Taming of the Shrew

[Guru]

LUCENTIO


Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise.
If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore,
We could at once put us in readiness,
And take a lodging fit to entertain
Such friends as time in Padua shall beget.
But stay a while: what company is this?

 

[Guru]

TRANIO


Master, some show to welcome us to town.

Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and HORTENSIO. LUCENTIO and TRANIO stand by

 

[Guru]

BAPTISTA


Gentlemen, importune me no farther,
For how I firmly am resolved you know;
That is, not 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.

 

[Guru]

GREMIO


[Aside] To cart her rather: she's too rough for me.
There, There, Hortensio, will you any wife?

 

[Guru]

KATHARINA


I pray you, sir, is it your will
To make a stale of me amongst these mates?

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates for you,
Unless you were of gentler, milder mould.

 

[Guru]

KATHARINA


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.

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIA


From all such devils, good Lord deliver us!

 

[Guru]

GREMIO


And me too, good Lord!

 

[Guru]

TRANIO


Hush, master! here's some good pastime toward:
That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward.

 

[Guru]

LUCENTIO


But in the other's silence do I see
Maid's mild behavior and sobriety.
Peace, Tranio!

 

[Guru]

TRANIO


Well said, master; mum! and gaze your fill.

 

[Guru]

BAPTISTA


Gentlemen, that I may soon make good
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.

 

[Guru]

KATHARINA


A pretty peat! it is best
Put finger in the eye, an she knew why.

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


Sister, content you in my discontent.
Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe:
My books and instruments shall be my company,
On them to took and practise by myself.

 

[Guru]

LUCENTIO


Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva speak.

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


Signior Baptista, will you be so strange?
Sorry am I that our good will effects
Bianca's grief.

 

[Guru]

GREMIO


Why will you mew her up,
Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell,
And make her bear the penance of her tongue?

 

[Guru]

BAPTISTA


Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolved:
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

 

[Guru]

KATHARINA


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

 

[Guru]

GREMIO


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, and fast it fairly out: our cakes 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 father.

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


So will I, Signior Gremio: but a word, I pray.
Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brooked
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 Bianco's love, to
labour and effect one thing specially.

 

[Guru]

GREMIO


What's that, I pray?

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister.

 

[Guru]

GREMIO


A husband! a devil.