1 Serv. My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play. 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't were done! SCENE II.-The same. Before Hortensio's house. Enter PETRUCHIO and GRUMIO. Pet. Verona, for a while I take my leave, To see my friends in Padua; but, of all, My best beloved and approved friend, Hortensio; and, I trow, this is his house : Here, sirrah Grumio; knock, I say. Gru. Knock, sir! whom should I knock? is there any man has rebused your worship? Pet. Villain, I say, knock me here soundly. Gru. Knock you here, sir? why, sir, what am I, sir that I should knock you here, sir? Pet. Villain, I say, knock me at this gate, And rap me well, or I'll knock your knave's pate. Gru. My master is grown quarrelsome: I should knock you first, And then I know after who comes by the worst. 'Faith, sirrah, an you'll not knock, I'll wring it; I'll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it. [He wrings GRUMIO by the ears Gru. Help, masters, help! my master is mad. Pet. Now, knock when I bid you: sirrah! villain! Enter HORTENSIO. Hor. How now? what's the matter?-My old friend Grumio! and my good friend Petruchio!-How do you all at Verona ? Pet. Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray? Con tutto il core bene trovato, may I say. Hor. Alla nostra casa bene venuto, Molto honorato signor mio Petruchio. Rise, Grumio, rise; we will compound this quarrel. Gru. Nay, 'tis no matter, what he 'leges in Latin.— If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave his service,-Look you, sir,-he bid me knock him, and rap him soundly, sir: Well, was it fit for a servant to use his master so; being, perhaps, (for aught I see,) two and thirty,-a pip out? Whom, 'would to God, I had well knock'd at first, Pet. A senseless villain!-Good Hortensio, I bade the rascal knock upon your gate, And could not get him for my heart to do it. Gru. Knock at the gate ?-O heavens! Spake you not these words plain,-Sirrah, knock me here, Rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly? And come you now with-knocking at the gate? Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you. Hor. Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge: Why, this a heavy chance 'twixt him and you; Your ancient, trusty, pleasant servant Grumio. And tell me now, sweet friend,-what happy gale Blows you to Padua here, from old Verona ? Pet. Such wind as scatters young men through the world, To seek their fortunes further than at home, And I have thrust myself into this maze, Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home, And so am come abroad to see the world. 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, Few words suffice: and, therefore, if thou know One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife, (As wealth is burthen of my wooing dance,) As old as Sybil, and as curst and shrewd 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; 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; An affable and courteous gentleman: Her name is Katharina Minola, Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue. Pet. I know her father, though I know not her; And he knew my deceased father well : I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see 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; an 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: You know him not, sir. Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee; He hath the jewel of my life in hold, (For those defects I have before rehears'd,) Therefore this order hath Baptista ta'en ;- 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 musick, to instruct Bianca: That so I may by this device, at least, Have leave and leisure to make love to her, And, unsuspected, court her by herself. 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 pérus'd the note. Hark you, sir; I'll have them very fairly bound: All books of love, see that at any hand; |