Sly. Ay, it stands so, that I may hardly tarry so long. But I would be loath to fall into my dreams again; I will therefore tarry, in despite of the flesh and the blood. Enter a SERVANT. | We could at once put us in readiness; town. Serv. Your honour's players, hearing your Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, amendment, Are come to play a pleasant comedy, blood, SCENE 1.-Padua.--A public Place. Enter LUCENTIO and TRAN:0. Vincentio his son, brought up in Florence, Glad that you thus continue your resolve, and HORTENSIO. LUCENTIO and TRANIO stand aside. For how I firmly am resolv'd you know; Gre. To cart her rather: She's too rough for me: There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife? Kath. I pray you, Sir, [To BAP.] 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. Kath. I'faith, Sir, you shall never need to I wis, it is not half way to her heart: [fear; But, if it were, doubt not her care should be To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool, And paint your face, and use you like a fool. Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us! Gre. And me too, good Lord! Tru. Hush, master! here is some good pastime toward; That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward. Tra. Well said, master: mum! and gaze your fill. Bap. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good What I have said,-Bianca, get you in: And let it not displease thee, good Bianca; For I will love thee ne'er the less, my girl. Kath. A pretty peat! 'tis 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; va speak. On them to look, and practise by myself. Gre. Why, will you mews her up, And so farewell. Katharina you may stay; For I have more to commune with Bianca. [Exil. + Pet. Knowing, learned. Kath. Why, and I trust I may go too; May I not? [belike, What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, I knew not what to take, and what to leave? Ha! [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 nails together, and fast it fairly out; our cake's dough on both sides. Farewell-Yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means 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 brook'd 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 labour and effect one thing 'specially. Gre. What's that, I pray? Hor. Marry, Sir, to get a husband for her sister. Gre. A husband! a devil. Hor. I say, a husband. Gre. I say, a devil: Think'st thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell? Hor. Tush, Gremio, though it pass your patience, 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, 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 [Exeunt GREMIO and HORTENSIO. Tra. [Advancing.] I pray, Sir, tell me,-Is it possible on. That love should of a sudden take such hold? [so, Tru. Master, it is no time to chide you now; Affection is not rated from the heart: If love have touch'd you, nought remains but Redime te captum quam queas minimo. Luc. Gramercies, lad; go forward: this contents; The rest will comfort, for thy counsel's sound. Tra. Master, you look'd so longly on the maid, erhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all. • Endowments. + Consideration. ↑ Gain or lot. Driven out by chiding. Longingly. Luc. O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face, Such as the daughter of Agenor had, That made great Jove to humble him to her hand, [strand. When with his knees he kiss'd the Cretan Tra. Saw you no more? mark'd you not how her sister Began to scold; and raise up such a storm, trance. I pray, awake, Sir; if you love the maid, Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it stands : Her elder sister is so curst and shrewd, Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father's he! But art thou not advis'd, he took some care To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her? Tra. Ay, marry, am I, Sir; and now 'tis plotted. Luc. I have it, Tranio. Tra. Master, for my hand, Both our inventions meet and jump in one. Tru. You will be schoolmaster, Luc. It is: May it be done? Tra. Not possible; For who shall bear your And be in Padua here Vincentio's son? [part, Keep house, and ply his book; welcome his friends; Visit his countrymen, and banquet them? Luc, Basta;+ content thee; for I have it full. We have not yet been seen in any house; Nor can we be distinguished by our faces, For man or master: then it follows thus; Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead, Keep house, and port, and servants, as I should; I will some other be; some Florentine, Tra. So had you need. [They exchange habits. In brief then, Sir, sith it your pleasure is, And I am tied to be obedient; (For so your father charg'd me at our parting; Luc. Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves: And let me be a slave, to achieve that maid Whose sudden sight hath thrall'd my wounded quarrel. And therefore frame your manners to the time. | Rise, Grumio, rise; we will compound this I kill'd a man, and fear I was descried :* Bion. I, Sir, ne'er a whit. Lac. And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth; Tranio is chang'd into Lucentio. Bion. The better for him; Would I were so too! Tra. So would I, faith, boy, to have the next wish after,[daughter. That Lucentio indeed had Baptista's youngest But, sirrah,-not for my sake, but your master's, I advise You use your manners discreetly in all kind of companies: When I am alone, why, then I am Tranio; But in all places else, your master Lucentio. Luc. Tranio, let's go : One thing more rests, that thyself execute ;To make one among these wooers: If thou ask me why, Sufficeth, my reasons are both good and weighty. [Exeunt. 1 Serv. My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play Sly. Yes, by saint Anne, do I. A good matter, surely; Comes there any more of it? Page. My lord, 'tis but begun. Gru. Nay, 'tis 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 him, and rap him soundly, Sir: Well, was it fit for a servant to use his master so; being, perhaps, (for aught I see,) two and thirty, -a pip out? Whom, 'would to God, I had well knock'd at first, Then had not Grumio come by the worst. Pet. A senseless villain-Good Hortensio, I bade the rascal knock upon your gate, And could not get him for my heart to do it. Gru. Knock at the gate?