And so as adversaries* do in law, Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. Gre. Bion. O excellent motion! Fellows, let's be gone. Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I.-The same. A Room in BAPTISTA's House, Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself, That I disdain but for these other gawds,t 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? Enter BAPTISTA. [Strikes her. Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this insolence ?Bianca, stand aside;-poor girl! she weeps: Go ply thy needle; meddle not with her. For shame, thou hildings of a devilish spirit, Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee? [Flies after BIANCA. Bap. What, in my sight ?-Bianca, get thee in. [Exit BIANCA. Kath. 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, *I. e. opposing advocates. + Trifling ornaments. And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell. [Exit KATHARINA. Bap. Was ever gentleman thus grieved as I; But who comes here? Enter GREMIO, with LUCENTIO in the habit of a mean man; PETRUCHIO, 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? T 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.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, 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; Or else you like not of my company. Bap. Mistake me not, I speak but as find. Whence are you, Sir? what may I call your name? Pet. Petruchio is my name; Antonio's son, 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. Q, pardon me, signior Gremio; I would fain be doing. Gre. I doubt it not, Sir; but you will curse your wooing. Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholden 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; Unto Bianca, fair, and virtuous. Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me, That, upon knowledge of my parentage, 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? Bap. A mighty man of Pisa; by report I know him well: you are very welcome, Sir.— Take you [To HOR.] the lute, and you [To Luc.] the set of books, You shall go see your pupils presently. Holla, within! Sirrah, lead Enter a SERVANT. These gentlemen to my daughters; and tell them both, These are their tutors; bid them use them well. [Exit SERVANT, with HORTENSIO, LUCENTIO, and BIONDELLO. We will go walk a little in the orchard, And then to dinner: You are passing welcome, And so I pray you all to think yourselves. Pet. Signior Baptista, my business asketh haste, And every day I cannot come to woo. You knew my father well; and in him, me, Bap. Ay, when the special thing is well obtain'd, Pet. Why, that is nothing; for I tell you, father, I am as peremptory as she proud-minded; And where two raging fires meet together, They do consume the thing that feeds their fury: For I am rough, and woo not like a babe. Bap. Well mayst thou woo, and happy by thy speed! But be thou arm'd for some unhappy words. Pet. Ay, to the proof; as mountains are for winds, That shake not, though they blow perpetually. Re-enter HORTENSIO, with his head broken. Bap. How now, my friend? why dost thou look so pale? Bap. What, will my daughter prove a good musician? Bap. Why, then thou canst not break her to the lute? Frets, call you these? quoth she: I'll fume with them: As on a pillory, looking through the lute: And-twangling Jack; with twenty such vile terms, Pet. Now, by the world, it is a lusty wench; I love her ten times more then e'er I did: O, how I long to have some chat with her! Bap. Well, go with me, and be not so discomfited: Or shall I send my daughter Kate to you? [Exeunt BAPTISTA, GREMIO, TRANIÓ, and HORTENSIO. And woo her with some spirit when she comes. Say, that she rail; Why, then I'll tell her plain, She sings as sweetly as a nightingale : Say, that she frown; I'll say, she looks as clear When I shall ask the banns, and when be married :- Good morrow, Kate; for that's your name, I hear. Kath. Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing ; They call me-Katharine, that do talk of me. Pet. You lie, in faith; for you are call'd plain Kate, Myself am moved to woo thee for my wife. Kath. Moved! in good time: let him that moved you hither, Remove you hence: I knew you at the first, You were a moveable. Pet. Why, what's a moveable? Kath. A joint stool. Pet. Thou hast hit it: come, sit on me. Kath. Asses are made to bear, and so are you. Pet. Should be? should buz. Kath. Well ta'en, and like a buzzard. Pet. O, slow-wing'd turtle! shall a buzzard take thee? Pet. Come, come, you wasp; i' faith, you are too angry. Pet. My remedy is then, to pluck it out. Kath. Ay, if the fool could find it where it lies. Pet. Who knows not where a wasp doth wear his sting? In his tail. Kath. In his tongue. Pet. Whose tongue? Kath. Yours, if you talk of tails; and so farewell. Pet. What, with my tongue in your tail? nay, come again, Good Kate; I am a gentleman. Kath. That I'll try. Pet. I swear I'll cuff you, if you strike again. Kath. So may you lose your arms: If you strike me, you are no gentleman; Pet. A combless cock, so Kate will be my hen. [Striking him. |