
Page: O, Lord, they fight! I will go and call the watch!
(Exit Page.)
Paris: O, I am… slain!