Gre. To cart her rather: she's too rough for Prefer them hither; for to cunning men me. There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife? Kath. I pray you, sir [To BAPTISTA], is it your will To make a stale of me amongst these mates? Hor. Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates for you, Unless you were of gentler, milder mould. I will be very kind, and liberal To mine own children in good bringing up; not? What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, Kath. I' faith, sir, you shall never need to fear; I knew not what to take and what to leave? Ha! I wis it is not half way to her heart: But if it were, doubt not her care should be To comb your noddle with a three-legged stool, And paint your face and use you like a fool. [Exit. Gre. You may go to the devil's dam; your gifts are so good, here is none will hold you. Their love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our Hor. From all such devils, good lord deliver us! nails together, and fast it fairly out; our cake's Gre. And me too, good lord! dough on both sides. Farewell. Yet, for the love Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means toward; That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward. Tra. Well said, master; mum! and gaze your fill. Kath. A pretty peat! 't is best Put finger in the eye, -an she knew why. Bian. Sister, content you in my discontent. Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe: My books and instruments shall be my company; On them to look, and practice by myself. Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou mayst hear Minerva speak. [Aside. Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange? Sorry am I that our good will effects light on a fit man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father. Hor. So will I, Signior Gremio. But a word I pray though the nature of our quarrel yet never brooked parle, know now, upon advice, it toucheth us both that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love - to labor and effect one thing specially. Gre. What's that, I pray? Hor. Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister. Gre. I say, a devil. Think'st thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to me married to hell? Hor. Tush, Gremio! though it pass your pa tience and mine to endure her loud alarums, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on them, would take her with all faults, and money enough. Gre. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition, to be whipped at the high-cross every morning. Hor. 'Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples. But, come; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintained, till by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband, we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have to 't afresh. Sweet Bianca! Happy man be his dole! He that runs fastest gets the ring. How say you, That till the father rid his hands of her, Signior Gremio? Gre. I am agreed: and 'would I had given him the best horse in Padua to begin his wooing, that would thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the house of her. Come on. [Exeunt GREMIO and HORTENSIO. Tra. [advancing]. I pray, sir, tell me is it pos sible That love should of a sudden take such hold? I never thought it possible or likely : Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now; Master, your love must live a maid at home; If love have touched you, nought remains but Nor can we be distinguished by our faces, So, Redime te captum quam queas minimo. For man or master: then it follows thus: Luc. Gramercies, lad; go forward: this con- Keep house, and port, and servants, as I should: tents; The rest will comfort, for thy counsel's sound. Luc. O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face, her sister Began to scold, and raise up such a storm I will some other be; some Florentine, Tra. So had you need. [They exchange habits. Luc. Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves: Tra. Nay, then, 't is time to stir him from his And let me be a slave, to achieve that maid Luc. Sirrah, come hither; 't is no time to To see my friends in Padua; but of all, Luc. And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth; Tranio is changed into Lucentio. Bion. The better for him; 'would I were so too! My best beloved and approvéd friend Gru. Knock, sir! Whom should I knock? Is And then I know after who comes by the worst. 'Faith, sirrah, an you'll not knock, I'll wring it; Tra. So would I, faith, boy, to have the next I'll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it. - not for my sake, but your master's -I advise You use your manners discreetly in all kind of When I am alone, why, then I am Tranio; One thing more rests, that thyself execute; [He wrings GRUMIO by the ears. Gru. Help, masters, help! my master is mad. Pet. Now, knock when I bid you: sirrah! villain! Enter HORTENSIO. Hor. How now! what's the matter? — My old friend Grumio! and my good friend Petruchio! How do you all at Verona? Pet. Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray? To make one among these wooers: if thou ask me Con tutto il core bene trovato, may I say. why, Sufficeth my reasons are both good and weighty. [Exeunt. [The Presenters above speak. Hor. Alla nostra casa bene venuto, Molto honorato, signor mio Petruchio. Rise, Grumio, rise; we will compound this quarrel. Gru. Nay, 't is no matter what he 'leges in Latin. If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave his service! Look you, sir, he bid me knock Sly. Yes, by saint Anne, do I. A good matter, him and rap him soundly, sir: well, was it fit for surely comes there any more of it? 1st Serv. My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play. Page. My lord, 't is but begun. a servant to use his master so; being perhaps (for aught I see), two and thirty-a pip out? Sly. "T is a very excellent piece of work, madam Whom 'would to God I had well knocked at first, lady. Would't were done!] Then had not Grumio come by the worst. Pet. A senseless villain! - Good Hortensio, horses: why nothing comes amiss, so money comes Gru. Knock at the gate? O heavens! Spake you not these words plain, "Sirrah, knock withal. me here, Rap me here, knock me well, and knock me And come you now with-knocking at the gate? Why, this is a heavy chance 'twixt him and you; Pet. Such wind as scatters young men through To seek their fortunes further than at home, Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home, And so am come abroad to see the world. Hor. Petruchio, since we have stepped thus far I will continue that I broached in jest. Pet. Hortensio, peace; thou know'st not gold's Tell me her father's name, and 't is enough; Her name is Katharina Minola, Renowned in Padua for her scolding tongue. Hor. Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to And he knew my deccaséd father well. thee, And wish thee to a shrewd, ill-favored wife? And I'll not wish thee to her. Pet. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as we Few words suffice: and therefore, if thou know Gru. Nay, look you, sir, he tells you flatly what his mind is. Why, give him gold enough, and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet-baby; or an old trot with ne'er a tooth in her head, though she have as many diseases as two and fifty you, I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her; Gru. I pray you, sir, let him go while the humor lasts. O' my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she would think scolding would do little good upon him. She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves or so: why, that's nothing; an he begin once, he'll rail in his rope tricks. I'll tell you what, sir; an she stand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat. You know him not, sir. Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee; That none shall have access unto Bianca, Till Katharine the curst have got a husband. Gru. Katharine the curst! A title for a maid of all titles the worst. About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca: And, by good fortune, I have lighted well Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me And other books; good ones, I warrant you. grace, And offer me, disguised in sober robes, To old Baptista, as a schoolmaster Enter GREMIO; with him LUCENTIO disguised, Gru. Here's no knavery! See, to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Master, master, look about you. Who goes there? ha! Hor. 'Tis well: and I have met a gentleman So shall I no whit be behind in duty Gre. Beloved of me; and that my deeds shall [Aside. Gru. And that his bags shall prove. Listen to me, and if you speak me fair, Hor. Peace, Grumio; 't is the rival of my love. Will undertake to woo cursed Katherine; -Petruchio, stand by awhile. Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous! [They retire. Gre. O, very well; I have perused the note. Signior Baptista's liberality, Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please. Pet. I know she is an irksome brawling scold; Gre. No! say'st me so, friend? What coun tryman? Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son: My father dead, my fortune lives for me; I'll mend it with a largess. Take your papers And I do hope good days, and long to see. too, And let me have them very well perfumed; To whom they go. What will you read to her? Gre. O this learning, what a thing it is! Gre. O, sir, such a life with such a wife were strange: But if you have a stomach, to 't o' God's name; Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. Hor. Grumio, mum!-God save you, Signior Rage like an angry boar chaféd with sweat? Gremio! Have I not heard great ordnance in the field, Gre. And you're well met, Signior Hortensio. And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies? Have I not in the pitchéd battle heard Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? |