The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works
Page 465
As he forth walked on his way –
Out, you rogue! You pluck my foot awry.
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Take that, and mend the plucking off the other.
[Strikes him.]
Be merry, Kate. Some water here. What ho!
Enter one with water.
Where’s my spaniel Troilus? Sirrah, get you hence,
And bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither.
One, Kate, that you must kiss and be acquainted with.
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Where are my slippers? Shall I have some water?
Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily.
You whoreson villain, will you let it fall?
[Strikes servant.]
KATHERINA
Patience, I pray you, ’twas a fault unwilling.
PETRUCHIO
A whoreson beetle-headed, flap-ear’d knave!
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Come, Kate, sit down, I know you have a stomach.
Will you give thanks, sweet Kate, or else shall I?
What’s this? Mutton?
1 SERVINGMAN Ay.
PETRUCHIO Who brought it?
PETER I.
PETRUCHIO ’Tis burnt, and so is all the meat.
What dogs are these! Where is the rascal cook?
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How durst you, villains, bring it from the dresser
And serve it thus to me that love it not?
There, take it to you, trenchers, cups, and all.
[He throws the food and dishes at them.]
You heedless joltheads and unmanner’d slaves!
What, do you grumble? I’ll be with you straight.
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Exeunt servants.
KATHERINA I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet.
The meat was well, if you were so contented.
PETRUCHIO
I tell thee, Kate, ’twas burnt and dried away,
And I expressly am forbid to touch it,
For it engenders choler, planteth anger;
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And better ’twere that both of us did fast,
Since, of ourselves, ourselves are choleric,
Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh.
Be patient, tomorrow ‘t shall be mended,
And for this night we’ll fast for company.
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Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber.
Exeunt.
Enter Servants severally.
NATHANIEL Peter, didst ever see the like?
PETER He kills her in her own humour.
Enter CURTIS.
GRUMIO Where is he?
CURTIS In her chamber,
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Making a sermon of continency to her,
And rails, and swears, and rates, that she, poor soul,
Knows not which way to stand, to look, to speak,
And sits as one new risen from a dream.
Away, away, for he is coming hither. Exeunt.
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Enter PETRUCHIO.
PETRUCHIO Thus have I politicly begun my reign,
And ’tis my hope to end successfully.
My falcon now is sharp and passing empty,
And till she stoop she must not be full-gorg’d,
For then she never looks upon her lure.
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Another way I have to man my haggard,
To make her come and know her keeper’s call,
That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites
That bate and beat and will not be obedient.
She ate no meat today, nor none shall eat;
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Last night she slept not, nor tonight she shall not.
As with the meat, some undeserved fault
I’ll find about the making of the bed,
And here I’ll fling the pillow, there the bolster,
This way the coverlet, another way the sheets.
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Ay, and amid this hurly I intend
That all is done in reverend care of her.
And in conclusion she shall watch all night,
And if she chance to nod I’ll rail and brawl,
And with the clamour keep her still awake.
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This is a way to kill a wife with kindness,
And thus I’ll curb her mad and headstrong humour.
He that knows better how to tame a shrew,
Now let him speak: ’tis charity to show. Exit.
4.2 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.
HORTENSIO Sir, to satisfy you in what I have said,
Stand by and mark the manner of his teaching.
5
Enter BIANCA and LUCENTIO.
LUCENTIO Now, mistress, profit you in what you read?
BIANCA What, master, read you? First resolve me that.
LUCENTIO I read that I profess, The Art to Love.
BIANCA And may you prove, sir, master of your art.
LUCENTIO
While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart.
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HORTENSIO
Quick proceeders, marry! Now tell me, I pray,
You that durst swear that your mistress Bianca
Lov’d none in the world so well as Lucentio.
TRANIO O despiteful love, unconstant womankind!
I tell thee, Litio, this is wonderful.
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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 as leaves a gentleman
And makes a god of such a cullion.
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Know, sir, that I am call’d Hortensio.
TRANIO Signor Hortensio, I have often heard
Of your entire affection to Bianca,
And since mine eyes are witness of her lightness,
I will with you, if you be so contented,
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Forswear Bianca and her love for ever.
HORTENSIO
See how they kiss and court! Signor 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
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That I have fondly flatter’d her withal.
TRANIO And here I take the like unfeigned oath,
Never to marry with her though she would entreat.
Fie on her! See how beastly she doth court him.
HORTENSIO
Would all the world but he had quite forsworn!
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For me, that I may surely keep mine oath,
I will be married to a wealthy widow
Ere three days pass, which hath as long lov’d me
As I have lov’d this proud disdainful haggard.
And so farewell, Signor Lucentio.
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Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks,
Shall win my love; and so I take my leave,
In resolution as I swore before. Exit.
TRANIO Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace
As ‘longeth to a lover’s blessed case!
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Nay, I have ta’en you napping, 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 widow now,
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That shall be woo’d 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?
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TRANIO Ay, mistress, and Petruchio is the master,
That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long,
To tame a shrew and charm her chattering tongue.
Enter BIONDELLO.
BIONDELLO O master, master, I have watch’d so long
That I am dog-weary, but at last I spied
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An ancient angel coming down the hill
Will serve the turn.
TRANIO What is he, Biondello?
BIONDELLO Master, a mercatante, or a pedant,
I know not what; but formal in apparel,
In gait and countenance surely like a father.
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LUCENTIO And what of him, Tranio?
TRANIO If he be credulous and trust my tale,
I’ll make him glad to seem Vincentio,
And give assurance to Baptista Minola
As if he were the right Vincentio.
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Take in your love, and then let me alone.
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 farthest?
PEDANT Sir, at the farthest for a week or two,
But then up farther, and as far as Rome,
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And so to Tripoli, if God lend me life.
TRANIO What countryman, 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.
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TRANIO ’Tis death for any one in Mantua
To come to Padua. Know you not the cause?
Your ships are stay’d at Venice, and the Duke,
For private quarrel ’twixt your Duke and him,
Hath publish’d and proclaim’d it openly.
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’Tis marvel, but that you are but newly come,
You might have heard it else proclaim’d about.
PEDANT Alas, sir, it is worse for me than so!
For I have bills for money by exchange
From Florence, and must here deliver them.
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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 renowned for grave citizens.
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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 countenance somewhat doth resemble you.
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BIONDELLO [aside]
As much as an apple doth an oyster, and all one.
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:
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His name and credit shall you undertake,
And in my house you shall be friendly lodg’d.
Look that you take upon you as you should.
You understand me, sir. So shall you stay
Till you have done your business in the city.
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If this be courtesy, sir, accept of it.
PEDANT O sir, I do, and will repute you ever
The patron of my life and liberty.
TRANIO Then go with me to make the matter good.
This, by the way, I let you understand;
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My father is here look’d for 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 you. Exeunt.
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4.3 Enter KATHERINA and GRUMIO.
GRUMIO No, no, forsooth, I dare not for my life.
KATHERINA
The more my wrong, 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 alms,
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If not, elsewhere they meet with charity.
But I, who never knew how to entreat,
Nor never needed that I should entreat,
Am starv’d for meat, giddy for lack of sleep,
With oaths kept waking, and with brawling fed.