Hor. Confess, confess, hath he not hit you here? Pet. Well, I say-no; and therefore, for assurance, 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, Luc. Pet. Twenty crowns! Twenty crowns. I'll venture so much on my hawk, or hound, Bap. Son, I will be your half, Bianca comes. Re-enter BIONDELLO. How now! what news? Bion. Sir, my mistress sends you word That she is busy, and she cannot come. Pet. How! she is busy, and she cannot come ! Is that an answer? 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. [Exit 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 Katharina! [Exit KATHARINA. Luc. Here is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder. Pet. Marry, peace it bodes, and love, and quiet life, And, to be short, what not, that's sweet and happy. Bap. Now fair befal thee, good Petruchio! The wager thou hast won; and I will add Re-enter KATHARINA, with BIANCA and Widow. See, where she comes; and brings your froward wives Katharine, that cap of yours becomes you not; [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 s! Bian. Fye! what a foolish duty call you this? Hath cost me an hundred crowns since supper-time. 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. Wid. She shall not. Pet. I say, she shall ;-and first begin with her. Kath. Fye, fye! unknit that threat'ning unkind brow; A woman mov'd, is like a fountain troubled, But love, fair looks, and true obedience ;- When they are bound to serve, love, and obey. And place your hands below your husband's foot: 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.P P our soft conditions,] The gentle qualities of our minds. wives who exhibit early proofs of disobedience.-STEEVENS. 2 A 2 'Twas I won the wager, though you hit the white ;9 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 tam'd so. [Exeunt though you hit the white ;] To hit the white is a phrase borrowed from archery: the mark was commonly white. Here it alludes to the name, Bianca, or white.-JOHNSON. 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 eminently sprightly and diverting. At the marriage of Bianca the arrival of the real father, perhaps, produces more perplexity than pleasure. The whole play is very popular and diverting.-JOHNSON. |