I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife With wealth enough, and young, and beauteous ; Her only fault (and that is faults enough) Is, that she is intolerably curst, And shrewd, and froward; so beyond all measure, I would not wed her for a mine of gold. Pet. Hortensio, peace; thou know'st not gold's effect. Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough; For I will board her, though she chide as loud As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack. Hor. Her father is Baptista Minola, An affable and courteous gentleman. Her name is Katharina Minola, Renowned in Padua for her scolding tongue. I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her; And therefore let me be thus bold with you, Gru. I pray you, sir, let him go while the humor lasts. O' my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she would think scolding would do little good upon him. She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves or so: why, that's nothing; an he begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks. I'll tell you what, sir,an she stand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat. You know him not, sir. Hor. Tarry, Petruchio; I must go with thee; For in Baptista's keep my treasure is. He hath the jewel of my life in hold, His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca; And her withholds from me, and other more. (For those defects I have before rehearsed,) A title for a maid, of all titles the worst. Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace; And offer me, disguised in sober robes, Enter GREMIO; with him LUCENTIO, disguised, with books under his arm. Gru. Here's no knavery! See, to beguile the old folks, now the young folks lay their heads together! Master, master, look about you. Who goes there? ha! Hor. Peace, Grumio: 'tis the rival of my love. Petruchio, stand by a while. Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous! [They retire. Gre. O, very well; I have perused the note. And see you read no other lectures to her: Seignior Baptista's liberality, I'll mend it with a largess. Take your papers too, For she is sweeter than perfume itself, To whom they go. What will you read to her? As for my patron, (stand you so assured,) Hor. Grumio, mum!-God save you, seignior Gremio! Gre. And you're well met, seignior Hortensio. Trow you Whither I am going?-To Baptista Minola. I promised to inquire carefully About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca; And, by good fortune, I have lighted well On this young man; for learning and behavior, Fit for her turn; well read in poetry And other books, good ones, I warrant you. Hath promised me to help me to another, deeds shall prove. [Aside. So shall I no whit be behind in duty Hortensio, have you told him all her faults? Gre. No! Say'st me so, friend? What countryman? My father dead, my fortune lives for me; And I do hope good days, and long, to see. Gre. O sir, such a life, with such a wife, were strange: But, if you have a stomach, to't, o' God's name; You shall have me assisting you in all. But will you woo this wild cat? Pet. Will I live? Gru. Will he woo her? Ay, or I'll hang her. [Aside. Think you a little din can daunt mine ears? Have I not heard the sea, puffed up with winds, Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs. Gru. Gre. Hortensio, hark! For he fears none. [Aside. This gentleman is happily arrived, My mind presumes, for his own good, and yours. And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er. [Aside. 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? Tra. An if I be, sir, is it any offence? [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. Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter? Tra. No, sir; but hear I do that he hath two; Pet. Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by. Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, in sooth ;- Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man For our access,-whose hap shall be to have her, 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, And quaff carouses to our mistress' health; 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. A Room in Baptista's House. Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA. 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 |