Tra. Among them know you one Vincentio? Ped. I know him not, but I have heard of him; A merchant of incomparable wealth.

Tra. He is my father, sir; and, sooth to say,
In countenance somewhat doth resemble you.
Bion. [Aside] As much as an apple doth an
oyster, and all one.

Tra. To save your life in this extremity,
This favour will I do you for his sake;
And think it not the worst of all your fortunes
That you are like to Sir Vincentio.

His name and credit shall you undertake,
And in my house you shall be friendly lodged:
Look that you take upon you as you should;
You understand me, sir: so shall you stay
Till you have done your business in the city:
If this be courtesy, sir, accept of it.

Ped. O sir, I do; and will repute you ever
The patron of my life and liberty.

Tra. Then go with me to make the matter good.
This, by the way, I let you understand;
My father is here look'd for every day,
To pass assurance of a dower in marriage
'Twixt me and one Baptista's daughter here:
In all these circumstances I'll instruct you:
Go with me to clothe you as becomes you.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. A room in PETRUCHIO's house.

Enter KATHARINA and GRUMIO.

Gru. No, no, forsooth; I dare not for my life. Kath. The more my wrong, the more his spite appears:

IOI. all one, it makes no difference.

What, did he marry me to famish me?
Beggars, that come unto my father's door,
Upon entreaty have a present alms;
If not, elsewhere they meet with charity:
But I, who never knew how to entreat,
Nor never needed that I should entreat,
Am starved for meat, giddy for lack of sleep,
With oaths kept waking, and with brawling fed:
And that which spites me more than all these wants,
He does it under name of perfect love;

As who should say, if I should sleep or eat,
'Twere deadly sickness or else present death.
I prithee go and get me some repast;
I care not what, so it be wholesome food.
Gru. What say you to a neat's foot?

Kath. 'Tis passing good: I prithee let me have it.

Gru. I fear it is too choleric a meat.

How say you to a fat tripe finely broil'd?

Kath. I like it well: good Grumio, fetch it me. Gru. I cannot tell; I fear 'tis choleric. What say you to a piece of beef and mustard? Kath. A dish that I do love to feed upon. Gru. Ay, but the mustard is too hot a little. Kath. Why then, the beef, and let the mustard

rest.

Gru. Nay then, I will not: you shall have the mustard,

Or else you get no beef of Grumio.

Kath. Then both, or one, or any thing thou wilt. Gru. Why then, the mustard without the beef. Kath. Go, get thee gone, thou false deluding [Beats him. That feed'st me with the very name of meat :

slave,

5. present, immediate.

13. as who should say, as much as to say.

ΤΟ

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30

Sorrow on thee and all the pack of you,
That triumph thus upon my misery!

Go, get thee gone, I say.

Pet. Pluck up thy spirits; look cheerfully upon

me.

Here, love; thou see'st how diligent I am

To dress thy meat myself and bring it thee:

I am sure, sweet Kate, this kindness merits thanks.
What, not a word? Nay, then thou lovest it not;
And all my pains is sorted to no proof.
Here, take away this dish.

Kath.

I pray you, let it stand. Pet. The poorest service is repaid with thanks; And so shall mine, before you touch the meat. Kath. I thank you, sir.

Hor. Signior Petruchio, fie! you are to blame. Come, Mistress Kate, I'll bear you company. Pet. [Aside] Eat it up all, Hortensio, if thou

lovest me.

Much good do it unto thy gentle heart!
Kate, eat apace: and now, my honey love,
Will we return unto thy father's house,
And revel it as bravely as the best,

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50

With silken coats and caps and golden rings, With ruffs and cuffs and fardingales and things; With scarfs and fans and double change of bravery, With amber bracelets, beads and all this knavery. 36. amort, dejected. 56. fardingales, farthingales, 43. sorted to no proof, fruit- hoops supporting the skirt. lessly bestowed.

What, hast thou dined? The tailor stays thy

leisure,

To deck thy body with his ruffling treasure.

Enter Tailor.

Come, tailor, let us see these ornaments;

Lay forth the gown.

Enter Haberdasher.

What news with you, sir?

Hab. Here is the cap your worship did bespeak.
Pet. Why, this was moulded on a porringer;
A velvet dish fie, fie! 'tis lewd and filthy:
Why, 'tis a cockle or a walnut-shell,

A knack, a toy, a trick, a baby's cap:
Away with it! come, let me have a bigger.

Kath. I'll have no bigger: this doth fit the time,
And gentlewomen wear such caps as these.

Pet. When you are gentle, you shall have one too,
And not till then.
Hor. [Aside]

That will not be in haste.

Kath. Why, sir, I trust I may have leave to
speak;

And speak I will; I am no child, no babe:
Your betters have endured me say my mind,
And if you cannot, best you stop your ears.
My tongue will tell the anger of my heart,
Or else my heart concealing it will break,
And rather than it shall, I will be free
Even to the uttermost, as I please, in words.
Pet. Why, thou say'st true; it is a paltry cap,

60. ruffling, rustling, with a suggestion of ostentatious display. Drayton, in the Battle of Agincourt speaks of 'ruffling banners which do brave the sky."

65. A velvet dish; the term

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80

was colloquially used for a flat velvet cap worn by ladies; cf. Jonson's Bartholomew Fair, i. 1, where such a cap is called 'a velvet head,' and then contemptuously a 'velvet custard.'

A custard-coffin, a bauble, a silken pie:
I love thee well, in that thou likest it not.
Kath. Love me or love me not, I like the cap;
And it I will have, or I will have none.

[Exit Haberdasher.

Pet. Thy gown? why, ay: come, tailor, let us
see 't.

O mercy, God! what masquing 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, i' devil's name, tailor, call'st thou this?
Hor. [Aside] I see she's like to have neither cap

nor gown.

Tai. You bid me make it orderly and well, According to the fashion and the time.

Pet. Marry, and did; but if you be remember'd,

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:
I'll none of it: hence make your best of it.
Kath. I never saw a better-fashion'd gown,
More quaint, more pleasing, nor more commend-
able:

Belike you mean to make a puppet of me.

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!

thread, thou thimble,

Thou liest, thou

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100

perfumes were burnt to sweeten the air.

98. kennel, gutter.

102. quaint, finely designed.