-O heavens! Spake you not these words plain,—Sirrah, knock me here, [soundly? Rap me here, knock me well, and knock me And come you now with-knocking at the gate? Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you. Hor. Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge: Why, this a heavy chance 'twixt him and you; Your ancient, trusty, pleasant servant Grumio. And tell me now, sweet friend,-what happy gale Blows you to Padua here, from old Verona? Pet. Such wind as scatters young men through the world, To seek their fortunes further than at home, Where small experience grows. But, in a few,t Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam Signior Hortensio, thus it stands with me :— lady; 'Would't were done! Antonio, my father, is deceas'd; And I have thrust myself into this maze, SCENE II.-The same.-Before HORTENSIO'S Haply to wive, and thrive, as best I may: House. Enter PETRUCHIO and GRUMIO. Pet. Verona, for a while I take my leave, To see my friends in Padua; but, of all, My best beloved and approved friend, Hortensio; and, I trow, this is his house:Here, sirrah Grumio; knock, I say. Gru. Knock, Sir! whom should I knock? is there any man has rebused your worship? Pet. Villain, I say, knock me here soundly. Gru. Knock you here, Sir? why, Sir, what am I, Sir, that I should knock you here, Sir? Pet. Villain, I say, knock me at this gate, And rap me well, or I'll knock your knave's pate. Gru. My master is grown quarrelsome: I should knock you first, And then I know after who comes by the worst. Pet. Will it not be? 'Faith, sirrah, an you'll not knock, I'll wring I'll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it. [it; [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? Con tutto il core bene trovato, may I say. * Observed. Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home, And so am come abroad to see the world. Hor. Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee. And wish thee to a shrewd ill-favour'd wife? Thoud'st thank me but a little for my counsel: And yet I'll promise thee she shall be rich, And very rich:-but thou'rt too much my friend, And I'll not wish thee to her. as we, Pet. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends Few words suffice: and, therefore, if thou know One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife, (As wealth is burden of my wooing dance,) Be she as foul as was Florentius' love, As old as Sybil, and as curst and shrewd As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse, She moves me not, or not removes, at least, Affection's edge in me; were she as rough I come to wive it wealthily in Padua; As are the swelling Adriatic seas: If wealthily, then happily in Padua. what his mind is: Why, give him gold enough Gru. Nay, look you, Sir, he tells you flatly 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 horses: why nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal. Hor. Petruchio, since we have stepp'd thus I will continue that I broach'd in jest. Brought up, as best becomes a gentlewoman: | And let me have them very well perfum'd; For she is sweeter than perfume itself, Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough; And he knew my deceased father well:- Gru. I pray you, Sir, let him go while the humour 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; A title for a maid, of all titles the worst. * grace; And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes, 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. Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my Petruchio, stand by a while. [love:-Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous! [They retire. Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note. Hark you, Sir; I'll have them very fairly bound: As for my patron, (stand you so assur'd,) Hor. Grumio, mum!-God save you, signior Gre. And you're well met, signior Horten- Whither I am going?-To Baptista Minola. About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca: Fit for her turn; well read in poetry, Gre. Belov'd of me, and that my deeds Gru. And that his bags shall prove, [Aside. If that be all, masters, I hear no harm. Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son: were strange: Pet. Will I live? Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. [Aside. Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent? And do you tell me of a woman's tongue; Fright boys with bug-bears. [Aside. [yours. good, and Gre. But so is not she. [free Tra. For what reason, I beseech you? Gre. For this reason, if you'll know,That she's the choice love of signior Gremio. Hor. That she's the chosen of signior Hortensio. Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen, Do me this right, hear me with patience. Baptista is a noble gentleman, To whom my father is not all unknown; Luc. Sir, give him head; I know, he'll prove a jade. Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words? Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as to ask you, Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter? Tra. No, Sir; but hear I do, that he hath The two; one as famous for a scolding tongue, As is the other for beauteous modesty. Pet. Sir, Sir, the first's for me; let her go by. Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Her cules; And let it be more than Alcides' twelve. sooth; For our access, whose hap shall be to have Will not so graceless be, to be ingrate. [her, Hor. Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive; And since you do profess to be a suitor, You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman, To whom we all rest generally beholden. Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack: in sign whereof, Please ye we may contrive this afternoon, And quaff carouses to our mistress' health; And so as adversaries do in law,Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. Gre. Bion. O excellent motion! Fellows,t let's begone. Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it SCENE I.-The same.--A Room in BAPTISTA'S House. Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA. Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself, To make a bondmaid and a slave of me; Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell Whom thou lov'st best; see thou dissemble not. Kath. Minion, thou liest; Is't not Hortensio? Bian. If you affects him, sister, here I swear, I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him. |