Εικόνες σελίδας
PDF
Ηλεκτρ. έκδοση
[ocr errors]

to't afresh. Sweet Bianca! happy man be his dole!
he that runs fafteft gets the ring; how fay you, Sig-
nior Gremio ?

Gre. I am agreed; and would I had given him the best horfe in Padua to begin his wooing, that would throughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the house of her. Come on.

[Exeunt Gremio and Hortenfio.

SCENE

IV.

Manent Tranio and Lucentio.

Tra. I pray, Sir, tell, me, is it poffible
That love fhould on a fudden take fuch hold ?...
Luc. Oh Tranio, 'till I found it to be true,
I never thought it poffible or likely.
But fee, while idly I ftood looking on,
I found th' effect of Love in idleness:
And now in plainnefs do confess to thee,
(That art to me as fecret, and as dear,
As Anna to the Queen of Carthage was ;)
Tranio, I burn, I pine, I perish Tranio.
If I atchieve not this young modest girl :
Counsel me, Tranio, for, I know, thou canst;
Affift 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 hath touch'd you, nought remains, but fo,
* Redime te captum quàm queas minimô.

Luc. Gramercy, lad; go forward, this contents;
The reft will comfort, for thy counsel's found.
Tra. Master, you look'd fo longly on the maid,

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]

Perhaps, you mark'd not what's the pith of all.
Luc. Oyes, I faw fweet 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 kifs'd the Cretan strand.

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

la

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

Tra. Nay, then it is time to ftir him from his trance. I pray, awake, Sir; if you love the maid,

Bend thoughts and wit t'atchieve her. Thus it ftands;
Her eldest fifter is fo curft and fhrewd,

That till the Father rids his hands of her,
Mafter, your love must live a Maid at home;
And therefore has he closely mew'd her up,
Because the fhall not be annoy'd with fuitors.

Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel Father's he!
But art not thou advis'd he took fome care
To get her cunning school-mafters t' inftruct her?
Tra. Ay, marry, am I, Sir; and now 'tis plotted.
Luc. I have it, Tranio.

Tra. Mafter, for my hand,

Both our inventions meet and jump in one.
Luc. Tell me thine first.

Tra. You will be fchool-mafter,

And undertake the teaching of the maid:
That's your device.

Luc. It is may it be done?

Tra. Not poffible: for who fhall bear your part, And be in Padua here Vincentio's fon,

Keep houfe, and ply his book, welcome his friends,

Vifit his countrymen, and banquet them?

Luc. Bafta ;-content thee; for I have it full.
We have not yet been seen in any house,

C 3

[ocr errors]

Nor

Nor can we be diftinguifh'd by our faces,
For man or mafter: then it follows thus.
Thou shalt be mafter, Tranio, in my ftead;;
Keep houfe, and * port, and fervants, as I fhould.
I will fome other be, fome Florentine,

Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa.

'Tis hatch'd, and fhall be fo: Tranio, at once;
Uncafe thee; take my colour'd hat and cloak.
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, good Sir, fith it your pleasure is, And I am tied to be obedient,

[ocr errors]

For fo your Father charg'd me at our parting;
(Be fervice.ble to my Son, quoth he),
Altho', I think, 'twas in another sense;
I am content to be Lucentio,

Because fo well I love Lucentio.

Luc. Tranio, be fo; because Lucentio loves;
And let me be a flave t'atchieve that Maid,
Whofe fudden fight hath thrall'd
my wounded

eye.

Enter Biondello.

Here comes the rogue. Sirrah, where have you been?
Bion. Where have I been? nay, how now, where
are you? mafter, has my fellow Tranio ftoll'n your
cloaths, or you ftoll'n his, or both? pray, what's thè
news?
Luc. Sirrah, come hither: 'tis no time to
jest;
And therefore frame your manners to the time.
Your fellow Tranio here, to fave my life,
Puts my apparel and my count'nance on,
And I for my efcape have put on his :
For in a quatrel, fince I came afhore,
I kill'd a man, and, fear, I am defcry'd:
Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes;
While I make way from hence to save my life,
Port, is figure, fhow, appearance.

You

You understand me?

Bion. Ay, Sir, ne'er a whit.

Luc. And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth; Tranio is chang'd into Lucentio.

Bion. The better for him: 'Would, I were fo too. Tra. So would I, i'faith, boy, to have the next wifh after; that Lucentio, indeed, had Baptifta's youngest daughter. But firrah, not for my fake, but your mafter's, I advife you, ufe your manners difcreetly in all kind of companies: when I am alone, why, then I am Tranio; but in all places elfe, your mafter Lucentio.

Luc. Tranio, let's go one thing more refts, that thyfelf execute, to make one among thefe wooers; if thou ask me why, fufficeth, my reasons are both good and weighty. [Exeunt.

SCENE V.

Before Hortenfio's Houfe, in Padua.

Enter Petruchio, and Grumio.)

Pet.

Erona, for a while I take my leave,

To see my friends in Padua ; but of all My best beloved and approved friend, Hortenfio; and, I trow, this is the houfe; Here, firrah, Grumio, knock, I fay.

Gru. Knock, Sir? whom fhould I knock? is there. any man has rebus'd your Worship?

Pet. Villain, I fay, knock me here foundly.
Gru. Knock you here, Sir? why, Sir, what am I
Sir,

[ocr errors]

That I fhould knock you here, Sir.

Pet. Villain, I fay, knock me at this gate,
And rap me well; or I'll knock your knave's pate.
Gru. My matter is grown quarrelfome: Ifhould
knock you first,

And then I know after, who comes by the worft.
C 4

Pet.

Pet. Will it not be?

Faith, firrah, an you'll not knock, I'll ring it,
I'll try how you can Sol, Fa, and fing it.

[He wrings him by the ears. Gru. Help, mafters, help; my mafter is mad. Pet. Now knock, when I bid you: Sirrah! Villain !

Enter Hortenfio.

Hor. How now, what's the matter? my old friend Grumio, and my good friend Petruchio! how do you all at Verona ?

Pet. Signior Hortenfio, come you to part the fray? Con tutto il Core, ben trovato, may I say.

1

Hor. Alla noftra Cafa ben venuto, molto honorato
Signor mio Petruchio.

Rife, Grumio, rife; we will compound this quarrel. Gru. Nay, 'tis no matter, what he, leges in Latin. If this be not a lawful caufe for me to leave his fervice, look you, Sir: he bid me knock him, and rap him foundly, Sir. Well, was it fit for a fervant to use his mafter fo, being, perhaps, for aught I fee, two and thirty, a pip out?

Whom, would to God, I had well knock'd at first,
Then had not Grumio come by the worst.
Pet. A fenfelefs villain !-

-Good Hortenfio,

I bid the rascal knock upon your gate,
And could not get him for my heart to do it.

Gru. Knock at the gate? O heavens! fpake you not these words plain? firrah, knock me here, rap me here, knock me well, and knock me foundly; and come you now with knocking at the gate?

Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you. Hor. Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge. Why, this is a heavy chance 'twixt him and you, Your ancient, trufty, pleasant servant Grumio; And tell me now, fweet friend, what happy Gale Blows you to Padua here, from old Kerana?

10%

[ocr errors]

Pet.

« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »