The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works
Page 461
have been more kindly beholding to you than any,
freely give unto you this young scholar [Presents
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Lucentio.], that hath been long studying at Rheims; as
cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the
other in music and mathematics. His name is
Cambio. Pray accept his service.
BAPTISTA A thousand thanks, Signor Gremio.
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Welcome, good Cambio. [to Tranio] But, gentle sir,
methinks you walk like a stranger. May I be so bold to
know the cause of your coming?
TRANIO Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own,
That, being a stranger in this city here,
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Do make myself a suitor to your daughter,
Unto Bianca, fair and virtuous.
Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me
In the preferment of the eldest sister.
This liberty is all that I request,
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That, upon knowledge of my parentage,
I may have welcome ‘mongst the rest that woo,
And free access and favour as the rest.
And toward the education of your daughters
I here bestow a simple instrument,
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And this small packet of Greek and Latin books.
If you accept them, then their worth is great.
BAPTISTA Lucentio is your name? Of whence, I pray?
TRANIO Of Pisa, sir, son to Vincentio.
BAPTISTA A mighty man of Pisa. By report
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I know him well. You are very welcome, sir.
[to Hortensio] Take you the lute,
[to Lucentio] and you the set of books.
You shall go see your pupils presently.
Holla, within!
Enter a Servant.
Sirrah, lead these gentlemen
To my daughters, and tell them both
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These are their tutors. Bid them use them well.
Exeunt Servant, Hortensio, Lucentio, Biondello.
We will go walk a little in the orchard,
And then to dinner. You are passing welcome,
And so I pray you all to think yourselves.
PETRUCHIO Signor Baptista, my business asketh haste,
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And every day I cannot come to woo.
You knew my father well, and in him me,
Left solely heir to all his lands and goods,
Which I have better’d rather than decreas’d.
Then tell me, if I get your daughter’s love,
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What dowry shall I have with her to wife?
BAPTISTA After my death the one half of my lands,
And in possession twenty thousand crowns.
PETRUCHIO And for that dowry I’ll assure her of
Her widowhood, be it that she survive me,
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In all my lands and leases whatsoever.
Let specialties be therefore drawn between us,
That covenants may be kept on either hand.
BAPTISTA Ay, when the special thing is well obtain’d,
That is, her love; for that is all in all.
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PETRUCHIO Why, that is nothing. For I tell you, father,
I am as peremptory as she proud-minded;
And where two raging fires meet together,
They do consume the thing that feeds their fury.
Though little fire grows great with little wind,
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Yet extreme gusts will blow out fire and all.
So I to her, and so she yields to me,
For I am rough and woo not like a babe.
BAPTISTA
Well mayst thou woo, and happy be thy speed.
But be thou arm’d for some unhappy words.
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PETRUCHIO
Ay, to the proof, as mountains are for winds,
That shakes not, though they blow perpetually.
Enter HORTENSIO with his head broke.
BAPTISTA
How now, my friend, why dost thou look so pale?
HORTENSIO For fear, I promise you, if I look pale.
BAPTISTA
What, will my daughter prove a good musician?
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HORTENSIO I think she’ll sooner prove a soldier.
Iron may hold with her, but never lutes.
BAPTISTA
Why then, thou canst not break her to the lute?
HORTENSIO Why no, for she hath broke the lute to me.
I did but tell her she mistook her frets,
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And bow’d her hand to teach her fingering,
When, with a most impatient devilish spirit,
‘Frets, call you these?’ quoth she, ‘I’ll fume with them.’
And with that word she struck me on the head,
And through the instrument my pate made way,
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And there I stood amazed for a while,
As on a pillory, looking through the lute,
While she did call me rascal fiddler
And twangling Jack, with twenty such vile terms,
As had she studied to misuse me so.
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PETRUCHIO Now, by the world, it is a lusty wench.
I love her ten times more than e’er I did.
O, how I long to have some chat with her.
BAPTISTA Well, go with me, and be not so discomfited.
Proceed in practice with my younger daughter;
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She’s apt to learn and thankful for good turns.
Signor Petruchio, will you go with us,
Or shall I send my daughter Kate to you?
PETRUCHIO I pray you do.
Exeunt all except Petruchio.
I’ll attend her here,
And woo her with some spirit when she comes.
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Say that she rail, why then I’ll tell her plain
She sings as sweetly as a nightingale.
Say that she frown, I’ll say she looks as clear
As morning roses newly wash’d with dew.
Say she be mute and will not speak a word,
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Then I’ll commend her volubility,
And say she uttereth piercing eloquence.
If she do bid me pack, I’ll give her thanks,
As though she bid me stay by her a week.
If she deny to wed, I’ll crave the day
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When I shall ask the banns, and when be married.
But here she comes, and now, Petruchio, speak.
Enter KATHERINA.
