Tru. O, sir, Lucentio slipp'd me like his grey hound, Which runs himself, and catches for his master. Bup. Now, in good sadness, son Petruchio, I think thou hast the veriest shrew of all. Pet. Well, I say-no: and therefore, for assu rance, Let's each one send unto his wife; And he, whose wife is most obedient To come at first when he doth send for her, Pet. Twenty crowns! Twenty crowns. I'll venture so much on my hawk, or hound, But twenty times so much upon my wife. Luc. A hundred then. Bion. I go. [Exit. Luc. Biondello, bid your mistress come to me. Bap. Son, I will be your half, Bianca comes. Re-enter Biondello. How now! what news? *Witty. + Sarcasm. Bion. Sir, my mistress sends you word. That she is busy, and she cannot come. Is that an auswer? Gre. Ay, and a kind one too: Pray God, sir, your wife send you not a worse. Pet. I hope, better. Hor. Sirrah, Biondello, go, and entreat my wife To come to me forthwith. Pet. [Erit Biondello. O, ho! entreat her! Nay, then she must needs come. Hor. I am afraid, sir, Do what you can, yours will not be entreated. Re-enter Biondello. Now where's my wife? Bion. She says, you have some goodly jest in hand; She will not come; she bids you come to her. Pet. Worse and worse; she will not come! O vile, Intolerable, not to be endur'd! Sirrah, Grumio, go to your mistress; Say, I command her come to me. Hor. I know her answer. Pet. Hor. [Exit Grumio. What? She will not come. Pet. The fouler fortune mine, and there an end. Enter Katharina. Bap. Now, by my holidame, here comes Katha. rina! Kath. What is your will, sir, that you send for me? Pet. Where is your sister, and Hortensio's wife? Kath. They sit conferring by the parlour fire. Pet. Go, fetch them hither; if they deny to come, Swinge me them soundly forth unto their husbands: Away, I say, and bring them hither straight. [Erit Katharina, Luc. Here is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder. An awful rule, and right supremacy; And, to be short, what not, that's sweet and happy. Re-enter Katharina, with Bianca, and Widow. See, where she comes; and brings your froward wives As prisoners to her womanly persuasion.- [Katharina pulls off her cap, and throws it down. Wid. Lord, let me never have a cause to sigh, Till I be brought to such a silly pass! Bian. Fy! what a foolish duty call you this? Luc. I would, your duty were as foolish too: The wisdom of your duty, fair Bianca, Hath cost me an hundred crowns since supper-time, Bian. The more fool you, for laying on my duty. Pet. Katharine, I charge thee, tell these headstrong women What duty they do owe their lords and husbands. Wid. Come, come, you're mocking; we will have no telling. Pet. Come on, I say; and first begin with her. she shall;-and first begin with her. Kath. Fy, fy brow; unknit that threat'ning unkind And dart not scornful glances from those eyes, A woman mov'd, is like a fountain troubled, What is she, but a foul contending rebel, When they are bound to serve, love, and obey. *Gentle temper. To bandy word for word, and frown for frown: My hand is ready, may it do him ease. Pet. Why, there's a wench !-Come on, and kiss me, Kate. Luc. Well, go thy ways, old lad; for thou shalt ha't. Vin. 'Tis a good hearing, when children are toward. Luc. But a harsh hearing, when women are froward. Pet. Come, Kate, we'll to bed : We three are married, but you two are sped. 'Twas I won the wager, though you hit the white; [To Lucentio. And, being a winner, God give you good night! [Exeunt Petruchio and Kath. Hor. Now go thy ways, thou hast tam'd a curst shrew. Luc. 'Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will be * Abate your spirits. Of this play the two plots are so well united, that they can hardly be called two, without injury to the art with which they are interwoven. The attention is entertained with all the variety of a double plot, yet is not distracted by unconnected incidents. The part between Katharine and Petruchio is ent VOL. III. K |