Pet. First kiss me, Kate, and we will. 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. Pet. Is not this well?-Come, my sweet Kate; Better once than never, for never too late. [Exeunt. 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. TRANIO, BIONDELLO, GRUMIO, and Others, attending. Luc. At last, though long, our jarring notes agree : While I with self-same kindness welcome thine :- And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow,- 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. 8 My banquet -] A banquet, or (as it is called in some of our old books) an afterpast, was a slight refection, like our modern desert, consisting of cakes, sweetmeats, and fruit. 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'. Wid. Then never trust me if I be afear'd. 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: 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. 9 The fears his widow.] To fear, as has been already observed, meant in our author's time both to dread, and to intimidate. widow understands the word in the latter sense; and Petruchio tells her, he used it in the former. MALONE. "You are very sensible," &c. MALONE. 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 bitter jest or two. Bian. Am I your bird? I mean to shift my bush, [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 assurance, 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, Shall win the wager which we will propose. Hor. Content : Luc. What is the wager? Pet. Twenty crowns! Twenty crowns. 1 that gird,] A gird, is a sarcasm, a gibe. I'll venture so much on my hawk, or hound, Luc. A hundred then. Bap. Son, I will be your half, Bianca comes. Re-enter BIONDELLO. How now! what news? Bion. Sir, my mistress sends you 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. word [Exit BIONDELLO. O, ho! entreat her! I am afraid, sir, Nay, then she must needs come. Hor. 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. [Exit GRUMIO. Pet. Hor. What? She will not come t. Pet. The fouler fortune mine, and there an end. Enter KATHARINA. Bap. Now, by my holidame, here comes Katharina! Kath. What is your will, sir, that you send for me? Pet. Where is your sister, and Hortensio's wife? Kath. They sit conferring by the parlour fire. Pet. Go, fetch them hither; if they deny to come, Swinge me them soundly forth unto their husbands: Away, I say, and bring them hither straight. [Exit KATHARINA. And, to be short, what not, that's sweet and happy. The wager thou hast won; and I will add And show more sign of her obedience, Her new-built virtue and obedience. Re-enter KATHARINA, with BIANCA and Widow. See, where she comes; and brings your froward wives As prisoners to her womanly persuasion.— Katharine, that cap of yours becomes you not; Off with that bauble, throw it under foot. [KATHARINA pulls off her cap, and throws it down. Wid. Lord, let me never have a cause to sigh, Till I be brought to such a silly pass! Mr. Malone omits the word come. |