The mathematics and the metaphysics, Fall to them as you find your stomach serves you;

40

No profit grows where is no pleasure ta'en:
In brief, sir, study what you most affect.
Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou
advise.

Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe: 81 My books and instruments shall be my com

pany,

On them to look and practise by myself.
Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear
Minerva speak.

Hor. Signior Baptista, will
strange?

you

Sorry am I that our good will effects Bianca's grief.

be so

Enter

town.

BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and HORTENSIO. LUCENTIO and TRANIO stand by.

Bap. Gentlemen, importune me no farther, For how I firmly am resolved you know: That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter Before I have a husband for the elder: 51 If either of you both love Katharina, Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.

Gre. [Aside] To cart her rather: she's too rough for me.

There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife? Kath. I pray you, sir, is it your will

To make a stale of me amongst these mates? Hor. Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates for you,

Unless you were of gentler, milder mould. 60 Kath. I faith, sir, you shall never need to fear:

I wis it is not half way to her heart;

But if it were, doubt not her care should be To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool And paint your face and use you like a fool.

Hor. From all such devils, good Lord deliver us!

Gre. And me too, good Lord! Tra. Hush, master! here's some good pastime toward:

That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward.

Luc. But in the other's silence do I see 70 Maid's mild behaviour and sobriety. Peace, Tranio!

Tra. Well said, master; mum! and gaze your fill.

Bap. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good What I have said, Bianca, get you in And let it not displease thee, good Bianca, For I will love thee ne'er the less, my girl. Kath. A pretty peat! it is best Put finger in the eye, an she knew why. Bian. Sister, content you in my discontent.

Gre. Why will you mew her up, Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell,

Bap. Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolved: Go in, Bianca: [Exit Bianca. 91 And for I know she taketh most delight In music, instruments and poetry, Schoolmasters will I keep within my house, Fit to instruct her youth. If you, Hortensio, Or Signior Gremio, you, know any such, Prefer them hither; for to cunning men I will be very kind, and liberal To mine own children in good bringing up: And so farewell. Katharina, you may stay; For I have more to commune with Bianca.

[Exit.

Kath. Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not? What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, I knew not what to take, and what to leave, ha? [Exit.

Gre. You may go to the devil's dam: your gifts are so good, here's none will hold you. Their love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it fairly out: our cake's dough on both sides. Farewell: yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man, to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father.

Hor. So will I, Signior Gremio; but a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brooked parle, know now, upon advice, it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labour and effect one thing specially.

121

Gre. What's that, I pray? Hor. Marry, sir, to get a husband for her her sister.

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

Gre. I say, a devil. Thinkest 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 her 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, Signior Gremio?

Gre. I am agreed; and would have 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 150 [Exeunt Gremio and Hortensio. Tra. I pray, sir, tell me, is it possible That love should of a sudden take such hold?

on.

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, That 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.

160

Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now; Affection is not rated from the heart: If love have touch'd 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 look'd so longly on the maid, 170 Perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all. Luc. O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face, Such as the daughter of Agenor had,

That made great Jove to humble him to her hand,

When with his knees he kiss'd the Cretan strand.

Tra. Saw you no more? mark'd 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 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 rid his hands of her,
Master, your love must live a maid at home;
And therefore has he closely mew'd her up,
Because she will not be annoy'd 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 thine 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, 200 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 should:
I will some other be, some Florentine,
Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa. 210
'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.

In brief, sir, sith it your pleasure is,
And I am tied to be obedient;
Because so well I love Lucentio.
For so your father charged me at our parting,
'Be serviceable to my son,' quoth he,
Although I think 'twas in another sense; 220
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

1

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 kill'd 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?

240

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 could 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.

The presenters above speak.

First 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! 259 [They sit and mark.

SCENE II. Padua. Before HORTENSIO'S house.

Enter PETRUCHIO and his man 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. 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 ring it; I'll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it.

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

Pet. Now, knock when I bid you, sirrah villain! 19

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 cuore, ben trovato,' may I say. 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 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 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 's a heavy chance 'twixt him and

you,

there any man has rebused your worship?

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

50

To seek their fortunes further than at home
Where small experience grows. But in a few,
Signior Hortensio, thus stands it with me:
Antonio, my father, is deceased;
And I have thrust myself into this maze,