And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study, Glad that you thus continue your resolve, you: No profit grows, where is no pleasure taʼen ;- If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore, Such friends, as time in Padua shall beget. your fill. Bap. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good Put finger in the eye,-an she knew why. Bian. Sister, content you in my discontent.- On them to look, and practise by myself. Gre. Why, will you mew her up, Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to Fit to instruct her youth.-If you, Hortensio, town. Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GRE- Bap. Gentlemen, impórtune me no further, Gre. To cart her rather: She's too rough for me ; There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife? To make a stale of me amongst these mates? mates for you, Kath. I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear; Gre. And me too, good Lord! What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, I knew not what to take, and what to leave? 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? U Hor. Marry, sir, to get a husband for her | And with her breath she did perfume the air; sister. Gre. A husband! a devil. 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? Tra. 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 So, 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, Perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all. 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, When with his knees he kiss'd the Cretan strand. Tra. Saw you no more? mark'd you not, how her sister Began to scold; and raise up such a storm, That mortal ears might hardly endure the din? Luc. Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move, Sacred, and sweet, was all I saw in her. Tra. Nay, then, 'tis time to stir him from his 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, Luc. Tell me thine first. Tra. You will be schoolmaster, Luc. It is: May it be done? Tra. Not possible; For who shall bear your part, And be in Padua here Vincentio's son? 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 distinguish'd 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, Some Neapolitan, or mean man of Pisa.'Tis hatch'd, and shall be so :-Tranio, at once Uncase thee; take my colour'd hat and cloak: When Biondello comes, he waits on thee; But I will charm him first to keep his tongue. 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 have thrall'd my wounded eye. Enter BIONDELLO. Here comes the rogue.-Sirrah, where have you been? Bion. Where have I been? Nay, how now, where are you? Master, has my fellow Tranio stol'n your clothes? Or you stol'n his? or both? pray, what's the | 'Faith, sirrah, an you'll not knock, I'll wring it; I'll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it. news? Luc. Sirrah, come hither; 'tis no time to jest, And therefore frame your manners to the time. Your fellow Tranio, here, to save my life, Puts my apparel and my countenance on, And I for my escape have put on his; For in a quarrel, since I came ashore, I kill'd a man, and fear I was descried : Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes, While I make way from hence to save my life: You understand me? Bion. I, sir? ne'er a whit. Luc. 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, That Lucentio indeed had Baptista's youngest daughter. 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; One thing more rests, that thyself execute ;- 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. Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam lady; 'Would't were done! SCENE II.-The same. Before Hortensio's 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? [He wrings Grumis 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. Molto honorato signior mio Petruchio. 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, Rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly? 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 is 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, Pet. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as Few words suffice: and, therefore, if thou know She moves me not, or not removes, at least, 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 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. And shrewd, and froward; so beyond all sure, His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca ; A title for a maid, of all titles the worst. And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes, with books under his arm. 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 love : mea-Petruchio, stand by a while. That, were my state far worser than it is, Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough; her; : 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 ropetricks. 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; Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous! Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note. I'll mend it with a largess :-Take your papers too, And let me have them very well perfum'd; Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is! Hor. Grumio, mum !-God save you, signior Gre. And you're well met, signior Hortensio. 3 Hath promis'd me to help me to another, Gre. Belov'd of me,-and that my deeds shall Gru. And that his bags shall prove. [Aside. Listen to me, and if you speak me fair, Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What country man? Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son: My father dead, my fortune lives for me; And I do hope good days, and long, to see. Gre. O, sir, such a life, with such a wife, were But, if you have a stomach, to't, o' God's name; Pet. Will I live? Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent? Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' And do you tell me of a woman's tongue, Gre. Hortensio, hark! Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen, To whom my father is not all unknown; Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us Luc. Sir, give him head; I know, he'll prove a jade. Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as to ask you, Aside. The one as famous for a scolding tongue, My mind presumes, for his own good, and yours. Gre. And so we will; provided, that he win Gru. I would, I were as sure of a good dinner. Aside. Enter TRANIO, bravely apparell'd; and BION DELLO, Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way Pet. Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by. Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules; And let it be more than Alcides' twelve. Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, in sooth ; The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for, Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man |