Tranio stand aside.
Bap.
Gentlemen, importune me no farther,
For how I firmly am resolv'd you know;
That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter,
Before I have a husband for the elder.
If either of you both love Katharina,
Because I know you well, and love you well,
Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.
Gre.
To cart her rather: she's too rough for me.—
There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife?
Kath. [To Bap.]
I pray you, sir, is it your will
To make a stale of me amongst these mates?
Hor.
Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates for you,
Unless you were of gentler, milder mould. 11Q0371
Kath.
I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear:
I wis, it is not half way to her heart;
But, if it were, doubt not her care should be
To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool,
And paint your face, and use you like a fool.
Hor.
From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us!
Gre.
And me too, good Lord!
Tra.
Hush, master! here is some good pastime toward:
That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward.
Luc.
But in the other's silence do I see
Maids' mild behaviour, and sobriety.
Peace, Tranio!
Tra.
Well said, master: mum! and gaze your fill.
Bap.
Gentlemen, that I may soon make good
-- 121 --
What I have said,—Bianca, get you in:
And let it not displease thee, good Bianca,
For I will love thee ne'er the less, my girl.
Kath.
A pretty peat3 note! it is best
Put finger in the eye,—an she knew why.
Bian.
Sister, content you in my discontent.—
Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe:
My books, and instruments, shall be my company,
On them to look, and practise by myself.
Luc.
Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva speak.
Hor.
Signior Baptista, will you be so strange?
Sorry am I, that our good will effects
Bianca's grief.
Gre.
Why, will you mew her up,
Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell,
And make her bear the penance of her tongue?
Bap.
Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolv'd.—
Go in, Bianca.
[Exit Bianca.
And for I know, she taketh most delight
In music, instruments, and poetry,
Schoolmasters will I keep within my house,
Fit to instruct her youth.—If you, Hortensio,
Or signior Gremio, you, know any such,
Prefer them hither; for to cunning men
I will be very kind, and liberal
To mine own children in good bringing-up;
And so farewell. Katharina, you may stay,
For I have more to commune with Bianca.
[Exit.
Kath.
Why, and I trust, I may go too; may I not?
What! shall I be appointed hours, as though, belike,
I knew not what to take, and what to leave? Ha!
[Exit.
Gre.
You may go to the devil's dam: your gifts are
so good, here's none will hold you. Their love is not
so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together,
-- 122 --
and fast it fairly out: our cake's dough on both
sides. Farewell:—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 she delights, I will wish him to
her father4 note.
Hor.
So will I, signior Gremio: but a word, I pray.
Though the nature of our quarrel yet never 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 'specially5 note.
Gre.
What's that, I pray?
Hor.
Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister.
Gre.
A husband! a devil.
Hor.
I say, a husband.
Gre.
I say, a devil. Think'st thou, Hortensio, though
her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be
married to hell?
Hor.
Tush, Gremio! though it pass your patience,
and mine, to endure her loud alarums, why, man, there
be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on
them, would take her with all faults, and money
enough.
Gre.
I cannot tell, but I had as lief take her dowry
with this condition,—to be whipped at the high-cross
every morning.
Hor.
'Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten
apples. But, come; since this bar in law makes us
friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintained,
till by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband,
we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have
-- 123 --
to't afresh.—Sweet Bianca!—Happy man be his dole6 note!
He that runs fastest gets the ring7 note. How say you,
signior Gremio?
Gre.
I am agreed: and 'would I had given him the
best horse in Padua to begin his wooing, that would
thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the
house of her. Come on.
[Exeunt Gremio and Hortensio.
Tra. [Advancing.]
I pray, sir, tell me, is it possible
That love should of a sudden take such hold?
Luc.
O, Tranio! till I found it to be true,
I never thought it possible, or likely;
But see! while idly I stood looking on,
I found the effect of love in idleness;
And now in plainness do confess to thee,—
That art to me as secret, and as dear,
As Anna to the Queen of Carthage was,—
Tranio, I burn, I pine; I perish, Tranio,
If I achieve not this young modest girl.
Counsel me, Tranio, for I know thou canst:
Assist me, Tranio, for I know thou wilt.
Tra.
Master, it is no time to chide you now;
Affection is not rated from the heart:
If love have touch'd you, nought remains but so,—
Redime te captum8 note, quam queas minimo.
Luc.
