Read The Taming of the Shrew Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
The Taming of the Shrew (12 page)
Exit
running scene 6
Location:
Padua
Enter Tranio and Hortensio
TRANIO
Is’t possible, friend Litio, that Mistress Bianca
Doth fancy any other but Lucentio?
I tell you, sir, she
bears me fair in hand
3
.
HORTENSIO
Sir, to
satisfy
4
you in what I have said,
Stand by and mark the manner of his teaching.
Enter Bianca
[
and Lucentio
]
LUCENTIO
Now, mistress, profit you in what you read?
BIANCA
What, master, read you? First
resolve
7
me that.
LUCENTIO
I read that
I profess
8
, the
Art to Love
.
BIANCA
And may you prove, sir, master of your art.
LUCENTIO
While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart.
Lucentio and Bianca talk aside
HORTENSIO
Quick proceeders
11
, marry! Now tell me, I pray,
You that durst swear that your mistress Bianca
Loved none in the world so well as Lucentio.
TRANIO
O despiteful love, unconstant womankind!
I tell thee, Litio, this is
wonderful
15
.
HORTENSIO
Mistake no more, I am not Litio,
Nor a musician, as I seem to be,
But one that scorn to live in this disguise,
For
such a one
19
as leaves a gentleman,
And makes a god of such a
cullion
20
;
Know, sir, that I am called Hortensio.
TRANIO
Signior Hortensio, I have often heard
Of your
entire
23
affection to Bianca,
And since mine eyes are witness of her
lightness
24
,
I will with you, if you be so contented,
Forswear
26
Bianca and her love forever.
HORTENSIO
See how they kiss and court! Signior Lucentio,
Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow
Never to woo her more, but do forswear her,
As one unworthy all the former favours
That I have
fondly
31
flattered her withal.
TRANIO
And here I take the like
unfeignèd
32
oath,
Never to marry with her though she would entreat.
Fie on her! See how
beastly
34
she doth court him!
HORTENSIO
Would all the world but he had quite forsworn
35
!
For me,
that
36
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
43
as I swore before.
[
Exit
]
TRANIO
Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace
As
’longeth
45
to a lover’s blessèd case!
Nay, I have
ta’en you napping
46
, 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 Litio.
TRANIO
I’faith, he’ll have a
lusty
51
widow now,
That shall be wooed 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
59
,
To tame a shrew and
charm
60
her chatt’ring tongue.
Enter Biondello
BIONDELLO
O master, master, I have watched so long
That I am
dog-weary
62
, but at last I spied
An
ancient angel
63
coming down the hill
Will serve the turn.
TRANIO
What is he, Biondello?
BIONDELLO
Master, a
mercatante
66
, or a pedant,
I know not what, but formal 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
71
Vincentio,
And give assurance to Baptista Minola
As if he were the right Vincentio.
Take in your love, and then
let me alone
74
.
[
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 furthest?
PEDANT
Sir, at the furthest for a week or two,
But then up further, and as far as Rome,
And so to Tripoli, if God lend me life.
TRANIO
What countryman
81
, 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
85
.
TRANIO
’Tis death for anyone in Mantua
To come to Padua. Know you not the cause?
Your ships are
stayed
88
at Venice, and the duke,
For
89
private quarrel ’twixt your duke and him,
Hath
published
90
and proclaimed it openly.
’Tis
marvel
91
, but that you are but newly come,
You might have heard it else proclaimed about.
PEDANT
Alas, sir, it is worse for me
than so
93
,
For I have
bills for money by exchange
94
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 renownèd 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 count’nance somewhat doth resemble you.
BIONDELLO
As much as an apple doth an oyster,
and all one
106
.
Aside
TRANIO
To save your life in this extremity,
This favour will I do you for his sake,
And think it not the worst of all your fortunes
That you are like to Sir Vincentio.
His name and
credit
111
shall you undertake,
And in my house you shall be friendly lodged.
Look that you take upon you as you should
113
.
You understand me, sir. So shall you stay
Till you have done your business in the city.
If this be court’sy, sir, accept of it.
PEDANT
O, sir, I do, and will
repute
117
you ever
The patron of my life and liberty.
TRANIO
Then go with me to
make the matter good
119
.
This, by the way, I let you understand.
My father is here
looked for
121
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
125
you.
Exeunt
running scene 7
Location:
a country estate
Enter Katherina and Grumio
GRUMIO
No, no, forsooth, I dare not for my life.
