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Signior Baptista's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largess :-Take your papers too,
And let me have them very well perfum'd;
For she is sweeter than perfume itself,

To whom they go. What will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my patron, (stand you so assur'd,)
As firmly as yourself were still in place :
Yea, and (perhaps) with more successful words
Than you, unless you were a scholar, sir.

Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock! what an ass it is!
Pet. Peace, sirrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum !—God save you, signior Gremio!
Gre. And you're well met, signior Hortensio. Trow

you,

Whither I am going?-To Baptista Minola.

I promis'd to enquire carefully

About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca:

And, by good fortune, I have lighted well

On this young man; for learning, and behaviour,
Fit for her turn, well read in poetry,

And other books,-good ones, I warrant you.

Hor. 'Tis well and I have met a gentleman,

:

Hath promis'd me to help me to another,

A fine musician to instruct our mistress;

So shall I no whit be behind in duty

To fair Bianca, so belov'd of me.

Gre. Belov'd of me,-and that my deeds shall
Gru. And that his bags shall prove.

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 inet,
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 countryman?
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.

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 the pitched battle heard

[Aside.

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.

Gre. Hortensio, hark!

This gentleman is happily arriv'd,

[Aside.

My mind presumes, for his own good, and yours.
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 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

Tra. Perhaps, him and her, sir; What have

do?

you

to

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.

Hor. Sir, a word ere you go;—

[Aside.

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;
Then 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 ever yet 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, in sooth ;-
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.

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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 younger free

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 slack 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 be

gone.

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

[Exeunt.

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