Later that night, the lamp burned brightly in Adam's room. Hoss struggled with his new challenge.

'O, . . .she . . .doth . . .teach the torches . . .to burn. . bright!

It seems she . . .hangs upon the cheeks . . . of night.

As rich . . .as . . .a jewel in an . . .E. .Ethiop's ear.'

'No, No, NO!' Adam banged the short sharp stick he'd taken to down on the corner of the desk in his room.

'Dadburnit, Adam! You've been yellin' at me for two hours now. I just caint get the hang of this stuff. Don't even understand it. Why can't they speak plain English?'

'They are speaking English, Hoss! Pure English. The kind they used to speak before we got hold of it and destroyed it! Now, try to say the words more flowingly. Remember, you're not just reading them, you're acting them.'

Adam tapped the desk again, and commanded him to continue. Hoss gave his brother a frown, then reluctantly picked up the book again.

'Beauty too rich for use, for earth. . . .too dear!

So shows a snowy dove troopings . . . with crows.'

Hoss screwed up his face and stopped again, much to his brother's ongoing frustration.

'What's wrong now?'

'Dadburnit, Adam. I just don't get it. All this flowery talk. What's it all mean, anyhow?'

'Hoss, it's very descriptive. You've got to study the words, learn the language.'

'It's all right for you to say that. You've been readin' this stuff for years. I just don't understand most of it. I guess I ain't very smart.'

Hoss sat down on the end of Adam's bed and hung his head. Adam felt guilty as he looked at his brother. Hoss was trying very hard.

'Hoss, nobody reads Shakespeare for the first time and understands it. It's practically another language.'

'But you understand it all right.'

'Sure, but remember Mr. Smith, my old teacher?'

'Yeah.'

'He taught me how to understand it. Kind of interpreted it for me, until I got the hang of it. You just substitute the old fashioned words for ours, and gradually pick it up.'

Hoss didn't respond.

'How about I do that for you. I'll write comments in your margin, kind of explaining the passages, so you can understand it.'

Hoss lifted his head, and looked brighter. 'That might help.'

'Sure it will. Now, that passage you were reading. That's a very important scene.'

'It is?' Hoss flipped open the page again and stared at the words.

'Sure. It's the moment in the play where Romeo sees Juliet for the first time. He sees her across a crowded room at a Masquerade ball.' Wanting to make it more real for his younger brother, Adam crouched down in front of him and made him think about the scene.

'Imagine, Hoss. You've just arrived at a party and at it you see your Juliet. Your perfect girl, the one you've imagined meeting all of your life. But it turns out she's is a member of the family who are your family's greatest enemies.

'Why are they enemies?'

'The audience doesn't know. It was never explained."

'Why not?'

'Most believe it's so the audience doesn't take sides with one family or the other. They remain sympathetic to the young couple.'

'Oh.'

'The important thing is, you look across the crowded room, and you see the most beautiful girl you've ever seen in your life.' Adam flourished his hand out to the empty bedroom, and Hoss watched it imagining it for himself.

"You are moved beyond reason," continued Adam. "This passage describes your first words about her. She's a vision, a goddess!'

'A Goddess!' Hoss repeated, trying to visualize the image of his Juliet.

'But then, you are worried.'

'Why?' Hoss frowned as he saw the guests around him, the beautiful woman and best of all, the party food!

'Because you know she is a member of the Capulet clan, your family's sworn enemies. And because of that she's forbidden to you.

'Dadburnit! Why did she have to be one of them?'

'Exactly!' Adam laughed at Hoss's simple translation. "That's the whole point. Their love can never be because of the feud.'

'I get it now." Hoss thought for a moment and then smiled. "But she's really beautiful, ain't she Adam?' Hoss smiled as he thought of the most exquisite young woman he could.

'Oh yes, very. You just keep thinking about how beautiful she is, and read the rest of the passage, which is all about your first impressions of her loveliness.'

Adam tipped back in his chair and unconsciously tapped his stick to Hoss's voice as he continued the verse. This time his reading showed much more concentration and enthusiasm.

'As yonder lady o'er her fellow 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 ne'er saw true beauty till this night.'

Adam stopped tapping and let a smile grow on his lips. He stood up and slapped Hoss on the back. 'You're getting it brother. You're actually getting it!'

Hoss couldn't put the play down.

On Friday, he read Shakespeare at breakfast, lunch and dinner. He took it to work with him in his saddlebag, much to the hand's amusement and Chubb's delight. Hoss would be so busy reading he'd let his mount wander off and start munching grass instead of working.

