And she to him, to stay him not too long
I am content in a good father’s care
To have him matched, and if you please to like
No worse than I, upon some agreement
Me shall you find ready and willing
With one consent to have her so bestowed,
For curious I cannot be with you,
Signor Baptista, of whom I hear so well.
BAPTISTA
Sir, pardon me in what I have to say.
Your plainness and your shortness please me well.
Right true it is your son Lucentio here
Doth love my daughter, and she loveth him,
Or both dissemble deeply their affections.
And therefore if you say no more than this,
That like a father you will deal with him
And pass my daughter a sufficient dower,
The match is made, and all is done.
Your son shall have my daughter with consent.
TRANIO
I thank you, sir. Where then do you know best
We be affied, and such assurance ta’en
As shall with either part’s agreement stand?
BAPTISTA
Not in my house, Lucentio, for you know
Pitchers have ears, and I have many servants.
Besides, old Gremio is heark’ning still,
And happily we might be interrupted.
TRANIO
Then at my lodging, an it like you.
There doth my father lie, and there this night
We’ll pass the business privately and well.
Send for your daughter by your servant here.
My boy shall fetch the scrivener presently.
The worst is this, that at so slender warning
You are like to have a thin and slender pittance.
BAPTISTA
It likes me well. Cambio, hie you home
And bid Bianca make her ready straight,
And if you will, tell what hath happened—
Lucentio’s father is arrived in Padua—
And how she’s like to be Lucentio’s wife.
BIONDELLO
I pray the gods she may with all my heart.
TRANIO
Dally not with the gods, but get thee gone.
Signor Baptista, shall I lead the way?
Welcome. One mess is like to be your cheer.
Come, sir, we will better it in Pisa.
BAPTISTA I follow you.
Exeunt
4.5 Enter Lucentio and Biondello
BIONDELLO Cambio.
LUCENTIO What sayst thou, Biondello?
BIONDELLO You saw my master wink and laugh upon you?
LUCENTIO Biondello, what of that?
BIONDELLO Faith, nothing, but he’s left me here behind to expound the meaning or moral of his signs and tokens.
LUCENTIO I pray thee, moralize them.
BIONDELLO Then thus: Baptista is safe, talking with the deceiving father of a deceitful son.
LUCENTIO And what of him?
BIONDELLO His daughter is to be brought by you to the supper.
LUCENTIO And then?
BIONDELLO The old priest at Saint Luke’s church is at your command at all hours.
LUCENTIO And what of all this?
BIONDELLO I cannot tell, except they are busied about a counterfeit assurance. Take you assurance of her cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum—to th’ church take the priest, clerk, and some sufficient honest witnesses. If this be not that you look for, I have no more to say, But bid Bianca farewell for ever and a day.
LUCENTIO Hear’st thou, Biondello?
BIONDELLO I cannot tarry, I knew a wench married in an afternoon as she went to the garden for parsley to stuff a rabbit, and so may you, sir, and so adieu, sir. My master hath appointed me to go to Saint Luke’s to bid the priest be ready t’attend against you come with your appendix. Exit
LUCENTIO
I may and will, if she be so contented.
She will be pleased, then wherefore should I doubt?
Hap what hap may, I’ll roundly go about her.
It shall go hard if Cambio go without her.
Exit
4.6 Enter Petruccio, Katherine, Hortensio, and servants
PETRUCCIO
Come on, i’ God’s name. Once more toward our father’s.
Good Lord, how bright and goodly shines the moon!
KATHERINE
The moon?—the sun. It is not moonlight now.
PETRUCCIO
I say it is the moon that shines so bright.
KATHERINE
I know it is the sun that shines so bright. 5
PETRUCCIO
Now, by my mother’s son—and that’s myself—
It shall be moon, or star, or what I list
Or ere I journey to your father’s house.
Go on, and fetch our horses back again.
Evermore crossed and crossed, nothing but crossed.
HORTENSIO (to Katherine)
Say as he says or we shall never go.
KATHERINE
Forward, I pray, since we have come so far,
And be it moon or sun or what you please,
And if you please to call it a rush-candle
Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me.
PETRUCCIO
I say it is the moon.
KATHERINE
I know it is the moon.
PETRUCCIO
Nay then you lie, it is the blessed sun.
KATHERINE
Then God be blessed, it is the blessèd sun,
But sun it is not when you say it is not,
And the moon changes even as your mind.
What you will have it named, even that it is,
And so it shall be still for Katherine.
HORTENSIO
Petruccio, go thy ways. The field is won.
PETRUCCIO
Well, forward, forward. Thus the bowl should run,
And not unluckily against the bias.
But soft, company is coming here.
Enter old Vincentio
(To Vincentio) Good morrow, gentle mistress, where
away?
Tell me, sweet Kate, and tell me truly too,
Hast thou beheld a fresher gentlewoman,
Such war of white and red within her cheeks?
What stars do spangle heaven with such beauty