And undertake the teaching of the maid:

That's your device.

Luc. It is: May it be done?

Tra. Not possible; For who shall bear your part, And be in Padua here Vincentio's son ?

should;

Keep house, and ply his book; welcome his friends;
Visit his countrymen, and banquet them?
Luc. Basta;* content thee, for I have it full.†
We have not yet been seen in any house;
Nor can we be distinguish'd by our faces,
For man or master: then it follows thus;
Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead,
Keep house, and port, and servants, as
I will some other be; some Florentine,
Some Neapolitan, or mean man of Pisa.
"Tis hatch'd, and shall be so: Tranio, at once
Uncase thee; take my colour'd hat and cloak:
When Biondello comes, he waits on thee;
But I will charm him, first to keep his tongue.
Tra. So had you need.

[They exchange habits.

In brief then, Sir, sith § it your pleasure is,
And I am tied to be obedient

(For so your father charged me at our parting;
Be serviceable to my son, quoth he,

Although, I think, 'twas in another sense),
I am content to be Lucentio,

Because so well I love Lucentio.

Luc. Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves : And let me be a slave, to achieve that maid

Whose sudden sight hath thrall'd my wounded eye.

Enter BIONDELLO.

Here comes the rogue.-Sirrah, where have you been?
Bion. Where have I been? Nay, how now, where are you?
Master, has my fellow Tranio stolen your clothes?

Or you stolen his ? or both? pray, what's the news?

Luc. Sirrah, come hither; 'tis no time to jest,

And therefore frame your manners to the time.
Your fellow Tranio here, to save my life,
Puts my apparel and my countenance on,
And I for my escape have put on his;
For in a quarrel, since I came ashore,
I killed a man, and fear I was descried :||
Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes,
While I make way from hence to save my life:
You understand me?

Bion. I, Sir, ne'er a whit.

Luc. And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth;

Tranio is changed into Lucentio.

Bion. The better for him; Would I were so too!

* 'Tis enough.

+ Show.

§ Since.

+ Planned in my head.
1 Observed.

Tra. So would I, 'faith, boy, to have the next wish after,-
That Lucentio indeed had Baptista's youngest daughter.
But, sirrah,-not for my sake, but your master's,-I advise
You use your manners discreetly in all kind of companies:
When I am alone, why, then I am Tranio;

But in all places else, your master Lucentio.
Luc. Tranio, let's go :-

One thing more rests, that thyself execute;

To make one among these wooers: If thou ask me why,
Sufficeth, my reasons are both good and weighty.

1 Serv. My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play.

[Exeunt.

Sly. Yes, by saint Anne, do I. A good matter, surely; Comes there any more of it?

Page. My lord, 'tis but begun.

Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam lady; 'Would 'twere done!

SCENE II.-The same. Before HORTENSIO's House.
Enter PETRUCHIO and GRUMIO.

Pet. Verona, for a while I take my leave,
To see my friends in Padua ; but, of all,
My best beloved and approved friend,
Hortensio; and, I trow, this is his house :-
Here, sirrah Grumio; knock, I say.

Gru. Knock, Sir! whom should I knock? is there any man has rebused your worship?

Pet. Villain, say, I knock me here soundly.

Gru. Knock you here, Sir? why, Sir, what am I, Sir, that I should knock you here, Sir?

Pet. Villain, say I, knock me at this gate,

And rap me well, or I'll knock your knave's pate.

Gru. My master is grown quarrelsome: I should knock you

first,

And then I know after who comes by the worst.

Pet. Will it not be ?

'Faith, sirrah, an you'll not knock, I'll wring it;

I'll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it.

[He wrings GRUMIO by the ears. Gru. Help, masters, help! my master is mad.

Pet. Now knock when I bid you: sirrah! villain!

Enter HORTENSIO.

Hor. How now? what's the matter ?-My old friend Grumio! and my good friend Petruchio!-How do you all at Verona? Pet. Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray?

Con tutto il core bene trovato, may I say.

Hor. Alla nostra casa bene venuto,

Molto honorato signor mio Petruchio.

Rise, Grumio, rise; we will compound this quarrel.

Gru. Nay, 'tis no matter, what he 'leges* in Latin.-If this be

* Alleges.

not a lawful cause for me to leave his service,-Look you, Sir,he bid me knock him, and rap him soundly, Sir: Well, was it fit for a servant to use his master so; being, perhaps (for aught I see), two and thirty,—a pip out?

