Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

ACT V.

SCENE I-Padua. Before LUCENTIO's House. Enter on one side BIONDELLO, LUCENTIO, and BIANCA; GREMIO walking on the other side.

Biondello.

SOFTLY and swiftly, sir; for the priest is ready. Luc. I fly, Biondello; but they may chance to need thee at home, therefore leave us.

Bion. Nay, faith, I'll see the church o'your back; and then come back to my master as soon as I can.

[Exeunt Luc. BIAN. and BIONDELLO. Gre. I marvel, Cambio comes not all this while.

Enter PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, VINCENTIO, and Attendants. Pet. Sir, here's the door, this is Lucentio's house, My father's bears more toward the market-place; Thither must I, and here I leave you, sir.

Vin. You shall not choose but drink before you go; I think, I shall command your welcome here, And, by all likelihood, some cheer is toward. [Knocks. Gre. They're busy within, you were best knock louder.

Enter Pedant above, at a window.

Ped. What's he, that knocks as he would beat down the gate?

Vin. Is signior Lucentio within, sir?

Ped. He's within, sir, but not to be spoken withal. Vin. What if a man bring him a hundred pound or two, to make merry withal.

Ped. Keep your hundred pounds to yourself; he shall need none, so long as I live.

Pet. Nay, I told you, your son was beloved in Padua. Do you hear, sir?-to leave frivolous circumstances,— I pray you, tell signior Lucentio, that his father is come from Pisa, and is here at the door to speak with him. Ped. Thou liest; his father is come from Pisa, and here looking out at the window.

Vin. Art thou his father?

Ped. Ay, sir; so his mother says, if I may believe her. Pet. Why, how now, gentleman! [To VINCENTIO.] why, this is flat knavery, to take upon you another man's

name.

Ped. Lay hands on the villain; I believe, 'a means to cozen somebody in this city under my countenance.

Re-enter BIONDELLO.

Bion. I have seen them in the church together; God send 'em good shipping!-But who is here? mine old master, Vincentio? now we are undone, and brought to nothing.

Vin. Come hither, crack-hemp. [Seeing BIONDELLO. Bion. I hope, I may choose, sir.

Vin. Come hither, you rogue; What, have you forgot me?

Bion. Forgot you? no, sir: I could not forget you, for I never saw you before in all my life.

Vin. What, you notorious villain, didst thou never see thy master's father, Vincentio ?

Bion. What, my old, worshipful old master? yes, marry, sir; see where he looks out of the window." Vin. Is't so, indeed? [Beats BIONDELLO.

Bion. Help, help, help! here's a madman will murder me !

[Exit. [Exit from the window. Pet. Pr'ythee, Kate, let's stand aside, and see the end of this controversy. [They retire.

Ped. Help, son! help, signior Baptista!

Re-enter Pedant below; BAPTISTA, TRANIO, and Servants. Tra. Sir, what are you, that offer to beat my servant? Vin. What am I, sir? nay, what are you, sir?-O immortal gods! O fine villain! A silken doublet ! a velvet hose! a scarlet cloak! and a copatain hat!5-O, I am undone! I am undone! while I play the good husband at home, my son and my servant spend all at the university.

Tra. How now! what's the matter?

Bap. What, is the man lunatic?

Tra. Sir, you seem a sober ancient gentleman by your habit, but your words shew you a madman: Why, sir, what concerns it you, if I wear pearl and gold? I thank my good father, I am able to maintain it.

[5] A copatain hat, is, I believe, a hat with a conical crown, such as was anciently worn by well-dressed men. JOHNSON.

In Stubbs's Anatomie of Abuses, printed 1595, there is an entire chapter "on the hattes of England," beginning thus: Sometimes they use them sharpe on the crowne, pearking up like the speare or shaft of a steeple, standing a quarter of a yard above the crowne of their heads," &c.

STEEV

Vin. Thy father?-O, villain! he is a sail-maker in Bergamo.

Bap. You mistake, sir; you mistake, sir: Pray, what do you think is his name?

Vin. His name? as if I knew not his name: I have brought him up ever since he was three years old, and his name is-Tranio.

Ped. Away, away, mad ass! his name is Lucentio ; and he is mine only son, and heir to the lands of me, signior Vincentio.

