Padua. Before LUCENTIO’S house.
[GREMIO discovered. Enter
behind BIONDELLO,
LUCENTIO, and BIANCA]
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 o’ 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 PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA,
VINCENTIO, GRUMIO, with Attendants]
PETRUCHIO
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.
[Knocks]
GREMIO
They’re busy within; you were best knock louder.
[Pedant looks out of the window]
Pedant
What’s he that knocks as he would beat down the gate?
VINCENTIO Is Signior 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.
PETRUCHIO Nay, I told you your son was well beloved in Padua.
Do you hear, sir? To leave frivolous circumstances,
I pray you, tell Signior 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.
PETRUCHIO [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.
[Re-enter BIONDELLO]
BIONDELLO 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 [Seeing BIONDELLO]
Come hither, crack-hemp.
BIONDELLO 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.
[Beats BIONDELLO]
BIONDELLO Help, help, help! here’s a
madman will murder me.
[Exit]
Pedant Help, son! help, Signior Baptista!
[Exit from above]
PETRUCHIO Prithee, Kate, let’s stand aside and
see the end of this controversy.
[They retire]
[Re-enter Pedant below; TRANIO,
BAPTISTA, and Servants]
TRANIO 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 copatain 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,
Signior 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 one with an Officer]
Carry this mad knave to the gaol. Father Baptista,
I charge you see that he be forthcoming.
VINCENTIO Carry me to the gaol!
GREMIO Stay, officer: he shall not go to prison.
BAPTISTA Talk not, Signior Gremio:
I say he shall go to prison.
GREMIO Take heed, Signior Baptista, lest you be
cony-catched in this business: I dare swear this
is the right Vincentio.
Pedant Swear, if thou darest.
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 Signior Lucentio.
BAPTISTA
Away with the dotard! to the gaol with him!
VINCENTIO Thus strangers may be hailed and abused:
O monstrous villain!
[Re-enter BIONDELLO, with
LUCENTIO and BIANCA]
BIONDELLO O! we are spoiled and–yonder he is:
deny him, forswear him, or else we are all undone.
LUCENTIO [Kneeling] Pardon, sweet father.
VINCENTIO Lives my sweet son?
[Exeunt BIONDELLO, TRANIO, and
Pedant, as fast as may be]
BIANCA 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 gaol.
BAPTISTA But do you hear, sir? have you married
my daughter without asking my good will?
VINCENTIO Fear not, Baptista; we will content you,
go to: but I will in, to be revenged for this villany.
[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]
KATHARINA Husband,
let’s follow, to see the end of this ado.
PETRUCHIO First kiss me, Kate, and we will.
KATHARINA What, in the midst of the street?
PETRUCHIO What, art thou ashamed of me?
KATHARINA No, sir, God forbid; but ashamed to kiss.
PETRUCHIO Why,
then let’s home again. Come, sirrah, let’s away.
KATHARINA Nay, I will give thee a kiss:
now pray thee, love, stay.
PETRUCHIO Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate:
Better once than never, for never too late.
[Exeunt]
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