William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition

And undertake the teaching of the maid.

That’s your device.

LUCENTIO

It is. May it be done?

TRANIO

Not possible; for who shall bear your part,

And be in Padua here Vincentio’s son,

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

Visit his countrymen, and banquet them?

LUCENTIO

Basta, content thee, for I have it full.

We have not yet been seen in any house,

Nor can we be distinguished by our faces

For man or master. Then it follows thus:

Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead;

Keep house, and port, and servants, as I should.

I will some other be, some Florentine,

Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa.

Tis hatched, and shall be so. Tranio, at once

Uncase thee. Take my coloured hat and cloak.

When Biondello comes he waits on thee,

But I will charm him first to keep his tongue.

TRANIO So had you need.

[They exchange clothes]

In brief, sir, sith it your pleasure is,

And I am tied to be obedient—

For so your father charged me at our parting,

‘Be serviceable to my son,’ quoth he,

Although I think ’twas in another sense—

I am content to be Lucentio

Because so well I love Lucentio.

LUCENTIO

Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves,

And let me be a slave t’achieve that maid

Whose sudden sight hath thralled my wounded eye.

Enter Biondello

Here comes the rogue. Sirrah, where have you been?

BIONDELLO Where have I been? Nay, how now, where are you? Master, has my fellow Tranio stolen your clothes, or you stolen his, or both? Pray, what’s the news?

LUCENTIO

Sirrah, come hither. ‘Tis no time to jest,

And therefore frame your ma

Your fellow Tranio here, to save my life

Puts my apparel and my count’nance on,

And I for my escape have put on his,

For in a quarrel since I came ashore

I killed a man, and fear I was descried.

Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes,

While I make way from hence to save my life.

You understand me?

BIONDELLO I sir? Ne’er a whit.

LUCENTIO

And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth.

Tranio is changed into Lucentio.

BIONDELLO

The better for him. Would I were so too.

TRANIO

So could I, faith, boy, to have the next wish after—

That Lucentio indeed had Baptista’s youngest

daughter.

But sirrah, not for my sake but your master’s I advise

You use your ma

companies.

When I am alone, why then I am Tranio,

But in all places else your master, Lucentio.

LUCENTIO Tranio, let’s go.

One thing more rests that thyself execute—

To make one among these wooers. If thou ask me

why,

Sufficeth my reasons are both good and weighty.

Exeunt

The presenters above speak

FIRST SERVINGMAN

My lord, you nod. You do not mind the play.

SLY Yes, by Saint A

BARTHOLOMEW My lord, ’tis but begun.

SLY ‘Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam lady. Would ’twere done.

They sit and mark

1.2 Enter Petruccio and his man, Grumio

PETRUCCIO

Verona, for a while I take my leave

To see my friends in Padua; but of all

My best-beloved and approved friend

Hortensio, and I trow this is his house.

Here, sirrah Grumio, knock, I say.

GRUMIO Knock, sir? Whom should I knock? Is there any man has rebused your worship?

PETRUCCIO Villain, I say, knock me here soundly.

GRUMIO Knock you here, sir? Why, sir, what am I, sir, that I should knock you here, sir?

PETRUCCIO

Villain, I say, knock me at this gate,

And rap me well or I’ll knock your knave’s pate.

GRUMIO

My master is grown quarrelsome. I should knock you

first,

And then I know after who comes by the worst.

PETRUCCIO Will it not be?

Faith, sirrah, an you’ll not knock, I’ll ring it.

I’ll try how you can sol-fa and sing it.

He wrings him by the ears. [Grumio kneels]

GRUMIO Help, masters, help! My master is mad.

PETRUCCIO Now knock when I bid you, sirrah villain.

Enter Hortensio

HORTENSIO How now, what’s the matter? My old friend Grumio and my good friend Petruccio ? How do you all at Verona?

PETRUCCIO

Signor Hortensio, come you to part the fray?

Con tutto il cuore ben trovato, may I say.

HORTENSIO Alla nostra casa ben venuto, molto onorato signor mio Petruccio. Rise, Grumio, rise. We will compound this quarrel.

Grumio rises

GRUMIO Nay, ‘tis no matter, sir, what he ’leges in Latin. If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave his service-look you, sir: he bid me knock him and rap him soundly, sir. Well, was it fit for a servant to use his master so, being perhaps, for aught I see, two-and-thirty, a pip out? Whom would to God I had well knocked at first, Then had not Grumio come by the worst.

PETRUCCIO

A senseless villain. Good Hortensio,

I bade the rascal knock upon your gate,

And could not get him for my heart to do it.

GRUMIO Knock at the gate? O heavens, spake you not these words plain? ‘Sirrah, knock me here, rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly’ ? And come you now with knocking at the gate?

PETRUCCIO

Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you.

HORTENSIO

Petruccio, patience. I am Grumio’s pledge.

Why this’ a heavy chance ’twixt him and you,

Your ancient, trusty, pleasant servant Grumio.

And tell me now, sweet friend, what happy gale

Blows you to Padua here from old Verona ?

PETRUCCIO

Such wind as scatters young men through the world