William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (39 page)

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Authors: William Shakespeare

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PETRUCCIO

What is his name?

VINCENTIO Lucentio, gentle sir.

PETRUCCIO

Happily met, the happier for thy son.
And now by law as well as reverend age
I may entitle thee my loving father.
The sister to my wife, this gentlewoman,
Thy son by this hath married. Wonder not,
Nor be not grieved. She is of good esteem,
Her dowry wealthy, and of worthy birth,
Beside, so qualified as may beseem
The spouse of any noble gentleman.
Let me embrace with old Vincentio,
And wander we to see thy honest son,
Who will of thy arrival be full joyous.

He embraces Vincentio

VINCENTIO

But is this true, or is it else your pleasure
Like pleasant travellers to break a jest
Upon the company you overtake?

HORTENSIO

I do assure thee, father, so it is.

PETRUCCIO

Come, go along, and see the truth hereof,
For our first merriment hath made thee jealous.

Exeunt all but Hortensio

HORTENSIO

Well, Petruccio, this has put me in heart.
Have to my widow, and if she be froward,
Then hast thou taught Hortensio to be untoward.

Exit

5.1
Enter Biondello, Lucentio, and Bianca. Gremio is out before

BIONDELLO Softly and swiftly, sir, for the priest is ready.

LUCENTIO I fly, Biondello; but they may chance to need thee at home, therefore leave us.

BIONDELLO Nay, faith, I’ll see the church a’ your back and then come back to my master’s as soon as I can.

Exeunt Lucentio, Bianca, and Biondello

GREMIO

I marvel Cambio comes not all this while.

Enter Petruccio, Katherine, Vincentio, Grumio, with attendants

PETRUCCIO

Sir, here’s the door. This is Lucentio’s house.
My father’s bears more toward the market-place.
Thither must I, and here I leave you, sir.

VINCENTIO

You shall not choose but drink before you go.
I think I shall command your welcome here,
And by all likelihood some cheer is toward.

He knocks

GREMIO They’re busy within. You were best knock louder.

Vincentio knocks again. The Pedant looks out of the window

PEDANT What’s he that knocks as he would beat down the gate?

VINCENTIO Is Signor Lucentio within, sir?

PEDANT He’s within, sir, but not to be spoken withal.

VINCENTIO What if a man bring him a hundred pound or two to make merry withal?

PEDANT Keep your hundred pounds to yourself. He shall need none so long as I live.

PETRUCCIO (
to Vincentio
) Nay, I told you your son was well beloved in Padua. (
To the Pedant
) Do you hear, sir, to leave frivolous circumstances, I pray you tell Signor Lucentio that his father is come from Pisa and is here at the door to speak with him.

PEDANT Thou liest. His father is come from Padua and here looking out at the window.

VINCENTIO Art thou his father?

PEDANT Ay, sir, so his mother says, if I may believe her.

PETRUCCIO (
to Vincentio
) Why, how now, gentleman?Why, this is flat knavery, to take upon you another man’s name.

PEDANT Lay hands on the villain. I believe a means to cozen somebody in this city under my countenance.

Enter Biondello

BIONDELLO
(aside)
I have seen them in the church together, God send ’em good shipping. But who is here? Mine old master, Vincentio—now we are undone and brought to nothing.

VINCENTIO
(to Biondello)
Come hither, crackhemp.

BIONDELLO I hope I may choose, sir.

VINCENTIO Come hither, you rogue. What, have you forgot me?

BIONDELLO Forgot you? No, sir, I could not forget you, for I never saw you before in all my life.

VINCENTIO What, you notorious villain, didst thou never see thy master’s father, Vincentio?

BIONDELLO What, my old worshipful old master? Yes, marry, sir, see where he looks out of the window.

VINCENTIO Is’t so indeed?

He beats Biondello

BIONDELLO Help, help, help! Here’s a madman will murder me.

Exit

PEDANT Help, son! Help, Signor Baptista!

Exit above

PETRUCCIO Prithee, Kate, let’s stand aside and see the end of this controversy.

They stand aside.
Enter Pedant with servants,
Baptista,
Tranio
as Lucentio

TRANIO (
to Vincentio
) Sir, what are you that offer to beat my servant?

VINCENTIO What am I, sir? Nay, what are you, sir? O immortal gods, O fine villain, a silken doublet, a velvet hose, a scarlet cloak, and a copintank hat—O, I am undone, I am undone! While I play the good husband at home, my son and my servant spend all at the university.

TRANIO How now, what’s the matter?

BAPTISTA What, is the man lunatic?

