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, For those defects I have before rehears'd, A title for a maid of all titles the worst. Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace, And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes, To old Baptista, as a schoolmaster Have leave and leisure to make love to her, And unsuspected court her by herself. Enter GREMIO, and LUCENTIO disguised, 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; 't is the rival of my love. Petruchio, stand by a while. 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: And see you read no other lectures to her. Signior Baptista's liberality, I'll mend it with a largess.-Take your papers, too, And let me have them very well perfum'd, For she is sweeter than perfume itself, To whom they go. What will you read to her? 1 go to: in folio. Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you, Hor. Grumio, mum!-[Coming forward.]-God save you, signior Gremio! Gre. And you are well met, signior Hortensio. Trow you, whither I am going?—To Baptista Minola. I promis'd to inquire carefully About a master for the fair Bianca: And, by good fortune, I have lighted well On this young man; for learning and behaviour, Fit for her turn; well read in poetry, And other books,-good ones, I warrant ye. Hor. 'T is well and I have met a gentleman Hath promis'd me to help me to another, A fine musician to instruct our mistress: So shall I no whit be behind in duty Gre. Belov'd of me, and that my deeds shall prove. Hor. Gremio, 't is now no time to vent our love. Hortensio, have you told him all her faults? Pet. I know, she is an irksome, brawling scold: If that be all, masters, I hear no harm. Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What countryman? 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 strange; But if you have a stomach, to 't o' God's name: But will you woo this wild cat? Will I live? Pet. Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? That gives not half so great a blow to hear, As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire? Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs1. Gru. Gre. Hortensio, hark. This gentleman is happily arriv'd, For he fears none. My mind presumes, for his own good, and ours2. Gre. And so we will, provided that he win her. Bion. He that has the two fair daughters :-is't he you mean? Tra. Even he, Biondello. Gre. Hark you, sir: you mean not her to 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? Tra. An if I be, sir, is it any offence ? Gre. No; if without more words you will get you hence. Tra. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free 1 This word was formerly synonymous with terrors, like our bugbears. 2 yours in f. e. For me, as for you? But so is not she. Tra. For what reason, I beseech you? Gre. For this reason, if you 'll know, That she's the choice love of signior Gremio. To whom my father is not all unknown; Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. Luc. Sir, give him head: I know, he'll prove a jade. Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words? Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter? Pet. Sir, sir, the first 's for me; let her go by. Pet. Sir, understand you this of me: insooth, Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man 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, 1 seek in f. e. To whom we all rest generally beholding. Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack: in sign whereof, Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. begone. Fellows, let's [Exeunt. Hor. The motion 's good indeed, and be it so.Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. ACT II. SCENE I.-The Same. A Room in BAPTISTA'S House. Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA. Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself 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 well perceive, You have but jested with me all this while. I pr'ythee, sister Kate, untie my hands. [her. Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so. [Strikes Enter BAPTISTA. Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this insolence? 1 The Latin contero, pass or spend. 2 goods: in f. e. |