I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her;
And therefore let me be thus bold with you
To give you over at this first encounter,
Unless you will accompany me thither.

Gru. I pray you, sir, let him go while the humour 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 110 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,
Suitors to her and rivals in my love,

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Supposing it a thing impossible,

For those defects I have before rehearsed,
That ever Katharina will be woo'd;
Therefore this order hath Baptista ta'en,
That none shall have access unto Bianca

Till Katharine the curst have got a husband.

Gru. Katharine the curst!

A title for a maid of all titles the worst.

Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace,

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And offer me disguised in sober robes
To old Baptista as a schoolmaster
Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca;
That so I may, by this device, at least
Have leave and leisure to make love to her,
And unsuspected court her by herself.

Gru. Here's no knavery! See, to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together!

Enter GREMIO, and LUCENTIO disguised. Master, master, look about you: who goes there, ha?

Hor. Peace, Grumio! it is the rival of my love. Petruchio, stand by a while.

Gru. A proper stripling and an amorous!

Gre. O, very well; I have perused the note. Hark you, sir; I'll have them very fairly bound:

All books of love, see that at any hand;

And see you read no other lectures to her :

You understand me: over and beside

Signior Baptista's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largess. Take your paper too,

And let me have them very well perfumed:

For she is sweeter than perfume itself

To whom they go to. What will you read to her? Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you

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150

As for my patron, stand you so assured,

As firmly as yourself were still in place:
Yea, and perhaps with more successful words

Than you, unless you were a scholar, sir.

Gre. O this learning, what a thing it is!

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Gru. O this woodcock, what an ass it is!
Pet. Peace, sirrah!

Hor. Grumio, mum! God save you, Signior
Gremio.

Gre. And you are well met, Signior Hortensio. Trow you whither I am going? To Baptista Minola I promised to inquire carefully

About a schoolmaster for the fair Bianca:

And by good fortune I have lighted well

On this young man, for learning and behaviour

Fit for her turn, well read in poetry

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And other books, good ones, I warrant ye.

Hor. 'Tis well; and I have met a gentleman

Hath promised me to help me to another,
A fine musician to instruct our mistress;

So shall I no whit be behind in duty

To fair Bianca, so beloved of me.

Gre. Beloved of me; and that my deeds shall

prove.

Gru. And that his bags shall prove.

Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love :

Listen to me, and if you speak me fair,
I'll tell you news indifferent good for either.
Here is a gentleman whom by chance I met,
Upon agreement from us to his liking,
Will undertake to woo curst Katharine,

Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please

Gre. So said, so done, is well.

Hortensio, have you told him all her faults?
Pet. I know she is an irksome brawling scold :
If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What country-
man?

Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son :

My father dead, my fortune lives for me;

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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 i' 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. Pet. Why came I hither but to that intent? Think you a little din can daunt mine ears? Have I not in my time heard lions roar? Have I not heard the sea puff'd up with winds Rage like an angry boar chafed with sweat? Have I not heard great ordnance in the field, And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies? Have I not in a pitched battle heard Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang?

And do you tell me of a woman's tongue,

That gives not half so great a blow to hear

As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire?

Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs.
Gru.

Gre. Hortensio, hark :

For he fears none.

This gentleman is happily arrived,

My mind presumes, for his own good and ours.

Hor. I promised we would be contributors

And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er.

Gre. And so we will, provided that he win her.

Gru. I would I were as sure of a good dinner.

Enter TRANIO brave, and BIONDELLO.

Tra. Gentlemen, God save you. If I may be bold,

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210

Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way
To the house of Signior Baptista Minola?

Bion. He that has the two fair daughters: is 't 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?

Pet. Not her that chides, sir, at any hand, I
pray.

Tra. I love no chiders, sir. Biondello, let s
away.

Luc. Well begun, Tranio.
Hor.

Sir, a word ere you go;

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Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea or no? 230

Tra. And if I be, sir, is it any offence?

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 Signior Gremio.

Hor. That she's the chosen of Signior Hor-
tensio.

Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen,
Do me this right; hear me with patience.
Baptista is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown;
And were his daughter fairer than she is,

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