The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 477

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ACT Il. SCENE I.

Padua. BAPTISTA'S house

Enter KATHERINA and BIANCA

BIANCA. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself, To make a bondmaid and a slave of me- That I disdain; but for these other gawds, Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself, Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat; Or what you will command me will I do, So well I know my duty to my elders.

KATHERINA. Of all thy suitors here I charge thee tell Whom thou lov'st best. See thou dissemble not.

BIANCA. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive I never yet beheld that special face Which I could fancy more than any other.

KATHERINA. Minion, thou liest. Is't not Hortensio?

BIANCA. If you affect him, sister, here I swear I'll plead for you myself but you shall have him.

KATHERINA. O then, belike, you fancy riches more: You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

BIANCA. Is it for him you do envy me so?

Nay, then you jest; and now I well perceive You have but jested with me all this while.

I prithee, sister Kate, untie my hands.

KATHERINA. [Strikes her] If that be jest, then an the rest was so.

Enter BAPTISTA

BAPTISTA. Why, how now, dame! Whence grows this insolence?

Bianca, stand aside- poor girl! she weeps.

[He unbinds her]

Go ply thy needle; meddle not with her.

For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit, Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee?

When did she cross thee with a bitter word?

KATHERINA. Her silence flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd.

[Flies after BIANCA]

BAPTISTA. What, in my sight? Bianca, get thee in.

Exit BIANCA KATHERINA. What, 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, And for your love to her lead apes in h.e.l.l.

Talk not to me; I will go sit and weep, Till I can find occasion of revenge. Exit KATHERINA BAPTISTA. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd 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, as LUCENTIO, with his boy, BIONDELLO, bearing a lute and books

GREMIO. Good morrow, neighbour Baptista.

BAPTISTA. Good morrow, neighbour Gremio.

G.o.d save you, gentlemen!

PETRUCHIO. And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a daughter Call'd Katherina, fair and virtuous?

BAPTISTA. I have a daughter, sir, call'd Katherina.

GREMIO. You are too blunt; go to it orderly.

PETRUCHIO. You wrong me, Signior Gremio; give me leave.

I 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]

Cunning in music and the mathematics, To instruct her fully in those sciences, Whereof I know she is not ignorant.

Accept of him, or else you do me wrong- His name is Licio, born in Mantua.

BAPTISTA. Y'are welcome, sir, and he for your good sake; But for my daughter Katherine, this I know, She is not for your turn, the more my grief.

PETRUCHIO. I see you do not mean to part with her; Or else you like not of my company.

BAPTISTA. Mistake me not; I speak but as I find.

Whence are you, sir? What may I call your name?

PETRUCHIO. Petruchio is my name, Antonio's son, A man well known throughout all Italy.

BAPTISTA. I know him well; you are welcome for his sake.

GREMIO. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray, Let us that are poor pet.i.tioners speak too.

Bacare! you are marvellous forward.

PETRUCHIO. O, pardon me, Signior Gremio! I would fain be doing.

GREMIO. 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 beholding to you than any, 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.

BAPTISTA. A thousand thanks, Signior Gremio. Welcome, good Cambio.

[To TRANIO] But, gentle sir, methinks you walk like a stranger.

May I be so bold to know the cause of your coming?

TRANIO. Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own That, being a stranger in this city here, Do make myself a suitor to your daughter, Unto Bianca, fair and virtuous.

Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me In the preferment of the eldest sister.

This liberty is all that I request- That, upon knowledge of my parentage, I may have welcome 'mongst the rest that woo, And free access and favour as the rest.

And toward the education of your daughters I here bestow a simple instrument, And this small packet of Greek and Latin books.

If you accept them, then their worth is great.

BAPTISTA. Lucentio is your name? Of whence, I pray?

TRANIO. Of Pisa, sir; son to Vincentio.

BAPTISTA. A mighty man of Pisa. By report I know him well. You are very welcome, sir.

Take you the lute, and you the set of books; You shall go see your pupils presently.

Holla, within!

Enter a SERVANT

Sirrah, lead these gentlemen To my daughters; and tell them both These are their tutors. Bid them use them well.

Exit SERVANT leading HORTENSIO carrying the lute and LUCENTIO with the books

We will go walk a little in the orchard, And then to dinner. You are pa.s.sing welcome, And so I pray you all to think yourselves.

PETRUCHIO. Signior Baptista, my business asketh haste, And every day I cannot come to woo.

You knew my father well, and in him me, Left solely heir to all his lands and goods, Which I have bettered rather than decreas'd.

Then tell me, if I get your daughter's love, What dowry shall I have with her to wife?

BAPTISTA. After my death, the one half of my lands And, in possession, twenty thousand crowns.

PETRUCHIO. And for that dowry, I'll a.s.sure her of Her widowhood, be it that she survive me, In all my lands and leases whatsoever.

Let specialities be therefore drawn between us, That covenants may be kept on either hand.

BAPTISTA. Ay, when the special thing is well obtain'd, That is, her love; for that is all in all.

PETRUCHIO. 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.

Though little fire grows great with little wind, Yet extreme gusts will blow out fire and all.

So I to her, and so she yields to me; For I am rough, and woo not like a babe.

BAPTISTA. Well mayst thou woo, and happy be thy speed But be thou arm'd for some unhappy words.

PETRUCHIO. Ay, to the proof, as mountains are for winds, That shake not though they blow perpetually.

Re-enter HORTENSIO, with his head broke

BAPTISTA. How now, my friend! Why dost thou look so pale?

HORTENSIO. For fear, I promise you, if I look pale.

BAPTISTA. What, will my daughter prove a good musician?

HORTENSIO. I think she'll sooner prove a soldier: Iron may hold with her, but never lutes.