Curt. Away, you three-inch'd fool; I am no beast. Gru. (18) Am I but three inches? why, my horn is a foot, and fo long am I at the leaft. But wilt thou make a fire, or fhall I complain on thee to our mistress, whofe hand, the being now at hand, thou shalt foon feel to thy cold comfort, for being flow in thy hot office. Curt. I pr'ythee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes the world? Gru. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and therefore fire: Do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my mafter and mistress are almost frozen to death. Curt. There's fire ready; and therefore, good Grumio, the news. Gru. Why, Jack boy, ho boy, and as much news as thou wilt. Curt. Come, you are fo full of conycatching. Gru. Why, therefore, fire; for I have caught extream cald. Where's the cook? is fupper ready, the house trimm'd, rushes ftrew'd, cobwebs fwept, the fervingmen in their new fuftian, their white ftockings, and every officer his wedding garment on? be the Jacks fair within, the Fills fair without, carpets laid, and every thing in order? Curt. All ready: And therefore, I pray thee, what news? Gru. First, know, my horfe is tired, my master and miftrefs fall'n out. Curt. How? Gru. Out of their faddles into the dirt; and thereby hangs a tale. Curt. Let's ha't, good Grumio. Gru. Lend thine ear.. Curt. Here. Gru. There. [Strikes bim Curt. This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. (18) Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a foot, and fo long am I at the leaft.] This is faid by Grumio to Curtis. But, though all the copies agree in the reading, what Horn had Curtis? but Grumio rides poft before his mafter, and blows his Horn to give notice of his own coming home, and his master's approach, cuff cuff was but to knock at your ear, and befeech liftning. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my mafter riding behind my mistress. Curt. Both on one horse? Gru. What's that to thee? I Gru. Tell thou the tale.But hadit thou not croft me, thou should't have heard how her horte fell, and fhe under her horfe: Thou should't have heard in how. miry a place, how fhe was bemoil'd, how he left her with the horse upon her, how he beat me because her horfe ftumbled, how the waded through the dirt to pluck him off me; how he fwore, how the pray'd that never pray'd before; how I cry'd, how the horses ran away; how her bridle was burft, how I loft my crupper; with many things of worthy memory, which now fhall die in oblivion, and thou return unexperienc'd to thy grave. of Curt. By this reckoning he is more fhrew than fhe. Gru. Ay, and that thou and the proudest of you all fhall find, when he comes home. But what talk this? call forth Nathaniel, Jofeph, Nicholas, Philip, Walter, Sugerfop, and the reft: Let their heads be fleekly comb'd, their blue coats brufh'd, and their garters of an indifferent knit; let them curt'fy with their left legs, and not prefume to touch a hair of my master's horfe tail, 'till they kiss their hands. Are they all ready ? Curt. They are. Gru. Call them forth. Curt. Do you hear, ho? you must meet my mafter to countenance my miftrefs. Gru. Why, the hath a face of her own. Curt. Who knows not that? Gru. Thou, it feems, that call'ft for company to countenance her. Curt. I call them forth to credit her. Enter four or five Serving-men. Gru. Why, he comes to borrow nothing of them. Phil. How now, Grumio? Jof. What, Grumio!ess toy in doona cud 289 you Now, my Gru. Welcome, you; how now, you; what, you; fellow, you; and thus much for fprùce companions, is all ready, and all things neat? Nar. All things are ready; how near is our mafter? Gru. E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be not cock's paffion, filence!I hear my mafter. Enter Petruchio and Kate. Pet. Where be thefe knaves? what, no man at door. to hold my stirrup, nor to take my horfe? where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Philip? All Serv. Here, here, Sir; here, Sir. Pet. Here, Sir, here, Sir, here, Sir, here, Sir? [drudge, Gru. Here, Sir, as foolish as I was before. And Walter's dagger was not come from sheathing: Yet as they are, here are they come to meet you. Where is the life that late I led ? Where are those-fit down, Kate, [Exeunt Servants. [Singing. Enter Servants with Supper. Why, when; I fay? nay, good fweet Kate, be merry., Off with my boots, you rogue: you villains, when? It' Out, out, you rogue! you pluck my foot awry. [Sings. Take that, and mind the plucking off the other. [Strikes him. Where's my fpaniel Troilus? firrah, get you hence, One, Kate, that you must kifs, and be acquainted with. Cath. Patience, I pray you, 'twas a fault unwilling. Pet. A whorefon, beatle-headed, flap-ear'd knave: Come, Kate, fit down; I know, you have a ftomach. Will you give thanks, fweet Kate, or elfe fhall I What's this, mutton? 1 Ser. Yes. Pet. Who brought it? Ser. I. Pet. 'Tis burnt, and fo is all the meat: [Throws the meat, &c. about the ftage, [Exe. Enter Enter Servants feverally. Nath. Peter, didft ever fee the like? Peter. He kills her in her own humour. Enter Curtis, a Servant. Curt. In her chamber, making a fermon of continency to her, And rails and fwears, and rates; that the, poor foul, Enter Petruchio. Pet. Thus have I politickly begun my reign, To make her come, and know her keeper's call: [Exeunt, And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolter, [Exit. SCENE |