Vin. Lucentio! O, he hath murdered his master !Lay hold on him, I charge you, in the duke's name :O, my son, my son !-tell me, thou villain, where is my son Lucentio ?

Tra. Call forth an officer: [Enter one with an Officer.] carry this mad knave to the gaol :-Father Baptista, I charge you see, that he be forthcoming.

Vin. Carry me to the gaol!

Gre. Stay, officer; he shall not go to prison.

Bap. Talk not, signior Gremio; I say, he shall go to prison.

Gre. Take heed, signior Baptista, lest you be coneycatched in this business; I dare swear, this is the right Vincentio.

Ped. Swear, if thou darest.

Gre. Nay, I dare not swear it.

Tra. Then thou wert best say, that I am not Lucentio. Gre. Yes, I know thee to be signior Lucentio. Bap. Away with the dotard; to the gaol with him. Vin. Thus strangers may be haled and abus'd :— O monstrous villain !

Re-enter BIONDELLO, with LUCENTIO and BIANCA. Bion. O, we are spoiled, and-Yonder he is; deny him, forswear him, or else we are all undone.

[blocks in formation]

Right son unto the right Vincentio ;

That have by marriage made thy daughter mine,
While counterfeit supposes blear'd thine eyne. 8

Gre. Here's packing, with a witness, to deceive us all! Vin. Where is that damned villain, Tranio, That fac'd and brav'd me in this matter so ? Bap. Why, tell me, is not this my Cambio ? Bian. Cambio is chang'd into Lucentio.

Luc. Love wrought these miracles. Bianca's love Made me exchange my state with Tranio, While he did bear my countenance in the town ; And happily I have arriv'd at last

Unto the wished haven of my bliss :

What Tranio did, myself enforc'd him to;
Then pardon him, sweet father, for my sake.

Vin. I'll slit the villain's nose, that would have sent me to the gaol.

Bap. But do you hear, sir? [To Luc.] Have you married my daughter without asking my good-will?

Vin. Fear not, Baptista; we will content you, go to:
But I will in, to be revenged for this villainy. [Exit.
Bap. And I, to sound the depth of this knavery. [Exit.
Luc. Look not pale, Bianca; thy father will not
frown.
[Exeunt Luc. and BIAN.
Gre. My cake is dough:1 But I'll in among the rest;
Out of hope of all,-but my share of the feast. [Exit.
PETRUCHIO and KATHARINA advance.

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. Pet. Why, then let's home again :-Come, sirrah, let's away.

Kath. Nay, I will give thee a kiss: now pray thee, love, stay.

[8] To blear the eye, was an ancient phrase signifying to deceive. STEE. [9] i. e. plotting, underhand contrivance. STEEV.

[1] This is a proverbial expression, which was generally used when any project miscarried.

MAL.

Rather when any disappointment was sustained, contrary to every appearance or expectation. Howel, in one of his letters, mentioning the birth of Louis the Fourteenth, says "The Queen is delivered of a Dauphin, the wonderfullest thing of this kind that any story can parallel, for this is the three-and-twentieth year since she was married, and hath continued childess all this while. So that now Monsieur's cake is dough." REED.

7 VOL. III.

Pet. Is not this well?-Come, my sweet Kate; Better once than never, for never too late.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

A Room in LUCENTIO's House. A Banquet set out. Enter BAPTISTA, VINCENTIO, GREMIO, the Pedant, LUCENTIO, BIANCA, PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, HORTENSIO, and Widow. TRANIO, BIONDELLO, GRUMIO, and others, attending.

Luc. At last, though long, our jarring notes agree : And time it is, when raging war is done,

To smile at 'scapes and perils overblown.-
My fair Bianca, bid my father welcome,

While I with self-same kindness welcome thine :-
Brother Petruchio,-sister Katharina,-

And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow,—
Feast with the best, and welcome to my house;
My banquet is to close our stomachs up,
After our great good cheer: Pray you, sit down ;
For now we sit to chat, as well as eat.

[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.2 Wid. Then never trust me if I be afeard.

Pet. You are sensible, and yet you miss my sense;

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 :

[2] To fear, as has been already observed, meant in our author's time both to dread, and to intimidate. The widow understands the word in the latter sense; and Petruchio tells her, he used it in the former. MAL.

« AnteriorContinuar »