Gru. O this woodcock, what an ass it is! Hor. Grumio, mum! God save you, Signior 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 And other books, good ones, I warrant ye. Hor. 'Tis well; and I have met a gentleman 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; 161. woodcock, gull, simpleton. 181. indifferent, equally. 170 180 190 And I do hope good days and long to see. Gre. O sir, such a life, with such a wife, were But if you have a stomach, to 't i' God's name: But will you woo this wild-cat? Pet. Will I live? Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire? Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs. Gre. Hortensio, hark: For he fears none. This gentleman is happily arrived, My mind presumes, for his own good and ours. Gre. And so we will, provided that he win her. Enter TRANIO brave, and Biondello. Tra. Gentlemen, God save you. If I may be bold, 211. fear, frighten. ib. bugs, bogies, bugbears. 200 210 218. (Stage direction) brave, well dressed. Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way 220 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. Tra. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as 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. Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen, Baptista is a noble gentleman, To whom my father is not all unknown; 225. mean not her to -; Gremio apparently meant to add woo; but the text is probably incomplete, since the Eliza 230 bethans did not accompany hiatus in the sense with hiatus in the metre. She may more suitors have and me for one. Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words? 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 Hor. Sir, you say well and well you do conceive; 244. Leda's daughter, Helen. 266. stead us, avail us in this emergency. 273. gratify, reward. 274. beholding, obliged. 250 260 270 Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack in sign whereof, Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. be gone. Fellows, let's Hor. The motion 's good indeed and be it so, Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. [Exeunt. 280 ACT II. SCENE I. Padua. A room in BAPTISTA'S Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA. Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong To make a bondmaid and a slave of me; Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, Whom thou lovest best: see thou dissemble not. 276. contrive, wear away, spend; a non - Shakespearean sense of the word. 280. motion, proposal. ΙΟ 282. I shall be your ben venuto, I will secure you a welcome. 3. gawas, fineries. |