Good morrow, Kate, for that’s your name, I hear.
KATHERINA
Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing;
They call me Katherine that do talk of me.
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PETRUCHIO
You lie, in faith, for you are call’d plain Kate,
And bonny Kate, and sometimes Kate the curst;
But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom,
Kate of Kate Hall, my super-dainty Kate,
For dainties are all Kates, and therefore, Kate,
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Take this of me, Kate of my consolation,
Hearing thy mildness prais’d in every town,
Thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty sounded,
Yet not so deeply as to thee belongs,
Myself am mov’d to woo thee for my wife.
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KATHERINA
Mov’d, in good time! Let him that mov’d you hither
Remove you hence. I knew you at the first
You were a movable.
PETRUCHIO Why, what’s a movable?
KATHERINA A joint-stool.
PETRUCHIO Thou hast hit it. Come, sit on me.
KATHERINA Asses are made to bear, and so are you.
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PETRUCHIO Women are made to bear, and so are you.
KATHERINA No such jade as you, if me you mean.
PETRUCHIO Alas, good Kate, I will not burden thee!
For, knowing thee to be but young and light –
KATHERINA Too light for such a swain as you to catch,
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And yet as heavy as my weight should be.
PETRUCHIO Should be? Should – buzz!
KATHERINA Well ta’en, and like a buzzard.
PETRUCHIO
O slow-wing’d turtle, shall a buzzard take thee?
KATHERINA Ay, for a turtle, as he takes a buzzard.
PETRUCHIO
Come, come, you wasp; i’faith, you are too angry.
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KATHERINA If I be waspish, best beware my sting.
PETRUCHIO My remedy is then to pluck it out.
KATHERINA Ay, if the fool could find it where it lies.
PETRUCHIO
Who knows not where a wasp does wear his sting?
In his tail.
KATHERINA In his tongue.
PETRUCHIO Whose tongue?
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KATHERINA Yours, if you talk of tales, and so farewell.
PETRUCHIO
What, with my tongue in your tail? Nay, come again,
Good Kate. I am a gentleman –
KATHERINA That I’ll try.
[She strikes him.]
PETRUCHIO I swear I’ll cuff you, if you strike again.
KATHERINA So may you lose your arms.
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If you strike me, you are no gentleman,
And if no gentleman, why then no arms.
PETRUCHIO A herald, Kate? O, put me in thy books.
KATHERINA What is your crest, a coxcomb?
PETRUCHIO A combless cock, so Kate will be my hen.
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KATHERINA
No cock of mine, you crow too like a craven.
PETRUCHIO
Nay, come, Kate, come; you must not look so sour.
KATHERINA It is my fashion when I see a crab.
PETRUCHIO
Why, here’s no crab, and therefore look not sour.
KATHERINA There is, there is.
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PETRUCHIO Then show it me.
KATHERINA Had I a glass, I would.
PETRUCHIO What, you mean my face?
KATHERINA Well aim’d of such a young one.
PETRUCHIO
Now, by Saint George, I am too young for you.
KATHERINA Yet you are wither’d.
PETRUCHIO ’Tis with cares.
KATHERINA I care not.
PETRUCHIO
Nay, hear you, Kate – in sooth, you scape not so.
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KATHERINA I chafe you, if I tarry. Let me go.
PETRUCHIO No, not a whit. I find you passing gentle.
’Twas told me you were rough, and coy, and sullen,
And now I find report a very liar;
For thou art pleasant, gamesome, passing courteous,
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But slow in speech, yet sweet as spring-time flowers.
Thou canst not frown, thou canst not look askance,
Nor bite the lip, as angry wenches will,
Nor hast thou pleasure to be cross in talk.
But thou with mildness entertain’st thy wooers,
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With gentle conference, soft and affable.
Why does the world report that Kate doth limp?
O slanderous world! Kate like the hazel-twig
Is straight and slender, and as brown in hue
As hazel-nuts and sweeter than the kernels.
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O, let me see thee walk. Thou dost not halt.
KATHERINA
Go, fool, and whom thou keep’st command.
PETRUCHIO Did ever Dian so become a grove
As Kate this chamber with her princely gait?
O be thou Dian, and let her be Kate,
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And then let Kate be chaste and Dian sportful.
KATHERINA
Where did you study all this goodly speech?
PETRUCHIO It is extempore, from my mother-wit.
KATHERINA A witty mother, witless else her son.
PETRUCHIO Am I not wise?
KATHERINA Yes, keep you warm.
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PETRUCHIO
Marry, so I mean, sweet Katherine, in thy bed.
And therefore, setting all this chat aside,
Thus in plain terms: your father hath consented
That you shall be my wife; your dowry ‘greed on;
And will you, nill you, I will marry you.
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Now, Kate, I am a husband for your turn,