KATE
The more
my wrong
2
, 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
5
alms,
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
9
, giddy for lack of sleep,
With oaths kept waking and with brawling fed.
And that which
spites
11
me more than all these wants,
He does it under name of perfect love,
As
who
13
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
16
it be wholesome food.
GRUMIO
What say you to a
neat’s
17
foot?
KATE
’Tis passing good, I prithee let me have it.
GRUMIO
I fear it is too
choleric
19
a meat.
How say you to a fat tripe finely
broiled
20
?
KATE
I like it well, good Grumio, fetch it me.
GRUMIO
I
cannot tell
22
, I fear ’tis choleric.
What say you to a piece of beef and mustard?
KATE
A dish that I do love to feed upon.
GRUMIO
Ay, but the mustard is too hot a little.
KATE
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.
KATE
Then both, or one, or anything thou wilt.
GRUMIO
Why then, the mustard without the beef.
KATE
Go, get thee gone, thou false deluding slave
Beats him
That feed’st me with the
very
32
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
36
, all amort?
HORTENSIO
Mistress,
what cheer
37
?
KATE
Faith, as
cold
38
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 lov’st it not,
And all my
pains is sorted to no proof
44
.
Here, take away this dish.
KATE
I pray you let it
stand
46
.
PETRUCHIO
The poorest service is repaid with thanks,
And so shall mine, before you touch the meat.
KATE
I thank you, sir.
HORTENSIO
Signior Petruchio, fie, you are
to blame
50
.
Come, mistress Kate, I’ll bear you company.
PETRUCHIO
Eat it up all, Hortensio, if thou lovest me.
Aside
Much good do it unto thy gentle heart!—
Hortensio takes plate and does not let Kate eat
Kate, eat
apace
54
. And now, my honey love,
Will we return unto thy father’s house
And revel it as
bravely
56
as the best,
With silken coats and caps and golden rings,
With
ruffs
58
and cuffs and farthingales and things,
With scarfs and fans and double change of bravery,
With amber bracelets, beads and all this
knavery
60
.
What, hast thou dined? The tailor stays thy leisure,
To deck thy body with his
ruffling treasure
62
.
Enter Tailor
[
with a gown
]
Come, tailor, let us see these ornaments.
Enter Haberdasher
[
with a hat
]
Lay forth the gown.— What news with you, sir?
HABERDASHER
Here is the cap your worship did
bespeak
65
.
PETRUCHIO
Why, this was moulded on a
porringer
66
,
A velvet dish. Fie, fie, ’tis
lewd
67
and filthy.
Why, ’tis a
cockle
68
or a walnut-shell,
A knack, a toy, a trick
69
, a baby’s cap.
Away with it! Come, let me have a bigger.
KATE
I’ll have no bigger. This doth
fit the time
71
,
And gentlewomen wear such caps as these.
PETRUCHIO
When you are
gentle
73
, you shall have one too,
And not till then.
HORTENSIO
That will not be in haste.
Aside
KATE
Why, sir, I trust I may have leave to speak,
And speak I will. I am no child, no babe.
Your betters have
endured me
78
say my mind,
And if you cannot, best you stop your ears.
My tongue will tell the anger of my heart,
Or else my heart concealing it will break,
And rather than it shall, I will be free
Even to the uttermost, as I please, in words.
PETRUCHIO
Why, thou say’st true. It is a paltry cap,
A
custard-coffin
85
, a bauble, a silken pie.
I love thee well in that thou lik’st it not.
KATE
Love me or love me not, I like the cap,
And it I will have, or I will have none.
[
Exit Haberdasher
]
PETRUCHIO
Thy gown? Why, ay. Come, tailor, let us see’t.
O mercy, God! What
masquing stuff
90
is here?
What’s this? A sleeve? ’Tis like a
demi-cannon
91
.
What,
up and down
92
, carved like an apple tart?
Here’s snip and nip and cut and slish and slash,
Like to a
censer
94
in a barber’s shop.
Why, what o’devil’s name, tailor, call’st thou this?
HORTENSIO
I see she’s like to have neither cap nor gown.
Aside
TAILOR
You bid me make it orderly and well,
According to the fashion and the time.
PETRUCHIO
Marry, and
did
99
. But if you be remembered,
I did not bid you
mar
100
it to the time.
Go,
hop me over every kennel home
101
,
For you shall hop without my custom, sir:
I’ll none of it. Hence,
make your best of it
103
.
