with blowing the fire, shall warm myself; for, considering the weather, a taller man than I will take cold. Curtis. Enter Curtis. Curt. Who is that calls so coldly? Holla, ho! Gru. A piece of ice: if thou doubt it, thou mayst slide from shoulder to my heel with no greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis. my Curt. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio? Gru. O, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire; cast on no Curt. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported ? [water. Gru. She was, good Curtis, before this frost: but, thou knowest, winter tames man, woman, and beast; for it hath tamed my old master, and my new mistress, and myself, fellow Curtis. Curt. Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast. Gru. Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a foot; and so long am I at the least. But wilt thou make a fire, or shall I complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand, she being now at hand, thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office? Curt. I prithee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes the world? Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and therefore fire do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my master and mistress are almost frozen to death. [news. Curt. There's fire ready; and therefore, good Grumio, the Gru. Why, 'Jack, boy! ho! boy!' and as much news as thou Curt. Come, you are so full of cony-catching! [wilt. Gru. Why, therefore fire; for I have caught extreme cold. Where's the cook? is supper ready, the house trimmed, rushes strewed, cobwebs swept ; the serving-men in their new fustian, their white stockings, and every officer his wedding-garment on? Be the jacks fair within, the jills fair without, the carpets laid, and everything in order? Curt. All ready; and therefore, I pray thee, news. Gru. First, know, my horse is tired; my master and mistress fallen out. Curt. How? Gru. Out of their saddles into the dirt; and thereby hangs a Curt. Let's ha't, good Grumio. Gru. Lend thine ear." Curt. Here. Gru. There. Curt. This is to feel a tale, nor to hear a tale. [tale. [Strikes him. Gru. And therefore 'tis called a sensible tale: and this cuff was but to knock at your ear, and beseech listening. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress,~ Curt. Both of one horse? Gru. What 's that to thee? Curt. Why, a horse. Gru. Tell thou the tale; but hadst thou not crossed me, thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell and she under her horse; thou shouldst have heard in how miry a place, how she was bemoiled, how he left her with the horse upon her, how he beat me because her horse stumbled, how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me, how he swore, how she prayed, that never prayed before, how I cried, how the horses ran away, how her bridle was burst, how I lost my crupper, with many things of worthy memory, which now shall die in oblivion and thou return unexperienced to thy grave. Curt. By this reckoning he is more shrew than she. Gru. Ay; and that thou and the proudest of you all shall find when he comes home. But what talk I of this? Call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugarsop and the rest let their heads be sleekly combed, their blue coats brushed, and their garters of an indifferent knit: let them curtsy with their left legs, and not presume to touch a hair of my master's horse-tail till they kiss their hands. Are they all ready? Curt. They are. Gru. Call them forth. Curt. Do you hear, ho? you must meet my master to countenance my mistress! Gru. Why, she hath a face of her own. Curt. Who knows not that? Gru. Thou, it seems, that calls for company to countenance her. Curt. I call them forth to credit her. Gru. Why, she comes to borrow nothing of them. Enter four or five serving-men." Nath. Welcome home, Grumio! Phil. How now, Grumio! Jos. What, Grumio! Nich. Fellow Grumio! Nath. How now, old lad? i. Gru. Welcome, you;-how now, you;-what, you;-fellow, you; and thus much for greeting. Now, my spruce companions, is all ready, and all things neat? Nath. All things is ready. How near is our master? Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be notCock's passion, silence! I hear my master. Enter Petruchio and Katharina. Pet. Where be these knaves? What, no man at door Pet. Here, sir! here, sir! here, sir! here, sir! Pet. You peasant swain! you whoreson malt-horse drudge! And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i' the heel; And Walter's dagger was not come from sheathing : Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you. Pet. Go, rascals, go, and fetch my supper in. [Exeunt Servants. [Singing] Where is the life that late I led Where are those-Sit down, Kate, and welcome.- Re-enter Servants with supper. Why, when, I say? Nay, good sweet Kate, be merry. [Sings] It was the friar of orders grey, As he forth walked on his way :— Out, you rogue ! you pluck my foot awry : Take that, and mend the plucking off the other. [Strikes him. Be merry, Kate. Some water, here; what, ho! Where's my spaniel Troilus? Sirrah, get you hence, And bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither: One, Kate, that you must kiss, and be acquainted with. Enter one with water. Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily. You whoreson villain! will you let it fall! [Strikes him. Come, Kate, sit down; I know you have a stomach. What dogs are these! where is the rascal cook? There, take it to you, trenches, cups, and all : [Throws the meat, &c. about the stage. The meat was well, if you were so contented. Nath. Peter, didst ever see the like? Gru. Where is he? Re-enter Curtis. [Exeunt. Curt. In her chamber, making a sermon of continency to her; Away, away! for he is coming hither. Re-enter Petruchio. Pet. Thus have I politicly begun my reign, [Exeunt. She eat no meat to-day, nor none shall eat; Last night she slept not, nor to-night she shall not; I'll find about the making of the bed; And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolster, That all is done in reverend care of her; And thus I'll curb her mad and headstrong humour. Now let him speak: 'tis charity to show. SCENE II Padua. Before Baptista's house. Enter Tranio and Hortensio. Tra. Is 't possible, friend Licio, that Mistress Bianca I tell you, sir, she bears me fair in hand. Luc. Now, mistress, profit you in what you read ? Bian. And may you prove, sir, master of your art! Hor. Mistake no more: I am not Licio, But one that scorn to live in this disguise, And since mine eyes are witness of her lightness, [Exit. |