Because I know you well, and love you well,
Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.
Gre. To cart her rather: She 's too rough for me:
There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife?

Kath. I pray you, sir, [to BAP.] is it your will
To make a stale of me amongst these mates? a

Hor. Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates for you,

Unless you were of gentler, milder mould.

Kath. I' faith, sir, you shall never need to fear;
I wis, it is not half way to her heart:

But, if it were, doubt not her care should be
To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool,
And paint your face, and use you like a fool.

Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us!
Gre. And me too, good Lord!

Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime toward;

That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward.

Luc. But in the other's silence do I see

Maids' mild behaviour and sobriety.

Peace, Tranio.

Tra. Well said, master; mum! and gaze your fill.

Bap. 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.
Kath. A pretty peat;b 't 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:

a A stale is a thing stalled-exposed for common sale. Baptista has offered Katharina to Gremio and Hortensio, "either and she is justly indignant at being set up for the bidding of these companions.

of you,

b l'eut-pet, spoiled child.

My books and instruments shall be my company;
On them to look, and practise by myself.

Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou mayst hear Minerva speak.

[Aside. Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange? Sorry am I that our good will effects

Bianca's grief.

Gre.

Why, will you mew her,
Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell,

And make her bear the penance of her tongue?
Bap. Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolv'd:
Go in, Bianca.

[Exit BIANCA.

And, for I know she taketh most delight
In music, instruments, and poetry,
Schoolmasters will I keep within my house,
Fit to instruct her youth. If you, Hortensio,
Or, signior Gremio, you know any such,
Prefer them hither; for to cunning a men
I will be very kind, and liberal

To mine own children in good bringing-up;
And so farewell. Katharina, you may stay;
For I have more to commune with Bianca.

[Exit.
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. Their 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. 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 b to her father.

Hor. So will I, signior Gremio: But a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brooked a Cunning-knowing, learned. b Wish him-commend him.

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.

Gre. I say, a devil: Think'st thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool as 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.

Gre. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition,-to be whipped at the high-cross every morning.

Hor. 'Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples. But, come; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintained, till, by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband, we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have to 't afresh.-Sweet Bianca !-Happy man be his dole! He that runs fastest gets the ring. How say you, signior Gremio ?

Gre. I am agreed: and 'would I had given him the best horse in Padua to begin his wooing, that would thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the house of her. Come on. [Exeunt GRE. and HOR. Tra. [Advancing.] I pray, sir, tell me,-Is it possible

That love should of a sudden take such hold?

Luc. O Tranio, till I found it to be true,

I never thought it possible, or likely;

But see! while idly I stood looking on,

I found the effect of love in idleness:
And now in plainness do confess to thee,-
That art to me as secret, and as dear,
As Anna to the queen of Carthage was,-
Tranio, I burn, I pine, I perish, Tranio,
If I achieve not this young modest girl:
Counsel me, Tranio, for I know thou canst;
Assist me, Tranio, for I know thou wilt.

Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now;
Affection is not rated from the heart:

If love have touch'd you, nought remains but so,—
Redime te captum quam queas minimo.

Luc. Gramercies, lad; go forward, this contents; The rest will comfort, for thy counsel's sound.

Tra. Master, you look'd so longly on the maid,
Perhaps you mark'd not what 's the pith of all.
Luc. O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face,
Such as the daughter of Agenor had,

That made great Jove to humble him to her hand,
When with his knees he kiss'd the Cretan strand.

Tra. Saw you no more? mark'd you not, how her sister

Began to scold; and raise up such a storm,
That mortal ears might hardly endure the din
Luc. Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move,
And with her breath she did perfume the air;
Sacred, and sweet, was all I saw in her.

Tra. Nay, then, 't is time to stir him from his trance.

I pray, awake, sir: If you love the maid,

Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it stands :-
Her elder sister is so curst and shrewd,

That, till the father rids his hands of her,
Master, your love must live a maid at home; .
And therefore has he closely mew'd her up,
Because she shall not be annoy'd with suitors.
Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father 's he!

But art thou not advis'd, he took some care
To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her?
Tra. Ay, marry, am I, sir; and now 't is plotted.
Luc. I have it, Tranio.

Tra.

Master, for my hand,

Both our inventions meet and jump in one.

Luc. Tell me thine first.
Tra.

You will be schoolmaster,

And undertake the teaching of the maid :

That's your device.

Luc.

It is May it be done?

Tra. Not possible. For who shall bear your part, And he in Padua here Vincentio's son?

Keep house, and ply his book; welcome his friends;
Visit his countrymen, and banquet them?

Luc. Basta; content thee; for I have it full.
We have not yet been seen in any house;
Nor can we be distinguish'd by our faces,
For man or master: then it follows thus ;-
Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead,
Keep house, and port,a and servants, as I should:
I will some other be; some Florentine,
Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa.
"T is hatch'd, and shall be so :-Tranio, at once
Uncase thee, take my colour'd hat and cloak:b
When Biondello comes, he waits on thee;
But I will charm him first to keep his tongue.
Tra. So had you need.

[They exchange habits. In brief, sir, sith it your pleasure is,

And I am tied to be obedient,

(For so your father charg'd me at our parting; "Be serviceable to my son," quoth he,

a Port-state, show.

b Colour'd hat and cloak. Servants formerly wore clothes of sober hue-black or sad-colour; their masters bore about the hues of the rainbow in their doublets and mantles, and hats and feathers. Such gay vestments were called emphatically coloured.