Whom, 'would to God, I had well knock'd at first,
Then had not Grumio come by the worst.

Pet. A senseless villain-Good Hortensio,

I bade the rascal knock upon your gate,
And could not get him for my heart to do it.
Gru. Knock at the gate ?-O heavens !

Spake you not these words plain, Sirrah, knock me here,
Rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly?
And come you now with-knocking at the gate ?
Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you.
Hor. Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge:
Why, this a heavy chance 'twixt him and you;
Your ancient, trusty, pleasant servant Grumio.
And tell me now, sweet friend,-what happy gale
Blows you to Padua here, from old Verona ?

Pet. Such wind as scatters young men through the world,
To seek their fortunes further than at home,

Where small experience grows. But, in a few,*

Signior Hortensio, thus it stands with me:

Antonio, my father, is deceased;

And I have thrust myself into this maze,
Haply to wive and thrive, as best I may :

Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home,
And so am come abroad to see the world.

Hor. Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee.
And wish thee to a shrewd ill-favour'd wife?
Thoud'st thank me but a little for my counsel:
And yet I'll promise thee she shall be rich,
And very rich:-but thou'rt too much my friend,
And I'll not wish thee to her.

Pet. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as we,
Few words suffice: and, therefore, if thou know
One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife

(As wealth is burden of my wooing dance),
Be she as foul as was Florentia's love,
As old as Sybil, and as curst and shrewd
As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse,
She moves me not, or not removes, at least,
Affection's edge in me; were she as rough
As are the swelling Adriatic seas:

I come to wive it wealthily in Padua;
If wealthily, then happily in Padua.

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 ;t or an old trot 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.

* Few words.

† A small image on the tag of a lace.

Hor. Petruchio, since we have 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;
Brought up, as best becomes a gentlewoman:
Her only fault (and that is faults enough)

Is, that she is intolerably curst,

And shrewed, and froward; so beyond all measure,
That, were my state far worser than it is,

I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

Pet. Hortensio, peace; thou know'st not gold's effect :-
Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough;

For I will board her, though she chide as loud
As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack.
Hor. Her father is Baptista Minola,

An affable and courteous gentleman:
Her name is Katharina Minola,

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 you,
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 rope-tricks.* I'll tell you what, Sir,-an she stand+ him but a little, he will throw a figure 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 keept 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
Suitors to her, and rivals in my love:
Supposing it a thing impossible

(For those defects I have before rehearsed),
That ever Katharina will be woo'd,

Therefore this order§ hath Baptista ta'en;-
That none shall have access unto Bianca,

Till Katharine the curst have got a husband.
Gru. Katharine the curst!

A title for a maid, of all titles the worst.

Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace; And offer me, disguised in sober robes,

To old Baptista as a schoolmaster

Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca;

*I.e. like a parrot.

§ Measure.

+ Withstand.

+ Custody.

Versed.

That so I may by this device, at least,

Have leave and leisure to make love to her,

And unsuspected, court her by herself,

Enter GREMIO; with him LUCENTIO disguised, with books under his arm.

Gru. Here's no knavery! See; to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Master, master, look about you: Who goes there? ha!

Hor. Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my love:

Petruchio, stand by a while.

Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous!
Gre. O, very well; I have perused the note.

Hark you, Sir: I'll have them very fairly bound:
All books of love, see that at any hand;*
And see you read no other lectures to her:
You understand me:-Over and beside

Signior Baptista's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largess :-Take your papers too,
And let me have them very well perfumed;
For she is sweeter than perfume itself,

To whom they go to. What will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my patron (stand you so assured),
As firmly as yourself were still in place:
Yea, and (perhaps) with more successful words
Than you, unless you were a scholar, Sir.

Gre. O'this learning! what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock! what an ass it is!
Pet. Peace, sirrah.

[They retire.

Hor. Grumio, mum !-God save you, signior Gremio! Gre. And you're well met, signior Hortensio. Trow you Whither I am going ?-To Baptista Minola.

I promised to inquire carefully

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 you.

Hor. "Tis well: and I have met a gentleman,

Hath promised me to help me to another,

A fine musician to instruct our mistress!

So shall I no whit be behind in duty

To fair Bianca, so beloved of me.

Gre. Beloved 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:

Listen to me, and if you speak me fair,

I'll tell you news indifferent good for either.

Here is a gentleman, whom by chance I met,

* Rate.

[Aside.