SCENE IV.

Padua. Before Baptista's House.

Enter TRANIO, and the Pedant dressed like
VINCENTIO.

Tra. Sir, this is the house: Please it you, that I call?

Ped. Ay, what else? and, but I be deceived,
Signior Baptista may remember me.

Near twenty years ago, in Genoa, where
We were lodgers at the Pegasus.

Tra.

'Tis well;

And hold your own, in any case, with such
Austerity as 'longeth to a father.

Enter BIONDello.

Ped. I warrant you: But, sir, here comes your boy;

'Twere good, he were school'd.

Tra. Fear you not him. Sirrah, Biondello, Now do your duty throughly, I advise you; Imagine 'twere the right Vincentio.

Bion. Tut! fear not me.

Tra. But hast thou done thy errand to Baptista? Bion. I told him, that your father was at Venice; And that you look'd for him this day in Padua. Tra. Thou'rt a tall' fellow; hold thee that to drink.

Here comes Baptista: - set your countenance,

sir.

Enter BAPTISTA and LUCENTIO.

Signior Baptista, you are happily met:

7 Brave.

Sir, [To the Pedant.]

This is the gentleman I told you of;
I pray you, stand good father to me now,
Give me Bianca for my patrimony.
Ped. Soft, son!

Sir, by your leave; having come to Padua
To gather in some debts, my son Lucentio
Made me acquainted with a weighty cause
Of love between your daughter and himself:
And, for the good report I hear of you;
And for the love he beareth to your daughter,
And she to him, to stay him not too long,
I am content, in a good father's care,

To have him match'd; and, if you please to like
No worse than I, sir, — upon some agreement,
Me shall you find most ready and most willing
With one consent to have her so bestow'd;

8

For curious I cannot be with you,

Signior Baptista, of whom I hear so well.

Bap. Sir, pardon me in what I have to say; Your plainness, and your shortness, please me well.

Right true it is, your son Lucentio here
Doth love my daughter, and she loveth him,
Or both dissemble deeply their affections:
And, therefore, if you say no more than this,
That like a father you will deal with him,
And pass my daughter a sufficient dower,
The match is fully made, and all is done:
Your son shall have my daughter with consent.
Tra. I thank you, sir. Where then do

9

best,

you

We be affied; and such assurance ta'en,
As shall with either part's agreement stand?

know

Bap. Not in my house, Lucentio; for, you know, Pitchers have ears, and I have many servants:

& Scrupulous.

9 Assure or convey. 1 Betrothed.

Besides, old Gremio is heark'ning still;
And, happily, we might be interrupted.

Tra. Then at my lodging, an it like you, sir:
There doth my father lie; and there, this night,
We'll pass the business privately and well:
Send for your daughter by your servant here,
My boy shall fetch the scrivener presently.
The worst is this, that, at so slender warning,
You're like to have a thin and slender pittance.

Bap. It likes me well;- Cambio, hie you home, And bid Bianca make her ready straight;

And, if you will, tell what hath happened :-
Lucentio's father is arriv'd in Padua,

And how she's like to be Lucentio's wife.

Luc. I pray the gods she may, with all my heart! Tra. Dally not with the gods, but get thee gone. Signior Baptista, shall I lead the way?

Welcome! one mess is like to be
Come, sir; we'll better it in Pisa.
Bap.

your cheer:

I follow you.

[Exeunt TRANIO, Pedant, and BAPTISTA. Bion. Cambio.

Luc.

What say'st thou, Biondello? Bion. You saw my master wink and laugh upon you?

Luc. Biondello, what of that?

Bion. 'Faith nothing; but he has left me here behind, to expound the meaning or moral of his signs and tokens.

Luc. I pray thee, moralize them.

Bion. Then thus. Baptista is safe, talking with the deceiving father of a deceitful son.

Luc. And what of him?

Bion. His daughter is to be brought by you to the supper.

Luc. And then?

Bion. The old priest at Saint Luke's church is at your command at all hours.

Luc. And what of all this ?

Bion. I cannot tell; except they are busied about a counterfeit assurance: Take you assurance of her. cum privilegio ad imprimendum solùm: to the church; take the priest, clerk, and some sufficient honest witnesses:

If this be not that you look for, I have no more to

say,

But, bid Bianca farewell for ever and a day.

Luc. Hear'st thou, Biondello?

EGoing.

Bion. I cannot tarry: I knew a girl married in an afternoon as she went to the garden for parsley to stuff a rabbit; and so may you, sir; and so adieu, sir. My master hath appointed me to go to Saint Luke's, to bid the priest be ready to come against you come with your appendix.

[Exit.

Luc. I may, and will, if she be so contented: She will be pleas'd, then wherefore should I doubt? Hap what hap may, I'll roundly go about her; It shall go hard, if Cambio go without her. [Exit.

SCENE V.

A publick Road.

Enter PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, and HOR

TENSIO.

Pet. Come on; once more toward our father's house.

Good Lord, how bright and goodly shines the moon! Kath. The moon! the sun; it is not moonlight

Pet. I

now.

say, it is the moon that shines so bright.

Kath. I know, it is the sun that shines so bright. Pet. Now, by my mother's son, and that's myself, It shall be moon, or star, or what I list, Or ere I journey to your father's house: Go on, and fetch our horses back again. Evermore cross'd, and cross'd; nothing but cross'd! Hor. Say as he says, or we shall never go.

Kath. Forward, I pray, since we have come so far,

And be it moon, or sun, or what you please:
And if you please to call it a rush candle,
Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me.
Pet. I say, it is the moon.

Kath.

I know it is.
Pet. Nay, then you lie; it is the blessed sun.
Kath. Then, be it so, it is the blessed sun :
But sun it is not, when you say it is not;
And the moon changes, even as your mind.
What you will have it nam'd, even that it is ;
And so it shall be so, for Katharine.

Hor. Petruchio, go thy ways; the field is won.
Pet. Well, forward, forward: thus the bowl should

run,

And not unluckily against the bias-
But soft; what company is coming here?

Enter VINCENTIO, in a travelling dress.

Good morrow, gentle mistress: Where away?
[To VINCENTIO.
Tell me, sweet Kate, and tell me truly too,
Hast thou beheld a fresher gentlewoman?
Such war of white and red within her cheeks!
What stars do spangle heaven with such beauty,
As those two eyes become that heavenly face?
Fair lovely maid, once more good day to thee:
Sweet Kate, embrace her for her beauty's sake.
Hor. 'A will make the man mad, to make a woman
of him.