Music and poesy use to quicken you; The mathematics and the metaphysics, Fall to them as you find your stomach serves you; In brief, sir, study what you most affect. Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore, We could at once put us in readiness, And take a lodging fit to entertain Such friends as time in Padua shall beget. But stay a while: what company is this? TRA. Master, some show to welcome us to town. Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and HORTENSIO. BAP. Gentlemen, importune me no farther, Because I know you well and love well and love you well, Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure. KATH. I pray you, sir, is it your will To make a stale of me amongst these mates? 47 Gremio] In a stage-direction of the Folios this character is here suggestively described as "Gremio a Pantelowne." Cf. III, i, 36, infra. 58 stale] commonly interpreted as "butt" or "laughing-stock." But 40 50 HOR. Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates for you, Unless you were of gentler, milder mould. KATH. I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear: I wis it is not half way to her heart; But if it were, doubt not her care should be To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool HOR. From all such devils, good Lord deliver us! TRA. Husht, master! here's some good pastime toward: That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward. Luc. But in the other's silence do I see Maid's mild behaviour and sobriety. Peace, Tranio! TRA. Well said, master; mum! and Put finger in the eye, an she knew why. BIAN. Sister, content you in my discontent. My books and instruments shall be my company, it is sometimes used in the sense of "common harlot." A quibble 78 peat] archaic form of "pet," "darling." Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva speak. HOR. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange? Sorry am I that our good will effects Bianca's grief. GRE. Why will you mew her up, Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell, And make her bear the penance of her tongue? Go in, Bianca: 90 [Exit Bianca. And for I know she taketh most delight To mine own children in good bringing-up. [Exit. KATH. Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not? What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, I knew not what to take, and what to leave, ha? [Exit. GRE. You may go to the devil's dam: your gifts are so good, here's none will hold you. Their love is not so 85 will... strange] will you act so strangely, follow so strange a course ? 106 Their love] The good will of Baptista and Bianca (towards us). The substitution of Our for the old reading Their seems unnecessary. 100 great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it fairly out: our cake's dough on both sides. Farewell: yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father. HOR. So will I, Signior Gremio: but a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brooked parle, know now, upon advice, it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labour and effect one thing specially. GRE. What's that, I pray? HOR. Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister. GRE. A husband! a devil. HOR. I say, a husband. GRE. I say, a devil. Thinkest thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell? 111 120 HOR. Tush, Gremio, though it pass your patience and mine to endure her loud alarums, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on them, would take her with all her faults, and money enough. 127 GRE. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry 107 we may blow our nails together] we may twiddle our thumbs; we are out of it. 108 our cake's dough] a common proverbial phrase meaning "it is all up with us." The phrase is repeated, V, i, 125, infra. 111 wish] recommend. The word is twice used in the same sense, infra, I, ii, 58, 62. with this condition, to be whipped at the high-cross every morning. HOR. Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples. But come; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintained till by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have to 't afresh. Sweet Bianca! Happy man be his dole! He that runs fastest gets the ring. How say you, Signior Gremio? GRE. I am agreed; and would I had given him the best horse in Padua to begin his wooing that would thoroughly woo her, wed her and bed her and rid the house of her! Come on. [Exeunt Gremio and Hortensio. TRA. I pray, sir, tell me, is it possible That love should of a sudden take such hold? I never thought it possible or likely; 129 high-cross] the cross usually found set up in the market place of a town. 135 Happy man be his dole] A common proverbial greeting equivalent to "good luck be with him." "Dole" means "lot" or "share." 136 the ring] the prize in a running match; a proverbial phrase. 140 150 |