And speak I will; I am no child, no babe. I love thee well, in that thou lik'st it not. Kath. Love me, or love me not, I like the cap; And it I will have, or I will have none. Pet. Thy gown? why, ay.-Come, tailor, let us see't. O mercy, God! what masking stuff is here? What's this? a sleeve! 'tis like a demi-cannon. What! up and down, carved like an apple-tart? Here's snip, and nip, and cut, and slish, and slash, Like to a censer in a barber's shop.— Why, what, o' devil's name, tailor, call'st thou this? Hor. I see she's like to have neither cap nor gown. [Aside. Tai. You bade me make it orderly and well, According to the fashion, and the time. Pet. Marry, and did; but if you be remembered, I did not bid you mar it to the time. Go, hop me over every kennel home, For you shall hop without my custom, sir. Kath. I never saw a better fashioned gown, Pet. Why, true; he means to make a puppet of thee. Tai. She says, your worship means to make a puppet of her. Pet. O monstrous arrogance! Thou liest, thou thread, Thou thimble, Thou yard, three-quarters, half-yard, quarter, nail, As thou shalt think on prating whilst thou liv'st! Just as my master had direction. Grumio gave order how it should be done. Gru. I gave him no order; I gave him the stuff. Tai. But did you not request to have it cut? Tai. I have. Gru. Face not me; thou hast braved many men, brave not me; I will neither be faced nor braved. I say unto thee, I bid thy master cut out the gown; but I did not bid him cut it to pieces: ergo, thou liest. Tai. Why, here is the note of the fashion to testify. Pet. Read it. Gru. The note lies in his throat, if he say I said so. Tai. Imprimis, a loose-bodied gown; Gru. Master, if ever I said loose-bodied gown, sew me in the skirts of it, and beat me to death with a bottom of brown thread. I said, a gown. Pet. Proceed. Tai. With a small compassed cape. Gru. I confess the cape. Tai. With a trunk sleeve; Gru. Error i'the bill, sir; error i'the bill. I commanded the sleeves should be cut out, and sewed up again; and that I'll prove upon thee, though thy little finger be armed in a thimble. Tai. This is true, that I say; an I had thee in place where, thou shouldst know it. Gru. I am for thee straight. Take thou the bill, give me thy mete-yard, and spare not me. Hor. God-a-mercy, Grumio! then he shall have no odds. Gru. Villain, not for thy life. Take up my mistress' gown for thy master's use! Pet. Why, sir, what's your conceit in that? Gru. O, sir, the conceit is deeper than you think for. Take up my mistress' gown to his master's use! O, fie, fie, fie! Pet. Hortensio, say thou wilt see the tailor paid.— [Aside. Go, take it hence: be gone, and say no more. Take no unkindness of his hasty words: [Exit Tailor. Pet. Well, come, my Kate; we will unto your father's, Even in these honest, mean habiliments. Our purses shall be proud, our garments poor; And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds, So honor peereth in the meanest habit. What, is the jay more precious than the lark, Hor. Why, so! This gallant will command the sun. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Padua. Before Baptista's House. Enter TRANIO, and the Pedant dressed like VINCENTIO. Tra. Sir, this is the house. Please it you that I call? Ped. Ay, what else? And, but I be deceived, Seignior Baptista may remember me, Near twenty years ago, in Genoa, where We were lodgers at the Pegasus. Tra. 'Tis well; And hold your own, in any case, with such Austerity as 'longeth to a father. Enter BIONDELLO. Ped. I warrant you. But, sir, here comes your boy, 'Twere good he were schooled. Tra. Fear you not him. Sirrah, Biondello, Now do your duty thoroughly, I advise you; Imagine 'twere the right Vincentio. Bion. Tut! fear not me. Tra. But hast thou done thy errand to Baptista? Bion. I told him that your father was at Venice; And that you looked for him this day in Padua. Tra. Thou'rt a tall fellow; hold thee that to drink. Here comes Baptista.-Set your countenance, sir.Enter BAPTISTA and LUCENTIO. Seignior Baptista, you are happily met.- This is the gentleman I told you of; I pray you, stand good father to me now, Ped. Soft, son !— Sir, by your leave: Having come to Padua To have him matched; and,-if you please to like Seignior Baptista, of whom I hear so well. Bap. Sir, pardon me in what I have to say.- Tra. I thank you, sir. Where then do you know best, We be affied; and such assurance ta'en, As shall with either part's agreement stand? Bap. Not in my house, Lucentio; for you know, Pitchers have ears, and I have many servants. Besides, old Gremio is hearkening still; Tra. Then at my lodging, an it like you, sir. And how she's like to be Lucentio's wife. Luc. I pray the gods she may, with all my heart! Tra. Dally not with the gods, but get thee gone. Seignior Baptista, shall I lead the way? Welcome! one mess is like to be your cheer. Bap. I follow you. [Exeunt TRANIO, Pedant, and BAPTISTA. Bion. Cambio, Luc. What say'st thou, Biondello? Bion. You saw my master wink and laugh upon you? Luc. Biondello, what of that? Bion. 'Faith, nothing; but he has left me here behind, to expound the meaning or moral of his signs and tokens. Luc. I pray thee, moralize them. Bion. Then thus. Baptista is safe, talking with the deceiving father of a deceitful son. Luc. And what of him? Bion. His daughter is to be brought by you to the supper. Luc. And then? Bion. The old priest at St. Luke's church is at your command at all hours. Luc. And what of all this Bion. I cannot tell; except they are busied about a counterfeit assurance. Take you assurance of her, cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum, to the church;-take the priest, clerk, and some sufficient honest witnesses: If this be not that you look for, I have no more to say, But bid Bianca farewell forever and a day. [Going. Luc. Hear'st thou, Biondello? Bion. I cannot tarry. I knew a wench married in an afternoon as she went to the garden for parsley to stuff a rabbit; and so may you, sir; and so adieu, sir. My master |