Think you, a little din can daunt mine ears? Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? 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 27. Gre. Hortensio, hark! This gentleman is happily arriv'd, For he fears none. [Aside. My mind presumes, for his own good, and yours. [Aside. Enter TRANIO, bravely apparell'd; 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 you mean? Tra. Even he. Biondello! Gre. Hark you, sir; You mean not her to- Pet. Not her that chides, sir, at any hand, I pray. [Aside. 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? That she's the choice love of signior Gremio. Hor. That she's the chosen of signior Hortensio. To whom my father is not all unknown; Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. 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. insooth ; Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man For our access,-whose hap shall be to have her, 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 slack: in sign whereof, Please ye we may contrive this afternoon 28, 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 notion! Fellows, let's be gone. Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so;Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. ACT II. SCENE I. The same. [Exeunt. 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; Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell, Kath. Minion, thou liest; Is't not Hortensio? Bian. If you affect him, 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? Say, then you jest; and now I well perceive, You have but jested with me all this while: Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so. Enter BAPTISTA. [Strikes her. Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this insolence? Bianca, stand aside; poor girl! she weeps: Go ply thy needle; meddle not with her. For shame, thou hilding 29 of a devilish spirit, Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee? Bap. What in my sight?-Bianca, get thee in. 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? |