LUCENTIO I read that I profess, the Art to Love.
BIANCA And may you prove, sir, master of your art!
LUCENTIO While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart!
HORTENSIO Quick proceeders, marry! Now, tell me, I pray,
You that durst swear at your mistress Bianca
Loved none in the world so well as Lucentio.
TRANIO O despiteful love! unconstant womankind!
I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful.
HORTENSIO Mistake no more: I am not Licio,
Nor a musician, as I seem to be;
But one that scorn to live in this disguise,
For such a one as leaves a gentleman,
And makes a god of such a cullion:
Know, sir, that I am call’d Hortensio.
TRANIO Signior Hortensio, I have often heard
Of your entire affection to Bianca;
And since mine eyes are witness of her lightness,
I will with you, if you be so contented,
Forswear Bianca and her love for ever.
HORTENSIO See, how they kiss and court! Signior Lucentio,
Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow
Never to woo her no more, but do forswear her,
As one unworthy all the former favours
That I have fondly flatter’d her withal.
TRANIO And here I take the unfeigned oath,
Never to marry with her though she would entreat:
Fie on her! see, how beastly she doth court him!
HORTENSIO Would all the world but he had quite forsworn!
For me, that I may surely keep mine oath,
I will be married to a wealthy widow,
Ere three days pass, which hath as long loved me
As I have loved this proud disdainful haggard.
And so farewell, Signior Lucentio.
Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks,
Shall win my love: and so I take my leave,
In resolution as I swore before.
Exit
TRANIO Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace
As ‘longeth to a lover’s blessed case!
Nay, I have ta’en you napping, gentle love,
And have forsworn you with Hortensio.
BIANCA Tranio, you jest: but have you both forsworn me?
TRANIO Mistress, we have.
LUCENTIO Then we are rid of Licio.
TRANIO I’ faith, he’ll have a lusty widow now,
That shall be wood and wedded in a day.
BIANCA God give him joy!
TRANIO Ay, and he’ll tame her.
BIANCA He says so, Tranio.
TRANIO Faith, he is gone unto the taming-school.
BIANCA The taming-school! what, is there such a place?
TRANIO Ay, mistress, and Petruchio is the master;
That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long,
To tame a shrew and charm her chattering tongue.
Enter BIONDELLO
BIONDELLO O master, master, I have watch’d so long
That I am dog-weary: but at last I spied
An ancient angel coming down the hill,
Will serve the turn.
TRANIO What is he, Biondello?
BIONDELLO Master, a mercatante, or a pedant,
I know not what; but format in apparel,
In gait and countenance surely like a father.
LUCENTIO And what of him, Tranio?
TRANIO If he be credulous and trust my tale,
I’ll make him glad to seem Vincentio,
And give assurance to Baptista Minola,
As if he were the right Vincentio
Take in your love, and then let me alone.
Exeunt LUCENTIO and BIANCA
Enter a Pedant
Pedant God save you, sir!
TRANIO And you, sir! you are welcome.
Travel you far on, or are you at the farthest?
Pedant Sir, at the farthest for a week or two:
But then up farther, and as for as Rome;
And so to Tripoli, if God lend me life.
TRANIO What countryman, I pray?
Pedant Of Mantua.
TRANIO Of Mantua, sir? marry, God forbid!
And come to Padua, careless of your life?
Pedant My life, sir! how, I pray? for that goes hard.
TRANIO ‘Tis death for any one in Mantua
To come to Padua. Know you not the cause?
Your ships are stay’d at Venice, and the duke,
For private quarrel ‘twixt your duke and him,
Hath publish’d and proclaim’d it openly:
‘Tis, marvel, but that you are but newly come,
You might have heard it else proclaim’d about.
Pedant Alas! sir, it is worse for me than so;
For I have bills for money by exchange
From Florence and must here deliver them.
TRANIO Well, sir, to do you courtesy,
This will I do, and this I will advise you:
First, tell me, have you ever been at Pisa?
Pedant Ay, sir, in Pisa have I often been,
Pisa renowned for grave citizens.
TRANIO Among them know you one Vincentio?
Pedant I know him not, but I have heard of him;
A merchant of incomparable wealth.
TRANIO He is my father, sir; and, sooth to say,
In countenance somewhat doth resemble you.
BIONDELLO [Aside] As much as an apple doth an oyster,
and all one.
TRANIO To save your life in this extremity,
This favour will I do you for his sake;
And think it not the worst of an 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.
Pedant O sir, I do; and will repute you ever
The patron of my life and liberty.
TRANIO 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 3
A room in PETRUCHIO’S house.
Enter KATHARINA and GRUMIO
GRUMIO No, no, forsooth; I dare not for my life.
KATHARINA The more my wrong, the more his spite appears:
What, did he marry me to famish me?
Beggars, that come unto my father’s door,
Upon entreaty have a present aims;
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 oath 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.
GRUMIO What say you to a neat’s foot?
KATHARINA ‘Tis passing good: I prithee let me have it.
GRUMIO I fear it is too choleric a meat.
How say you to a fat tripe finely broil’d?
KATHARINA I like it well: good Grumio, fetch it me.
GRUMIO I cannot tell; I fear ’tis choleric.
What say you to a piece of beef and mustard?
KATHARINA A dish that I do love to feed upon.
GRUMIO Ay, but the mustard is too hot a little.
KATHARINA Why then, the beef, and let the mustard rest.
GRUMIO Nay then, I will not: you shall have the mustard,
Or else you get no beef of Grumio.
KATHARINA Then both, or one, or any thing thou wilt.
GRUMIO Why then, the mustard without the beef.
KATHARINA Go, get thee gone, thou false deluding slave,
Beats him
That feed’st me with the very name of meat:
Sorrow on thee and all the pack of you,
That triumph thus upon my misery!
Go, get thee gone, I say.
Enter PETRUCHIO and HORTENSIO with meat
PETRUCHIO How fares my Kate? What, sweeting, all amort?
HORTENSIO Mistress, what cheer?
KATHARINA Faith, as cold as can be.
PETRUCHIO 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.
KATHARINA I pray you, let it stand.
PETRUCHIO The poorest service is repaid with thanks;
And so shall mine, before you touch the meat.
KATHARINA I thank you, sir.
HORTENSIO Signior Petruchio, fie! you are to blame.
Come, mistress Kate, I’ll bear you company.
PETRUCHIO [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,
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.
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