Enter TRANIO, bravely apparelled; and BIONDEllo. Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be bold, Bion. He that has the two fair daughters;-is't [Aside to TRANIO.] he you mean? Tra. Even he, Biondello. Gre. Hark you, sir; you mean not her to Tra. Perhaps him and her, sir. What have you to do? Hor. Sir, a word ere you go.— Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea or no? [Aside. Gre. No; if, without more words, you will get you hence. Tra. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For me as for you? Gre. But so is not she. Tra. For what reason, I beseech you? Gre. For this reason, if you'll know, That she's the choice love of seignior Gremio. Hor. That she's the chosen of seignior Hortensio. To whom my father is not all unknown; Gre. What! This gentleman will out-talk us all. As is the other for beauteous modesty. Pet. Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by. Gre. Yea, leave that labor to great Hercules; And let it be more than Alcides' twelve. с Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, in sooth ;- Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man Hor. Sir, you say well, and well do you conceive; And since you do profess to be a suitor, You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman, To whom we all rest generally beholden. Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack: in sign whereof, Please ye we may contrive this afternoon, And quaff carouses to our mistress' health; And do as adversaries do in law, Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. Gre. Bion. O excellent motion! Fellows, let's begone. Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so;Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. The same. Bian. 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, Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell I never yet beheld that special face Kath. Minion, thou liest. Is't not Hortensio ? Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so? Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was 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. Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee? Kath. Her silence flouts me, and I'll be revenged. [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 barefoot on her wedding-day, And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell. Talk not to me; I will go sit and weep, Till I can find occasion of revenge. [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, neighbor Baptista. Bap. Good-morrow, neighbor Gremio. God save you, gentlemen! Pet. And you, good sir' Pray, have you not a daughter Called Katharina, fair and virtuous? Bap. I have a daughter, sir, called Katharina. Gre. You are too blunt; go to it orderly. Pet. You wrong me, seignior 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 behavior,-- Within your house, to make mine eye the witness [Presenting HORTENSIO. Cunning in music, and the mathematics, 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 I 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. O, pardon me, seignior Gremio; I would fain be doing. Gre. I doubt it not, sir; but you will curse your wooing.Neighbor, 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, seignior 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; Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me, I may have welcome 'mongst the rest that woo, And this small package 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, [Exit Servant, with HORTENSIO, LUCENTIO, We will go walk a little in the orchard, And then to dinner. You are passing welcome, Pet. Seignior Baptista, my business asketh haste, Pet. And for that dowry, I'll assure her of Bap. Ay, when the special thing is well obtained; -- Pet. Why, that is nothing; for I tell you, father, I am as peremptory as she proud-minded; |