Gru. And that his bags shall prove. [Aside.
Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love:
Listen to me, and if you speak me fair,
I'll tell you news indifferent good for either.
Here is a gentleman, whom by chance I met,
Upon agreement from us to his liking,
Will undertake to woo curst Katharine;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.

Gre. So said, so done, is well :-
Hortensio, have you told him all her faults ?

Pet. I know, she is an irksome brawling scold;
If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.
Gre. ·No, say'st me so, friend? What country-man?

Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son:
My father dead, my fortune lives for me;
And I do hope good days, and long, to see.

Gre. O, sir, such a life, with such a wife, were strange : But, if you have a stomach, to't o'God's name; You shall have me assisting you in all. But will you woo this wild cat? Pet.

Will I live? Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. [Aside. Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent? Think you, a little din can daunt mine ears? Have I not in my time heard lions roar? Have I not heard the sea, puff'd up with winds, Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat? Have I not heard great ordnance in the field, And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies? Have I not in a pitched battle heard Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? And do you tell me of a woman's tongue; That gives not half so great a blow to the ear, As will a chesnut in a farmer's fire? Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs. Gru.

For he fears none.

[Aside. Gre. Hortensio, hark ! This gentleman is happily arriv'd, My mind presumes, for his own good and yours.

you mean?

Hor. I promis'd, we would be contributors,
And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er.

Gre. And so we will ; provided, that he win her.
Gru. I would, I were as sure of a good dinner.

[Aside. Enter Tranio, bravely apparelled; and BIONDELLO.

Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be bold, Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way To the house of signior Baptista Minola?

Gre. He that has the two fair daughters:- is't [Aside to Tranio) he

Tra. Even he. Biondello!
Gre. Hark you, sir; You mean not her to
Tra. Perhaps, him and her, sir; What have you to

do?
Pet. Not her that chides, sir, at any hand, I pray.
Tra. I love no chiders, sir :-Biondello, let's away.
Luc. Well begun, Tranio.

[Aside. Hor. Sir, a word ere you go ;Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea, or no?

Tra. An if I be, sir, is it any offence?
Gre. No; if, without more words, you will get you

hence.
Tra. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free
For me, as for you?
Gre.

But so is not she.
Tra. For what reason, I beseech you?
Gre. For this reason, if you'll know,-
That she's the choice love of signior Gremio.

Hor. That she's the chosen of signior Hortensio.

Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen,
Do me this right-hear me with patience.
Baptista is a noble gentleman,
To whom my father is not all unknown;
And, were his daughter fairer than she is,
She may more suitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Thien well one more may fair Bianca have:

And so she shall; Lucentio shall make one,
Though Paris came, in hope to speed alone.

Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all.
Luc. Sir, give him head; I know, he'll prove a jade.
Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words?

Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as to ask you,
Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter?

Tra. No, sir; but hear I do, that he hath two,
The one as famous for a scolding tongue,
As is the other for beauteous modesty.

Pet. Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by.

Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules;
And let it be more than Alcides' twelve.

Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, insooth;-
The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,
Her father keeps from all access of suitors;
And will not promise her to any man,
Until the elder sister first be wed:
The younger then is free, and not before.

Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man
Must stead us all, and me among the rest ;
An if you break the ice, and do this feat,
Achieve the elder, set the
For our access,-whose hap shall be to have her,
Will not so graceless be, to be ingrate.

Hor. Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive;
And since you do profess to be a suitor,
You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman,
To whom we all rest generally beholden.

Tra. Sir, I shall not be slaek: in sign whereof,
Please ye we may contrive this afternoon,
And

quaff carouses to our mistress' health;
And do as adversaries do in law,
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.

Gru. Bion. O excellent motion! Fellows, let's begone,

Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so;Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. [Exeunt.

younger free

1

SCENE 1. The same. A Room in BAPTISTA's House.

Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA.
Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong your-
To make a bondmaid and a slave of me; (self,
That I disdain: but for these other gawds,
Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself,
Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat;
Or, what you will command me, will I do,
So well I know my duty to my elders.

Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell
Whom thou lov'st best: see thou dissemble not.

Bian. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive,
I never yet beheld that special face
Which I could fancy more than any other.

Kath. Minion, thou liest; Is't not Hortensio?

Bian. If you affect bim, sister, here I swear, I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him.

Kath. O then, belike, you fancy riches more; You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so?
Nay, then you jest; and now I well perceive,
You have but jested with me all this while:
I pr’ythee, sister, Kate, untie my hands.
Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so.

[Strikes her. Enter BAPTISTA. Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this in

solence?Bianca, stand aside;-poor girl! she weeps : Go ply thy needle; meddle not with her. For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit, Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee? When did she cross thee with a bitter word? Kath. Her silence flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd.

[Flies after Bianca. Bap. What, in my sight?—Bianca, get thee in.

[Exit Bianca. Kath. Will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see, She is your treasure, she must have a husband? I must dance bare-foot on her wedding-day, And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell." Talk not to me; I will go sit and weep, Till I can find occasion of revenge. (Exit Katharina.

Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd as I?
But who comes here?
Enter Gremio, with Lucentio in the Habit of a mean

Man; PETRUCH10, with HORTENSIO as a Musician;
and TRANIO, with BIONDELLO bearing a Lute and
Books.
Gre. Good morrow, neighbour Baptista.

Bap. Good morrow, neighbour Gremio: God save you, gentlemen!

Pet. And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a daughter Callid Katharina, fair and virtuous? Bap. I have a daughter, sir, callid Katharina. Gre. You are too blunt, go to it orderly.

Pet. You wrong me, signior Gremio; give me leave, I am a gentleman of Verona, sir,