GRU. Help, Masters, help! my master is mad. Enter HORTENSIO. HOR. How now! what's the matter? My old friend PET. Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray? 22 HOR. Alla nostra casa ben venuto, molto honorato signor mio Petruchio. Rise, Grumio, rise: we will compound this quarrel. GRU. Nay; 'tis no matter, Sir, what be leges in Latin. If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave his Whom would to God I had well knock'd at first, 33 33 And could not get him for my heart to do it. PET. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you. Your ancient, trusty, pleasant servant Grumio. 42 50 PET. Such wind as scatters young men through the world Antonio, my father, is deceas'd, And I have thrust myself into this maze, Haply to wive and thrive as best I may : 1 drunk (from the game called Bone-ace or One-and-thirty). 2 (cards) spot. 3 in brief. ACT I Sc. II ACT I Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home, PET. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as we As wealth is burden of my wooing dance, Be she as foul as was Florentius' love, I come to wive it wealthily in Padua ; 60 70 GRU. Nay; look you, Sir, he tells you flatly what his mind is why, give him gold enough, and marry him to a puppet or an aglet-baby; or an old trots with ne'er a tooth in her head, though she have as many diseases as two-and-fifty horses: why, nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal. HOR. Petruchio, since we are stepp'd thus far in, I will continue that I broach'd in jest. I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife With wealth enough, and young and beauteous; Is that she is intolerable curst, And shrewd, and froward; so beyond all measure I would not wed her for a mine of gold. 81 90 77730 HOR. Her father is Baptista Minola, An affable and courteous gentleman: Her name is Katharina Minola, you 100 Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue. PET. I know her father, though I know not her ; And he knew my deceased father well. I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her; And therefore let me be thus bold with To give you over at this first encounter, Unless you will accompany me thither. GRU. I pray you, Sir, let him go while the humour lasts. O' my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she would think scolding would do little good upon him: she may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves or so: why, that's nothing; an he begin once, he'll rail in his rope1-tricks. I'll tell you what, Sir, an she stand him but a little, he will throw a figure2 in her face, and so disfigure her with it that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat. You know him not, Sir. HOR. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee, For in Baptista's keep my treasure is : He hath the jewel of my life in hold, His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca, And her withholds from me, and other more, For those defects I have before rehears'd, A title for a maid, of all titles the worst. HOR. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace; And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes, 120 130 ACT I Sc. II LIBRARY ACT I GRU. Here's no knavery! See, to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Enter GREMIO, and LUCENTIO disguised. Master, Master, look about you: who goes there, ha? HOR. Peace, Grumio! 'tis the rival of my love. Petruchio, stand by awhile. GRU. A proper stripling and an amorous! Hark you; I'll have them very fairly bound: And see you read no other lectures to her: Signior Baptista's liberality, I'll mend it with a largess. Take your paper too, For she is sweeter than perfume itself To whom they go to. What will you read to her? As for my patron, stand you so assur'd, 140 150 GRU. O this woodcock! what an ass it is! PET. Peace, sirrah! HOR. Grumio, mum! God save you, Signior Gremio! GRE. You are well met, Signior Hortensio. Trow you whither I am going? To Baptista Minola. About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca: And by good fortune I have lighted well On this young man; for learning and behaviour Fit for her turn; well read in poetry And other books, good ones, I warrant ye. YTRAVIMU STAT: 161 170 So shall I be no whit behind in duty To fair Bianca, so belov'd of me. GRE. Belov'd of me; and that my deeds shall prove. GRU. And that his bags shall prove! HOR. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love: Hortensio, have you told him all her faults? GRE. No? sayest me so, Friend? What country man? PET. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son: 180 ACT I My father dead, my fortune lives for me; And I do hope good days and long to see. 190 GRE. Sir, such a life, with such a wife, were strange! But if you have a stomach, to 't a' God's name! But will you woo this wild-cat? Will I live? PET. And Heaven's artillery thunder in the skies? Have I not in a pitched battle heard Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? That gives not half so great a blow to th' ear As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire? Tush, tush! fear2 boys with bugs. GRU. 200 For he fears* none ! 1 equally, not differently. • frighten. 3 bogies. 4 is afraid of. |