Adam was pleased that Hoss was trying so hard. He needed to understand much more before the rehearsals started the following week.

The one who was not amused was Ben. He could see this thing getting out of hand, and no work being done on the ranch for the next month at least.

By Saturday night, Hoss was reciting one or two passages very well, with real understanding. Adam was pleased with his progress and grinned to himself as he prepared to go into town for his big date with Sara. Hoss was going to the dance as well, but didn't have a partner. Adam had an idea. He called Hoss into his room, as he put the final touches to his evening suit.

'Yeah, Adam?'

'Hoss, I want you to do something for me tonight.'

'Yeah?' Hoss leaned on Adam's door jamb while munching on an apple.

'I want you to try some of those lines on the girls at the dance.'

'Some lines? You mean, outa the play?'

'Sure. Maybe the one's from the balcony scene. Recite a few and see how they like them.' Adam turned and smiled deviously at his younger brother.

'Ow, Adam. I caint do that. I'd feel kinda silly. Sayin' them words just to anybody.' Hoss looked down at the floor.

'But Hoss don't forget that in a few weeks time, you're going to have to say all the words in front of an audience. Maybe a hundred people. Best to get a little practice in, Hmm?'

Hoss suddenly froze. A hundred! He almost choked on the apple, and coughed all the way back to his room. Adam chuckled. Perhaps Megan would be at the dance. Hoss could impress her. After all, that was the whole object of the exercise wasn't it?

They both rode into town feeling jovial. They exchanged lines from the play back and forth. Adam had explained most of it to Hoss, and he was getting a real feeling for the characters and the difficult passages. It turned out Hoss had a good memory for lines once he understood what he was saying.

When in town, Adam dropped Hoss off at the dance, then veered off to pick up Sara. She lived down the end of Third Street, and Adam decided to walk her to the dance, leaving his mount at the livery stable for the evening.

He was looking forward to the night as he'd been trying to get Sara to go out with him for two months. Adam didn't usually have any trouble getting the girls to accompany him to a social event, but Sara played hard to get. This intrigued the eldest Cartwright, and he'd made her his personal mission. She'd finally relented only on Friday when, in a sudden change of heart, she'd surprisingly agreed to accompany him.

Her mother answered the door after Adam's knock, and Sara made him wait a good ten minutes before she appeared. Adam didn't mind. It was all a game with women. He considered himself sophisticated and experienced after his time in the east. At least, that's what his invincible twenty-four year old brain made him believe.

Finally Sara made it out to the parlor. She looked lovely in a yellow evening dress with her honey colored hair in a French twist. She was almost a foot shorter than Adam and very slim. It made him feel all the more powerful and protective.

'Adam.' She bowed her head to him and stifled a giggle as he kissed her hand. Adam sighed. She definitely wasn't from the East.

'Sara. How beautiful you look this evening.' He smiled with maximum charm. It should not have surprised Adam in later years, how Joe had become such a ladies man, with his big brother to learn from.

Sara got her wrap and together they walked the short distance to the town hall. She smiled up at him often, and Adam thought for a girl who'd been so aloof, she'd changed her behavior towards him very quickly.

'Adam, I've heard a rumor in town.' Sara slid her hand up and threaded it through his fingers. He was surprised at her forwardness.

'Oh, what rumor?'

'That you're going to be directing a play. Romeo and Juliet, to be exact.' She smiled again and let her whole arm wind around his.

'Oh, that. Well it's sort of true, but it might never come off. I mean, there's so much work in it, and we haven't even filled all the parts.' Adam started thinking about the play as they strolled. Suddenly, Sara swivelled around in front of him, and stopped him in his tracks.

'O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?'

'What?' Adam stopped still in the middle of the road and took a moment to understand what the heck she was doing.

'Deny thy father and refuse thy name.

Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,

And I'll no longer be a Capulet.'

'What are you doing, Sara?' Adam looked at her strangely as she smiled up at him.

'I'm auditioning. Wouldn't I make a wonderful Juliet? I know the entire part. I've been reading it since Tuesday. Of course, you'd have to coach me a little, with the more . . .er . . . intimate scenes.' She batted her eyelids quite deliberately and rubbed her hand against his fingers. Adam was at first bewildered. Then began to get annoyed with the dent to his ego.

'You mean you only agreed to come out with me because I was directing this play?' Adam pulled his hand away and crossed his arms, his male pride well and truly wounded.

'Well, no, not the only reason.' Sara tried to change her tack. 'But I would make a great actress, don't you think?'

Adam huffed out some air, and continued walking along the road. 'It doesn't matter if you would or if you wouldn't. Megan's got the part already.' He gave her a satisfied glare and strode on towards the hall.

