Gre. And so we will,-provided that he win her. Enter TRANIO bravely apparelled, and BIONDELLO. Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be bold, Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way To the house of Signior Baptista Minola? Bion. He that has the two fair daughters:-is't [aside to Tranio] he you mean? Tra. Even he, Biondello. Gre. Hark you, sir; you mean not her to―(20) Tra. Perhaps, him and her, sir: what have you to do? Tra. I love no chiders, sir.-Biondello, let's away. Hor. Sir, a word ere you go;— Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea or no? Tra. An if I be, sir, is it any offence? [Aside. Gre. No; if without more words you will get you hence. For me as for you? Gre. But so is not she. Tra. For what reason, I beseech you? That she's the choice love of Signior Gremio. Hor. That she's the chosen of Signior Hortensio. To whom my father is not all unknown; Gre. What, this gentleman will out-talk us all! Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as ask you, Tra. No, sir; but hear I do that he hath two; Pet. Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by. Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, in sooth: 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, Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack: in sign whereof, Please ye we may contrive this afternoon, And do as adversaries do in law, Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. Gru. Bion. O excellent motion! Fellows, let's be gone. Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so :Petrucio, I shall be your ben venuto. [Exeunt. SCENE I. ACT II. Padua. A room in BAPTISTA's house. Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA. Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself, To make a bondmaid and a slave of me; That I disdain: but for these other gawds, (22) Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself, 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? Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so. Enter BAPTISTA. [Strikes her. Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this inso lence? Bianca, stand aside :-poor girl! she weeps: Go ply thy needle; meddle not with her.— For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit, Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee? Kath. Her silence flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd. [Flies after Bianca. Bap. What, in my sight?-Bianca, get thee in. [Exit Bianca. Kath. What, will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see She is your treasure, she must have a husband; I must dance bare-foot on her wedding day, Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd as I? But who comes here? [Exit. Enter GREMIO, with LUCENTIO in the habit of a mean man; PETRUCIO, with HORTENSIO as a musician; and TRANIO, with BIONDELLO bearing a lute and books. Gre. Good morrow, neighbour Baptista. Bap. Good morrow, neighbour Gremio.-God save you, gentlemen! Pet. And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a daughter Call'd Katharina, fair and virtuous ? Bap. I have a daughter, sir, call'd Katharina. Gre. You are too blunt: go to it orderly. Pet. You wrong me, Signior Gremio: give me leave. I am a gentleman of Verona, sir, That, hearing of her beauty and her wit, Her affability and bashful modesty, Her wondrous qualities and mild behaviour,— Am bold to show myself a forward guest Within your house, to make mine eye the witness Of that report which I so oft have heard. And, for an entrance to my entertainment, I do present you with a man of mine, [Presenting Hortensio. To instruct her fully in those sciences, Accept of him, or else you do me wrong: His name is Licio, born in Mantua. Bap. You're welcome, sir; and he, for your good sake. But for my daughter Katharine, this I know, She is not for your turn, the more my grief. Pet. I see you do not mean to part with her; Bap. Mistake me not; I speak but as I find. A man well known throughout all Italy. Bap. I know him well: you are welcome for his sake. Let us, that are poor petitioners, speak too: Pet. O, pardon me, Signor Gremio; I would fain be doing. ing. Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholding to you than any, I freely give unto you this young scholar [presenting Lucentio], that hath been long studying at Rheims; as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in music and mathematics: his name is Cambio ; pray, accept his service. Bap. A thousand thanks, Signior Gremio.-Welcome, good Cambio.-But, gentle sir [to Tranio], methinks you walk like a stranger: may I be so bold to know the cause of your coming? Tra. Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own; That, being a stranger in this city here, Do make myself a suitor to your daughter, Unto Bianca, fair and virtuous. Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me, I may have welcome 'mongst the rest that woo, And, toward the education of your daughters, And this small packet of Greek and Latin books: Bap. Lucentio is your name-of whence, I pray? |