Tra. Hufh, mafter, here's fome good pastime] toward; That wench is stark mad, or wonderful fro ward. Luc. But in the other's filence I do fee Maid's mild behaviour and fobriety. Peace, Tranio, Tra. Well faid, Mafter; mum! and gaze your fill. Bap. Gentlemen, that I may foon make good And let it not displease thee, good Bianca; Afide. Cath. A pretty peat! it is beft put finger in the eye, an fhe knew why. : Bian. Sifter, content you in my difcontent, Luc. Hark, Tranio, thou may'st hear Minerva speak. [Afide. Hor. Signior Baptifta, will you be so strange! Sorry am I, that our good will effects Bianca's grief. Gre. Why will you mew her up, Signior Baptifta, for this fiend of hell, And make her bear the penance of her tongue! Go in, Bianca. [Exit Bianca. To mine own children, in good bringing up; [Exit. Cath. Why, and, I trust, I may go too, may I not? What, fhall I be appointed hours, as tho', belike, I 30 knew not what to take, and what to leave? ha! 3 SCENE III. [Exit. Gre. You may go to the devil's dam; your gifts are fo good, here is none will hold you. Our love is not fo great, Hortenfio, but we may blow our nails together, and faft it fairly out. Our cake's dow on both fides. Farewel; yet for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man to teach her that wherein the delights, I will with him to her father. Hor. So will I, Signior Gremio. But a word, I pray; tho' the nature of our quarrel never yet brook'd parle, know now, upon advice, it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labour and effect one thing "fpecially. Gre. What's that, I pray? Hor. Marry, Sir, to get a husband for her fifter. Hor. I fay, a husband. Gre. I fay, a devil. Think'ft thou, Hortenfio, tho' her father be very rich, any man is fo very a fool to be married to hell? Hor. Tufh, Gremio; tho' it pafs your patience and mine to endure her loud alarms, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on them, would take her with all her faults, and money enough. Gre. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition, to be whipp'd at the high-crofs every morning. Hor. 'Faith, as you fay, there's a fmall choice in rotten apples. But, come, fince this bar in law makes us friends, it fhall be fo far forth friendly maintain'd, till by helping Baptifta's eldest daughter to a husband, we fet his youngeft free for a husband, and then have to't afresh. Sweet Bianca! happy man be his dole! he that runs fastest gets the ring; how fay you, Signior Gremio ? Gre. I am agreed; and would I had given him the beft best horfe in Padua to begin his wooing, that would throughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the houfe of her. Come on. SCENE IV. [Exeunt Gremio and Hortenfio. Manent Tranio and Lucentio. Tra. I pray, Sir, tell me, is it possible Tra. Mafter, it is no time to chide you now; If love hath toil'd you, nought remains but fo, Luc. Gramercy, lad; go forward, this contents; The reft will comfort, for thy counfel's found. Tra. Mafter, you look'd fo longly on the maid, Perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all. Luc. O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face; That made great Jove to humble him to her hand, Began to fcold, and raise up fuch a ftorm, Tra. Nay, then 'tis time to stir him from his trance: I pray, awake, Sir; if you love the maid, Bend thoughts and wit t'atchieve her. Thus it ftands: Her eldeft fifter is fo curs'd and fhrewd, That That till the father rids his hands of her, Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father's he! But art thou not advis'd, he took fome care To get her cunning fchoolmafters to inftru&t her? Tra. Ay, marry, am I, Sir; and now 'tis plotted. Luc. I have it, Tranio. Tra. Mafter, for my hand, Both our inventions meet and jump in one. Tra. You will be fchoolmafter, And undertake the teaching of the maid: That's your device. Luc. It is may it be done? Tra. Not poffible: for who fhall bear your part, And be in Padua here Vincentio's fon, Keep houfe, and ply his book, welcome his friends, Vifit his countrymen, and banquet them? } Luc. Bafta;-content thee; for I have it full. We have not yet been seen in any houfe, Nor can we be diftinguith'd by our faces,. For man or mafter: then it follows thus. Thou shalt be mafter, Tranio, in my ftead Keep houfe, and port, and fervants, as I fhould. I will fome other be, fome Florentine, Some Neapolitan, or meaner inan of Pifa. 'Tis hatch'd, and fhall be fo: Tranio, at once Uncafe thee: take my colour'd hat and cloak. When Biondello comes, he waits on thee; But I will charm him firft to keep his tongue. Tra. So had you need. [They exchange habits. In brief, good Sir, fith it your pleasure is, And I am ty'd to be obedient, (For fo your father charge'd me at our parting; Be ferviceable to my fon, quoth he), Altho', I think, 'twas in another fenfe; I am content to be Lucentio, Because fo well I love Lucentio. Luc. Tranio, be fo; becaufe Lucentio loves; Cc 2 And And let me be a flave t'atchieve that maid, Enter Biondello. Here comes the rogue. Sirrah, where have you been? Bion. Ay, Sir, ne'er à whit. Luc. And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth; Bion. The better for him: would I were fo too. Tra. So would I, 'faith, boy, to have the next with after; that Lucentio indeed had Baptifta's youngest daughter. But, firrah, not for my fake, but your mafter's, I advise you, ufe your manners difcreetly in all kind of companies: when I am alone, why, then I am Tranio; but in all places elfe, your mafter Lucentio. Luc. Tranio, let's go one thing more refts, that thyfelf execute, to make one among these wooers; if thou afk me why, fufficeth my reafons are both good and weighty. [Exeunt. Enter Petruchio, and Grumio. Pet. Verona, for a while I take my leave, Hortenfio; |