'What, that toffee nose from New York?'

' Yes. The play was her idea, so she got to be the lead. Sorry you wasted your time on me. I suppose you wouldn't like to play the nurse?'

Sara changed her pleasant expression to a disagreeable one, and turned her nose up at Adam. 'As IF! Adam Cartwright, you are an arrogant, self opinionated oaf!' She stalked off ahead of him.

Adam's night wasn't shaping up too well, and he wondered how many other girls were going to try the same thing. It didn't do much for his ego if all they wanted was a part in a stupid play. He arrived at the dance with a black expression growing on his handsome, young face.

It also didn't help any when he saw his brother, Hoss, surrounded by a bevy of beauties all laughing, smiling and fawning over him. He promptly forgot that it had been his idea for Hoss to tempt them with verse.

Adam scowled and retreated to the punch table. He watched the women with Hoss, all trying to impress him with their acting ability. Hoss was quoting lines from the play. Megan was in amongst the lot of them, showing her smug self.

Adam wished he'd never got involved in this. The only one that seemed to be benefiting was Hoss. Then, Adam brightened. Wasn't that the idea? Hoss needed to be on the winning side of things for a change. Adam watched his brother's growing confidence and his dark mood lifted. Hoss was joking and laughing. His shyness was falling away right in front of Adam's eyes.

And that was a very good thing.

The night was old and Adam a bit under the weather when a light voice spoke from behind his shoulder.

'Adam, excuse me, but, you're not dancin'.' He turned to find Sally looking up at him questioningly.

'Don't feel like it.' Adam was embarrassed to say that none of the girls wanted to dance with him. Hoss was well and truly the toast of the evening.

The girls had a score to settle with Adam, as Sara explained that he had cast Juliet without trying any of them out first. They were all miffed with him. Hoss, on the other hand, was winning them over with his impressive verse and growing confidence.

'How about a waltz with me?' Sally smiled sympathetically and took his hand.

'Sure, I suppose.' Adam took her out onto the floor, and danced, while watching his brother and his harem.

'Hoss sure has become popular with all this play business,' Sally commented astutely.

'I hope he realizes they're only after him because he could get them in the play.'

'Oh, I don't know. Your brother has long been admired by a great deal of the women in town, Adam. It's just he's usually so shy he doesn't respond to their hints. I think this is good for him.' Sally smiled and looked over to Hoss.

'I'm not sure we should go through with all this. I can see some disasters on the horizon.'

'Oh Adam, just because the girls aren't fawning over you for a change. I don't see why you have to be so mean about it.'

'I'm not complaining about that.' Adam's dark eyes glinted as he stopped dancing and dropped Sally's arms.

'Well, prove it. Go talk to Hoss and wish him well.' Sally raised her eyebrows in a direct challenge.

Adam bowed to her and moved over to his brother. "Ah, Hoss. This is where you are. Couldn't see you for all those gowns and feathers.' Despite the icy looks the girls gave him, Adam smiled charmingly at each of them in turn. Especially at Megan and Sara who ignored him.

'Hey, Adam! The girls and me were just going over a few of the lines from the play. They're all really good too. Want to hear?'

'Oh, why not. I don't have anything else to do.'

Hoss grinned as Adam's sarcastic retort went right over his head.

'Okay, Sara, you go.'

Sara smirked at Adam and preened herself. She looked up into Hoss's eyes and began.

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy.

Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.

What's Montague? It is nor hand nor foot

Nor arm nor face nor any other part.'

At that moment, Megan butted in, and pushed Sara out of the way, continuing the passage, albeit in a very stilted manner.

'Belonging to a man. O, be some other name

What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other word, would smell as sweet.

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo Called'

Adam yawned and leaned back on the punch table. He'd never thought he'd be sick of Shakespeare, but as the girls all took the part in turn, he was just that. None of them spoke with conviction and true meaning. They all overacted dreadfully. Adam didn't think any of them could handle the part - especially Megan. Then Hoss spoke.

'Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized.

Henceforth, I never will be Romeo.'

All the girls tittered and phrased Hoss. For once, he didn't turn red, but thanked them very much for their words. Adam's bad mood dissipated. He suddenly realized just how good this all was for Hoss.

He was being childish wanting attention from the ladies, when all the time it was more important for Hoss to come out of his shell. Adam smiled genuinely for the first time that evening, and patted his brother on the back.

'Girls, there's plenty of parts in the play. Rehearsals start Monday.' Adam ended up having a pleasant night after all, and enjoyed watching his brother socialize with an increased measure of self-assurance.