Gre. A husband! A devil.
Hor. I say, a husband.

Gre. I say, a devil. Think’st thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell ?

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 faults, and money enough.

Gre. I cannot tell ; but I had as lief take her dowry 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, seignior 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. [Advancing.] I pray, sir, tell me,—Is it possible That love should of a sudden take such hold ?

Luc. O Tranio, till I found it to be true,
I never thought it possible, or likely; .
But see! While idly I stood looking on,
I found the effect of love in idleness :
And now in plainness do confess to thee,
Thou art to me as secret, and as dear,
As Anna to the queen of Carthage was,-
Tranio, I burn, I pine, I perish, Tranio,
If I achieve not this young modest girl.
Counsel me, Tranio, for I know thou canst;
Assist me, Tranio, for I know thou wilt.

Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now;
Affection is not rated from the heart:
If love have touched you, nought remains but so,
Redime te captum quam queas minimo.

Luc. Gramercies, lad; go forward: this contents;
The rest will comfort, for thy counsel's sound.

Tra. Master, you looked so longly on the maid, Perhaps you marked not what's the pith of all.

Luc. O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face, Such as the daughter of Agenor had,

VOL. II.—2

That made great Jove to humble him to her hand,
When with his knees he kissed the Cretan strand.

Tra. Saw you no more? Marked you not how her sister
Began to scold, and raise up such a storm,
That mortal ears might hardly endure the din?

Luc. Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move,
And with her breath she did perfume the air; .
Sacred, and sweet, was all I saw in her.

Tra. Nay, then, 'tis time to stir him from his trance.
I pray, awake, sir; if you love the maid,
Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it stands :
Her elder sister is so curst and shrewd,
That, till the father rids his hands of her,
Master, your love must live a maid at home:
And therefore has he closely mewed her up,
Because she shall not be annoyed with suitors.

Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father's he!
But art thou not advised, he took some care
To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her ?

Tra. Ay, marry, am I, sir; and now 'tis plotted.
Luc. I have it, Tranio.
Tra.

Master, for my hand,
Both our inventions meet and jump in one.

Luc. Tell me thing first.
Tra.

You will be schoolmaster,
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?
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 distinguished 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 should.
I will some other be; some Florentine,
Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa.
'Tis hatched, and shall be so. Tranio, at once
Uncase thee; take my colored 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 thralled 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!

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.

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

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, I say, knock me here soundly. i Gru. Knock you here, sir? Why, sir, what am I, sir, that I should knock you here, sir?"

Pet. Villain, I say, 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. Seignior 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, it is no matter what he leges in Latin. If this be 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 knocked 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? -0 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 farther than at home,
Where small experience grows. But, in a few,
Seignior 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-favored wife ? Thou’dst 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. Seignior 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 Florentius' love, ". As old as Sibyl, 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; a 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; 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.

Hor. Petruchio, since we have stepped thus far in, I will continue that I broached in jest. :