TRANIO Sir, you seem a sober, ancient gentleman by your habit, but your words show you a madman. Why sir, what ‘cerns it you if I wear pearl and gold? I thank my good father, I am able to maintain it.

VINCENTIO Thy father! O villain, he is a sailmaker in Bergamo.

BAPTISTA You mistake, sir, you mistake, sir. Pray what do you think is his name?

VINCENTIO His name? As if I knew not his name—I have brought him up ever since he was three years old, and his name is Tranio.

PEDANT Away, away, mad ass. His name is Lucentio, and he is mine only son, and heir to the lands of me, Signor Vincentio.

VINCENTIO Lucentio? O, he hath murdered his master! Lay hold on him, I charge you, in the Duke’s name. O my son, my son! Tell me, thou villain, where is my son Lucentio?

TRANIO Call forth an officer.

Enter an Officer

Carry this mad knave to the jail. Father Baptista, I
charge you see that he be forthcoming.

VINCENTIO Carry me to the jail?

GREMIO Stay, officer, he shall not go to prison.

BAPTISTA Talk not, Signor Gremio. I say he shall go to prison.

GREMIO Take heed, Signor Baptista, lest you be cony-catched in this business. I dare swear this is the right Vincentio.

PEDANT Swear if thou dar’st.

GREMIO Nay, I dare not swear it.

TRANIO Then thou wert best say that I am not Lucentio.

GREMIO Yes, I know thee to be Signor Lucentio.

BAPTISTA Away with the dotard. To the jail with him.

Enter Biondello, Lucentio, and Bianca

VINCENTIO Thus strangers may be haled and abused. O monstrous villain!

BIONDELLO O, we are spoiled and—yonder he is. Deny him, forswear him, or else we are all undone.

Exeunt Biondello, Tranio, and Pedant, as fast as may be

LUCENTIO (
to Vincentio
) Pardon, sweet father.

He kneels

VINCENTIO Lives my sweet son?

BIANCA (
to Baptista)
Pardon, dear father.

BAPTISTA

How hast thou offended? Where is Lucentio?

LUCENTIO

Here’s Lucentio, right son to the right Vincentio,
That have by marriage made thy daughter mine,
While counterfeit supposes bleared thine eyne.

GREMIO

Here’s packing with a witness, to deceive us all.

VINCENTIO

Where is that damned villain Tranio,
That faced and braved me in this matter so?

BAPTISTA

Why, tell me, is not this my Cambio?

BIANCA

Cambio is changed into Lucentio.

LUCENTIO

Love wrought these miracles. Bianca’s love
Made me exchange my state with Tranio
While he did bear my countenance in the town,
And happily I have arrived at the last
Unto the wished haven of my bliss.
What Tranio did, myself enforced him to.
Then pardon him, sweet father, for my sake.

VINCENTIO I’ll slit the villain’s nose that would have sent me to the jail.

BAPTISTA But do you hear, sir, have you married my daughter without asking my good will? 125

VINCENTIO Fear not, Baptista. We will content you. Go to, but I will in to be revenged for this villainy.

Exit

BAPTISTA And I to sound the depth of this knavery. Exit

LUCENTIO Look not pale, Bianca. Thy father will not frown.

Exeunt Lucentio and Bianca

GREMIO

My cake is dough, but I’ll in among the rest,
Out of hope of all but my share of the feast.

Exit

KATHERINE (
coming forward
) Husband, let’s follow to see the end of this ado.

PETRUCCIO First kiss me, Kate, and we will.

KATHERINE What, in the midst of the street?

PETRUCCIO What, art thou ashamed of me?

KATHERINE No, sir, God forbid; but ashamed to kiss.

PETRUCCIO

Why then, let’s home again. Come sirrah, let’s away.

KATHERINE

Nay, I will give thee a kiss. Now pray thee love, stay.
They kiss

PETRUCCIO

Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate.
Better once than never, for never too late.

Exeunt

5.2
Enter Baptista, Vincentio
,
Gremio, the Pedant
,
Lucentio and Bianca,
Petruccio,
Katherine,
and
Hortensio, Tranio, Biondello,
Grumio,
and
the
Widow, the servingmen with Tranio bringing in a
banquet

LUCENTIO

At last, though long, our jarring notes agree,
And time it is when raging war is done
To smile at scapes and perils overblown.
My fair Bianca, bid my father welcome,
While I with selfsame kindness welcome thine.
Brother Petruccio, sister Katherina,
And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow,
Feast with the best, and welcome to my house.
My banquet is to close our stomachs up
After our great good cheer. Pray you, sit down,
For now we sit to chat as well as eat.