Hor. Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee, And wish thee to a shrewd ill favour'd wife? Thou'dst thank me but a little for my counsel: And yet I'll promise thee she shall be rich, And very rich:-but thou'rt too much my friend, And I'll not wish thee to her. 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 22,) Be she as foul as was Florentius' love 23, As old as Sibyl, and as curst and shrewd As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse, 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 24; 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 25. 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 26: You know him not, sir. Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee; For in Baptista's keep my treasure is: He hath the jewel of my life in hold, (For those defects I have before rehears'd,) 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 school-master 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, 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! VOL. V. D [They retire. Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note. And see you read no other lectures to her: I'll mend it with a largess:-Take your papers too, For she is sweeter than perfume itself, To whom they go. What will you read to her? Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is! Hor. Grumio, mum!-God save you, signior Gre mio! Gre. And you're well met, signior Hortensio. Trow you, Whither I am going?-To Baptista Minola. About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca: And, by good fortune, I have lighted well. Hor. 'Tis well: and I have met a gentleman, Hath promis'd me to help me to another, Gre. Belov'd of me,-and that my deeds 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, Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What countryman? 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? Will I live? Pet. [Aside. Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent? |