Hor. Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee, And very rich :-but thou'rt too much my friend, Pet. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as we, I come to wive it wealthily in Padua ; Gru. Nay, look you, sir, he tells you flatly what his mind is: Why, give him gold enough, and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet-baby;7 or an old trot, with ne'er a tooth in her head, though she have as many diseases as two and fifty horses: why, nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal. Hor. Petruchio, since we have stepp'd thus far in, I will continue that I broach'd in jest. I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife With wealth enough, and young, and beauteous; Is, that she is intolerably curst, And shrewd, and froward; so beyond all measure, I would not wed her for a mine of gold. Pet. Hortensio, peace; thou know'st not gold's effect: -Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough; For I will board her, though she chide as loud As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack. Hor. Her father is Baptista Minola, [6] The allusion is to a story told by Gower in the first Book De Confes sione Amantis. Florent is the name of a knight who had bound himself to marry a deformed hag, provided she taught him the solution of a riddle on which his life depended. STEEV. [7] i.e. a diminutive being,not exceeding in size the tag of a point. STEE. An affable and courteous gentleman: Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue. Pet. I know her father, though I know not her; Gru. I pray you, sir, let him go while the humour lasts. O' my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she would think scolding would do little good upon him: She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves, or so : why, that's nothing; and he begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks, I'll tell you what, sir,-an she stand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat:9 You know him not, sir. Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee; For in Baptista's keep my treasure is: He hath the jewel of my life in hold, His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca; And her withholds from me, and other more (For those defects I have before rehears'd,) Therefore this order hath Baptista taʼen ;— A title for a maid, of all titles the worst. Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace: And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes, To old Baptista as a schoolmaster Well seen in music, 2 to instruct Bianca: [8] Ropery or rope-tricks originally signified abusive language, without any determinate idea; such language as parrots are taught to speak. So, in Hudibrass: "Could tell what subt'lest parrots mean, MAL: [9] It may mean, that he shall swell up her eyes with blows, till she shall seem to peep with a contracted pupil like a cat in the light. JOHNS. [1] Keep is custody. The strongest part of an ancient castle was called the keep. [2] Seen is versed, practised. STEEV. STEEV. That so I may by this device, at least, Enter GREMIO; with him LUCENTIO disguised, with books under his arm. Gru. Here's no knavery! See; to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together!Master, Master, look about you:-Who goes there? ha! Hor. Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my love: -Petruchio, stand by a while. Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous! [They retire. Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note. And see, you read no other lectures to her: Signior Baptista's liberality, I'll mend it with a largess:-Take your papers too, For she is sweeter than perfume itself, To whom they go. What will you read to her? Hor. Grumio, mum!-God save you, signior Gremio! Gre. And you're well met, signior Hortensio. Trow you, Whither I am going?-To Baptista Minola. I promis❜d to inquire carefully About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca : And, by good fortune, I have lighted well On this young man ; for learning, and behaviour, Fit for her turn; well read in poetry, And other books,-good ones, I warrant you. Hor. 'Tis well and I have met a gentleman, Hath promis'd me to help me to another, Gre. Belov'd of me,-and that my deeds shall prove. Gru. And that his bags shall prove. [Aside. 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 countryman ? Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son: My father dead, my fortune lives for me; And I do hope good days, and long, to see. Gre. O, sir, such a life, with such a wife, were strange: But, if you have a stomach, to't, o' God's name; You shall have me assisting you in all. But will you woo this wild cat? Pet. Will I live? Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. [Aside. Think you, a little din can daunt mine ears? Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? That gives not half so great a blow to the ear, Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs.4 Gru. For he fears none. Gre. Hortensio, hark! This gentleman is happily arriv'd, My mind presumes, for his own good, and yours. [Aside. [3] Probably the word clangs here used adjectively, as in the Paradise Lost, b. xi. ver. 834. and not as a verb. an island salt and bare, The haunt of seals and orcs, and sea-mews clang." T. WARTON. [4] i. e. with bug-bears. STEEV. Hor. I promis'd, we would be contributors, Gre. And so we will; provided, that he win her. [Asi. Enter TRANIO, bravely apparell'd; and BIONDELlo. Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! if I may be bold, Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way To the house of signior Baptista Minola? Gre. He that has the two fair daughters :-is't he you mean? [Aside to TRANIO. 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. Hor. Sir, a word ere you go ; [Aside. Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea, or no? Gre. No; if, without more words, you will get you hence. Tra. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free 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. To whom my father is not all unknown; Gre. What this gentleman will out talk us all. Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter? |