Hath promis'd me to help me to another, Gre. Belov'd of me, and that my deeds shall prove. Gru. And that his bags shall prove. [Aside. Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love: Listen to me, and if you speak me fair, I'll tell you news indifferent good for either. Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What countryman ? 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 strange: But if you have a stomach, to't o'God's name; You shall have me assisting you in all. But, will you woo this wild cat? Will I live? [A side. Pet. you a Have I not in my time heard lions roar? Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? That gives not half so great a blow to the ear, Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs. Gru. Gre. Hortensio, hark! This gentleman is happily arriv'd, For he fears none. [Aside. My mind presumes, for his own good and yours. [Aside. Enter TRANIO, bravely apparell'd; and BIONDELLO. Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be bold, Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way To the house of Signior Baptista Minola? Gre. He that has the two fair daughters: [aside to TRANIO] he you mean? Tra. Even he. Biondello ! Gre. Hark you, sir; You mean not her to : - is't Tra. Perhaps, him and her, sir; What have you to do? Pet. Not her that chides, sir, at any hand, I pray. Tra. I love no chiders, sir:-Biondello, let's away. Luc. Well begun, Tranio. Hor. Sir, a word ere you go ; [Aside. Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea or no? Gre. No; if, without more words, you will get you hence. with bugs.] i. e. with bug bears. + Mr. Malone gives this speech to Biondello. Tra. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For me, as for you? Gre. But so is not she. Tra. For what reason, I beseech you? To whom my father is not all unknown; Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter? Tra. No, sir; but hear I do, that he hath two; Pet. Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by. Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, in sooth;- Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man For our access,-whose hap shall be to have her, Hor. Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive; Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack: in sign whereof, Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. Gru. Bion. O excellent motion: Fellows, let's be gone. Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so ;Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. ACT II. [Exeunt. SCENE I-The same. A Room in Baptista's House. Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA. Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong. your self, To make a bondmaid and a slave of me: That I disdain; but for these other gawds, Please ye we may contrive this afternoon,] Contrive does not signify here to project, but to spend and wear out; probably from contero. 7 —as adversaries do in law,] By adversaries in law, I believe, our author means not suitors, but barristers, who, however warm in their opposition to each other in the courts of law, live in greater harmony and friendship in private, than perhaps those of any other of the liberal professions. Their clients seldom “eat and drink with their adversaries as friends." MALONE. 8 Feilows, let's begone.] Fellows means fellow-servants. Grumio and Biondello address each other, and also the disguised Lucentio. MALONE. Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat; Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell Kath. Minion, thou liest; Is't not Hortensio ? Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so? Nay, then you jest; and now I will perceive, You have but jested with me all this while : I pr'ythee, sister Kate, untie my hands. Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so. Enter BAPTISTA. [Strikes her. Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this insolence? Bianca, stand aside;-poor girl! she weeps:--- Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee? [Flies after BIANCA. Bap. What, in my sight?-Bianca, get thee in. [Exit BIANCA. Kath. Will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see, She is your treasure, she must have a husband; 9 hilding-] The word hilding or hindeling, is a low wretch: it is applied to Katharine for the coarseness of her behaviour. JOHNSON. |