The Taming of the Shrew | Page 7

you most affect.
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 awhile; what company is this?
TRANIO. Master, some show to welcome us to town.
[Enter BAPTISTA, KATHERINA, BIANCA, GREMIO,and
HORTENSIO. LUCENTIO and TRANIO stand aside.]
BAPTISTA. Gentlemen, importune me no further, 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 Katherina,
Because I know you well and love you well, Leave shall you have to
court her at your pleasure.
GREMIO. To cart her rather: she's too rough for me. There, there,
Hortensio, will you any wife?
KATHERINA. [To BAPTISTA] I pray you, sir, is it your will To make
a stale of me amongst these mates?
HORTENSIO. Mates, maid! How mean you that? No mates for you,
Unless you were of gentler, milder mould.
KATHERINA. I' faith, sir, you shall never need to fear; I wis it is not
halfway 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.
HORTENSIO. From all such devils, good Lord deliver us!
GREMIO. And me, too, good Lord!
TRANIO. Husht, master! Here's some good pastime toward: That
wench is stark mad or wonderful froward.
LUCENTIO. But in the other's silence do I see Maid's mild behaviour
and sobriety. Peace, Tranio!
TRANIO. Well said, master; mum! and gaze your fill.
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.
KATHERINA. A pretty peat! it is best Put finger in the eye, an she
knew why.
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 look, and practise by myself.
LUCENTIO. Hark, Tranio! thou mayst hear Minerva speak.
HORTENSIO. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange? Sorry am I that
our good will effects Bianca's grief.
GREMIO. Why will you mew her up, Signior Baptista, for this fiend of
hell, And make her bear the penance of her tongue?
BAPTISTA. 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. Katherina,
you may stay; For I have more to commune with Bianca.
[Exit.]
KATHERINA. 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.]
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 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 father.
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 Bianca's love,--to labour and effect
one thing specially.
GREMIO. What's that, I pray?
HORTENSIO. Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister.
GREMIO. A husband! a devil.
HORTENSIO. I say, a husband.
GREMIO. I say, a devil. Thinkest thou, Hortensio, though her fatherbe
very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to hell?
HORTENSIO. 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.
GREMIO. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry with this
condition: to be whipp'd at the high cross every morning.
HORTENSIO. 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