KATE
I never saw a better-fashioned gown,
More
quaint
105
, more pleasing, nor more commendable.
Belike
106
you mean to make a puppet of me.
PETRUCHIO
Why, true, he means to make a puppet of thee.
TAILOR
She says your worship means to make a puppet of her.
PETRUCHIO
O monstrous arrogance! Thou liest, thou thread, thou thimble,
Thou
yard
110
, three-quarters, half-yard, quarter, nail!
Thou flea, thou nit, thou winter-cricket thou!
Braved
112
in mine own house with a skein of thread?
Away, thou rag, thou
quantity
113
, thou remnant,
Or I shall so
be-mete
114
thee with thy yard
As thou shalt think
on prating
115
whilst thou liv’st!
I tell thee, I, that thou hast marred her gown.
TAILOR
Your worship is deceived. The gown is made
Just as my master had direction.
Grumio gave order how it should be done.
GRUMIO
I gave him no order, I gave him the
stuff
120
.
TAILOR
But how did you desire it should be made?
GRUMIO
Marry, sir, with needle and thread.
TAILOR
But did you not request to have it cut?
GRUMIO
Thou hast
faced
124
many things.
TAILOR
I have.
GRUMIO
Face not me. Thou hast
braved
126
many men, brave
not me; I will neither be faced nor braved. I say unto thee, I
bid thy master cut out the gown, but I did not bid him cut it
to pieces.
Ergo
129
, thou liest.
TAILOR
Why, here is the note of the fashion to testify.
Shows bill
PETRUCHIO
Read it.
GRUMIO
The note lies in’s throat
132
, if he say I said so.
TAILOR
‘
Imprimis
, a
loose-bodied gown
133
.’
Reads
GRUMIO
Master, if ever I said loose-bodied gown, sew me in
the skirts of it, and beat me to death with a
bottom
135
of brown
thread: I said a gown.
PETRUCHIO
Proceed.
TAILOR
‘With a small
compassed
138
cape.’
Reads
GRUMIO
I confess the cape.
TAILOR
‘With a
trunk
140
sleeve.’
Reads
GRUMIO
I confess two sleeves.
TAILOR
‘The sleeves
curiously
142
cut.’
Reads
PETRUCHIO
Ay, there’s the villainy.
GRUMIO
Error i’th’
bill
144
, sir, error i’th’bill. I commanded the
sleeves should be cut out and sewed up again, and that I’ll
prove upon thee
146
, though thy little finger be armed in a
thimble.
TAILOR
This is true that I say,
an
148
I had thee in place where,
thou shouldst know it.
GRUMIO
I am
for thee straight
150
. Take thou the bill, give me thy
mete-yard
151
, and spare not me.
HORTENSIO
God-a-mercy, Grumio, then he shall have no
odds
152
.
PETRUCHIO
Well, sir, in brief, the gown is not for me.
GRUMIO
You are i’th’right, sir, ’tis for my mistress.
PETRUCHIO
Go,
take it up unto thy master’s use
155
.
GRUMIO
Villain, not for thy life. Take up my mistress’ gown
for thy master’s use!
PETRUCHIO
Why, sir, what’s your
conceit
158
in that?
GRUMIO
O, sir, the conceit is deeper than you
think for
159
:
Take up my mistress’ gown to his master’s use!
O, fie, fie, fie!
PETRUCHIO
Hortensio, say thou wilt see the tailor paid.—
Aside to Hortensio
Go take it hence. Be gone, and say no more.
To the Tailor
HORTENSIO
Tailor, I’ll pay thee for thy gown tomorrow.
Aside to the Tailor
Take no unkindness
of
165
his hasty words.
Away, I say, commend me to thy master.
Exit Tailor
PETRUCHIO
Well, come, my Kate. We will unto your father’s
Even in these honest
mean habiliments
168
:
Our purses shall be
proud
169
, our garments poor,
For ’tis the mind that makes the body rich,
And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds,
So honour
peereth
172
in the meanest habit.
What, is the jay more precious than the lark,
Because his feathers are more beautiful?
Or is the adder better than the eel
Because his
painted
176
skin contents the eye?
O no, good Kate, neither art thou the worse
For this poor
furniture
178
and mean array.
If thou account’st it shame,
lay
179
it on me.
And therefore
frolic
180
. We will hence forthwith,
To feast and
sport us
181
at thy father’s house.—
Go, call my men, and let us straight to him,