INDUC. SLY. Now Lord be thanked for my good amends! SLY. I thank thee: thou shalt not lose by it. Enter the Page as a Lady, with Attendants. PAGE. How fares my noble Lord? SLY. Marry, I fare well; for here is cheer enough. 100 PAGE. Here, noble Lord: what is thy will with her? I am your wife in all obedience. SLY. I know it well. LORD. Madam. What must I call her? SLY. Al'ce Madam, or Joan Madam? LORD. Madam, and nothing else: so lords call ladies. And slept about some fifteen year or more. For your physicians have expressly charg'd, In peril to incur your former malady, That I should yet absent me from your bed: I hope this reason stands for my excuse. SLY. Ay; it stands so that I may hardly tarry so long. But I would be loth to fall into my dreams again: I will therefore tarry in despite of the flesh and the blood. Enter a Messenger. MESS. Your Honour's Players, hearing your amendment, 130 Seeing too much sadness hath congeal'd your blood, SLY. Marry, I will; let them play it. Is not a commonty PAGE. No, my good Lord; it is more pleasing stuff. SLY. What, household stuff? SLY. Well, we 'll see 't. It is a kind of history. 140 Come, Madam Wife, sit by my side, And let the world slip: we shall ne'er be younger. INDUC. Sc. II [Flourish. ACT I SCENE I. Padua. A Public Place. Enter LUCENTIO and his man TRANIO. Luc. Tranio, since for the great desire I had And by my father's love and leave am arm'd Gave me my being, and my father first, A merchant of great traffic through the world, Lucentio his son, brought up in Florence, It shall become, to serve1 all hopes conceiv'd, And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study, Will I apply2 that treats of happiness 10 ACT I By virtue specially to be achiev'd. Balk2 logic with acquaintance that you have, The mathematics and the metaphysics, Fall to them as you find your stomach serves you: In brief, Sir, study what you most affect.3 Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. And take a lodging fit to entertain Such friends as time in Padua shall beget. TRA. Master, some show to welcome us to Town. 20 30 40 Enter BAPTISTA with his two Daughters, KATHARINA and BAP. Gentlemen, pray importune me no farther, 50 GRE. [aside.] To cart her rather: she's too rough for ACT I me, There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife? KATH. I pray you, Sir, is it your will To make a stale1 of me amongst these mates?2 HOR. Mates, Maid! how mean you that? no mates for you, Unless you were of gentler, milder mood. KATH. I'faith, Sir, you shall never need to fear : I wis it is not half way to her heart; 60 3 TRA. Hush, Master! here is some good pastime toward :3 Luc. But in the other's silence do I see. Maid's mild behaviour and sobriety. Peace! TRA. Well said, Master; mum! and gaze your fill. BAP. Well, Gentlemen, that I may soon make good What I have said, Bianca, get you in: And let it not displease thee, good Bianca; For I will love thee ne'er the less, my Girl. 70 KATH. A pretty peat ! it is best put finger in the eye, an she knew why. BIAN. Sister, content you in my discontent. Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe: My books and instruments shall be my company, On them to look and practise by myself. Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva speak. Sorry am I that our good will effects Bianca's grief. GRE. Why will you mew her up, Signior Baptista, for this fiend of Hell, And make her bear the penance of her tongue ? BAP. Content ye, Gentlemen; I am resolv'd: 80 89 [Exit BIANCA. 5 odd. Sc. I ACT I Sc. I And for I know she taketh most delight Schoolmasters will I keep within my house, 99 [exit. To mine own children in good bringing-up: And so, farewell. Katharina, you may stay; For I have more to commune with Bianca. KATH. Why, and I trust I may go too, may I not? What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, I knew not what to take, and what to leave, ha? [exit. GRE. You may go to the Devil's dam: your gifts are so good here's none will hold you. Our love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it fairly out: our cake's dough on both sides.3 Farewell: yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father. III HOR. So will I, Signior Gremio: but, a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brook'd parle, know now, upon advice," it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labour and effect one thing specially. GRE. What's that, I pray? HOR. Marry, Sir, to get a husband for her sister. GRE. A husband! a Devil. HOR. I say a husband. 120 GRE. I say a Devil. Think'st thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very' a fool to be married to Hell? HOR. Tush, Gremio, though it pass your patience and mine to endure her loud alarums, why, Man, there be good fellows in the World, an a man could light on them, would take her with all faults, and money enough. 129 GRE. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry 1 expert. 14 2 do nothing. 3 i.e. mine and yours.' 4 recommend. discussing. |