Made me exchange my state with Tranio, While he did bear my countenance in the town; Unto the wished haven of my bliss. What Tranio did, myself enforc'd him to, Vin. I'll slit the villain's nose, that would have sent me to the jail. Bap. [To LUCENTIO.] But do you hear, sir? Have you married my daughter without asking my goodwill? Vin. Fear not, Baptista; we will content you go to; but I will in, to be revenged for this villany. [Exit. And I, to sound the depth of this knavery. [Exit. Вар. Luc. Look not pale, Bianca; thy father will not [Exeunt Luc. and BIAN. frown. Gre. My cake is dough'; but I'll in among the rest, Out of hope of all, but my share of the feast. PETRUCHIO and KATHARINA advance. [Exit. Kath. Husband, let's follow, to see the end of this ado. Pet. First kiss me, Kate, and we will. Kath. What, in the midst of the street? Pet. What! art thou ashamed of me? Kath. No, sir, God forbid; but ashamed to kiss. let's away. Kath. Nay, I will give thee a kiss: now pray thee, love, stay. Pet. Is not this well?-Come, my sweet Kate: Better once than never, for never too late. [Exeunt. 9 My cake is dough :] A proverbial expression, when any disappointment was sustained. Gremio has already used it in A. i. sc. 1 of this play, with an addition, "our cake's dough on both sides," more emphatically to indicate how completely expectation had failed. See p. 122. VOL. III. SCENE II. A Room in LUCENTIO'S House. A Banquet set out; Enter BAPTISTA, VINCENTIO, GREMIO, the Pedant, LUCENTIO, BIANCA, PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, HORTENSIO, and Widow. BIONDELLO, GRUMIO, and others, attending'. TRANIÓ, Luc. At last, though long, our jarring notes agree: While I with self-same kindness welcome thine.- After our great good cheer. Pray you, sit down; [They sit at table. Pet. Nothing but sit and sit, and eat and eat! Bap. Padua affords this kindness, son Petruchio. Pet. Padua affords nothing but what is kind. Hor. For both our sakes I would that word were true. Pet. Now, for my life, Hortensio fears his widow. Pet. You are very sensible, and yet you miss my sense: 1 Tranio, Biondello, Grumio, and others, attending.] According to the old stage-direction," the serving-men with Tranio bring in a banquet." A banquet, as Steevens observes, properly meant what we now call a dessert, though often taken generally for a feast; and to this Lucentio refers when he says, 66 My banquet is to close our stomachs up, After our great good cheer." 2 when raging war is DONE,] Rowe's emendation. The old copies have, "when raging war is come." It is very possible that Shakespeare's word was gone, and that the old compositor substituted come, from the direct opposition of gone and come. I mean, Hortensio is afeard of you. Wid. He that is giddy thinks the world turns round. Pet. Roundly replied. Kath. Mistress, how mean you that? Wid. Thus I conceive by him. Pet. Conceives by me!-How likes Hortensio that? Hor. My widow says, thus she conceives her tale. Pet. Very well mended. Kiss him for that, good widow. Kath. He that is giddy thinks the world turns round: I pray you, tell me what you meant by that. Wid. Your husband, being troubled with a shrew, Measures my husband's sorrow by his woe. And now you know my meaning. Kath. A very mean meaning. Wid. Right, I mean you. Kath. And I am mean, indeed, respecting you. Pet. To her, Kate! Hor. To her, widow! Pet. A hundred marks, my Kate does put her down. Hor. That's my office. Pet. Spoke like an officer:-Ha' to thee, lad. [Drinks to HORTENSIO. Bap. How likes Gremio these quick-witted folks? Gre. Believe me, sir, they butt together well. Bian. Head and butt? an hasty-witted body Would say, your head and butt were head and horn. Vin. Ay, mistress bride, hath that awaken'd you? Bian. Ay, but not frighted me; therefore, I'll sleep again. Pet. Nay, that you shall not; since you have begun, Have at you for a better jest or two3. Bian. Am I your bird? I mean to shift my bush, 3 Have at you for a BETTER jest or two.] So the old copies; but Capell suggested "bitter jest or two," and he has been usually followed. Petruchio means "a better jest or two" than Bianca's last, about "head and horn." And then pursue me as you draw your bow.- [Exeunt BIANCA, KATHARINA, and Widow. Pet. She hath prevented me.-Here, signior Tranio; This bird you aim'd at, though you hit her not: Therefore, a health to all that shot and miss'd. Tra. O sir! Lucentio slipp'd me, like his greyhound, Which runs himself, and catches for his master. Pet. A good swift simile, but something currish. Bap. Now, in good sadness, son Petruchio, Pet. Well, I say no: and therefore, for assurance1, Let's each one send unto his wife, And he, whose wife is most obedient To come at first when he doth send for her, Luc. Pet. Twenty crowns! Twenty crowns. I'll venture so much of my hawk, or hound", FOR assurance,] Instead of "for," the folio of 1623 has sir. Corrected by the editor of the folio of 1632. 5 I'll venture so much of my hawk, or hound,] So all the old copies. The modern editors, objecting to Shakespeare's phraseology, have uniformly represented him to have written on my hawk, or hound." See p. 165, note 6. Luc. That will I. Go, Biondello, bid your mistress come to me. Bap. Son, I will be your half, Bianca comes. Re-enter BIONDELLO. How now! what news? Bion. [Exit. Sir, my mistress sends you word, That she is busy, and she cannot come. Pet. How! she is busy, and she cannot come! Is that an answer? Gre. Ay, and a kind one too: Pray God, sir, your wife send you not a worse. Pet. I hope better. Hor. Sirrah, Biondello, go, and entreat my wife To come to me forthwith. Pet. Nay, then she must needs come. Hor. [Exit BIONDELLO. O ho! entreat her! I am afraid, sir, Do what you can, yours will not be entreated. Re-enter BIONDELLO. Now, where's my wife? Bion. She says, you have some goodly jest in hand; She will not come: she bids you come to her. Pet. Worse and worse: she will not come? O vile! Intolerable, not to be endur'd! Sirrah, Grumio, go to your mistress; say, I command her come to me. Hor. I know her answer. Pet. What? Hor. She will not. [Exit GRUMIO. Pet. The fouler fortune mine, and there an end. Enter KATHARINA. Bap. Now, by my holidame, here comes Katharina ! |