Gramercies, lad; go forward: this contents;
The rest will comfort, for thy counsel's sound.
Tra.
Master, you look'd so longly on the maid9 note,
Perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all.
Luc.
O! yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face,
-- 124 --
Such as the daughter of Agenor had,
That made great Jove to humble him to her hand,
When with his knees he kiss'd the Cretan strand. 11Q0372
Tra.
Saw you no more? mark'd you not, how her sister
Began to scold, and raise up such a storm,
That mortal ears might hardly endure the din?
Luc.
Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move,
And with her breath she did perfume the air:
Sacred, and sweet, was all I saw in her.
Tra.
Nay, then, 'tis time to stir him from his trance.—
I pray, awake, sir: if you love the maid,
Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it stands:
Her elder sister is so curst and shrewd,
That, till the father rid his hands of her,
Master, your love must live a maid at home;
And therefore has he closely mew'd her up,
Because she will not be annoy'd with suitors1 note.
Luc.
Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father's he!
But art thou not advis'd, he took some care
To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her?
Tra.
Ay, marry, am I, sir; and now 'tis plotted.
Luc.
I have it, Tranio.
Tra.
Master, for my hand,
Both our inventions meet and jump in one.
Luc.
Tell me thine first.
Tra.
You will be schoolmaster,
And undertake the teaching of the maid:
That's your device.
Luc.
It is: may it be done?
Tra.
Not possible; for who shall bear your part,
-- 125 --
And be in Padua, here, Vincentio's son;
Keep house, and ply his book; welcome his friends;
Visit his countrymen, and banquet them?
Luc.
Basta2 note
; content thee; for I have it full.
We have not yet been seen in any house,
Nor can we be distinguished by our faces,
For man, or master: then, it follows thus;
Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead,
Keep house, and port, and servants, as I should.
I will some other be; some Florentine,
Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa.
'Tis hatch'd, and shall be so:—Tranio, at once
Uncase thee; take my colour'd hat and cloak:
When Biondello comes, he waits on thee,
But I will charm him first to keep his tongue.
Tra.
So had you need.
[They exchange habits.
In brief, sir, sith it your pleasure is 11Q03733 note,
And I am tied to be obedient;
(For so your father charg'd me at our parting;
“Be serviceable to my son,” quoth he,
Although, I think, 'twas in another sense,)
I am content to be Lucentio,
Because so well I love Lucentio.
Luc.
Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves,
And let me be a slave, t' achieve that maid
Whose sudden sight hath thrall'd my wounded eye.
Enter Biondello.
Here comes the rogue.—Sirrah, where have you been?
Bion.
Where have I been? Nay, how now? where are you?
-- 126 --
Master, has my fellow Tranio stol'n your clothes,
Or you stol'n his, or both? pray, what's the news?
Luc.
Sirrah, come hither: 'tis no time to jest,
And therefore frame your manners to the time.
Your fellow Tranio, here, to save my life,
Puts my apparel and my countenance on,
And I for my escape have put on his;
For in a quarrel, since I came ashore,
I kill'd a man, and fear I was descried.
Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes,
While I make way from hence to save my life.
You understand me?
Bion.
I, sir? ne'er a whit.
Luc.
And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth:
Tranio is chang'd into Lucentio.
Bion.
The better for him; 'would I were so too!
Tra.
So would I4 note, 'faith, boy, to have the next wish after,
That Lucentio, indeed, had Baptista's youngest daughter.
But, sirrah, not for my sake, but your master's, I advise
You use you manners note discreetly in all kind of companies:
When I am alone, why, then I am Tranio;
But in all places else, your master, Lucentio5 note.
Luc.
Tranio, let's go.—
One thing more rests, that thyself execute;
To make one among these wooers: if thou ask me why,
Sufficeth, my reasons are both good and weighty.
[Exeunt.
1 Serv.
My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play6 note.
-- 127 --
Sly.
Yes, by saint Anne, do I. A good matter,
surely: comes there any more of it?
Page.
My lord, 'tis but begun.
Sly.
'Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam
lady; would 'twere done!
J. Payne Collier [1842–1844], The works of William Shakespeare. The text formed from an entirely new collation of the old editions: with the various readings, notes, a life of the poet, and a history of the Early English stage. By J. Payne Collier, Esq. F.S.A. In eight volumes (Whittaker & Co. [etc.], London) [word count] [S10101].
