ACT II. SCENE I. The same. A Room in Baptista's House. Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA. Bianca. SOOD sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself, To make a bondmaid and a slave of me; That I disdain: but for these other gawds1, Unbind my hands, I'll put them off myself, Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat; Or, what you will command me, will I do, So well I know my duty to my elders. Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell Whom thou lov'st best: see thou dissemble not. Bian. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive, I never yet beheld that special face Which I could fancy more than any other. Kath. Minion, thou liest; Is't not Hortensio? Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so? Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so. Gawds, i. e. toys, trifling ornaments. The old copy reads goods. The correction is by Theobald. In the next line pull is printed or put. Love. Enter BAPTISTA. Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence this insolence? grows Bianca, stand aside :-poor girl! she weeps:- Kath. Her silence flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd. [Flies after BIANCA. Bap. What, in my sight!-Bianca, get thee in. [Exit BIANCA. Kath. What! will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see She is your treasure, she must have a husband; And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell*. go [Exit KATHARINA. Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd as I? But who comes here? Enter GREMIO, with LUCENTIO in the habit of a mean man; PETRUCHIO, with HORTENSIO as a Musician; and TRANIO, with BIONDELLO bearing a Lute and Books. Gre. Good-morrow, neighbour Baptista. Bap. Good-morrow, neighbour Gremio: God save you, gentlemen! 3 A hilding from hyldan, to crouch, signified a base low wretch: it is applied to Katharina for the coarseness of her behaviour. Lead apes in hell. The origin of this very old proverbial phrase is not known. Steevens suggests that it might have been considered an act of posthumous retribution for women who refused to bear children, to be condemned to the care of apes in leading strings after death. Pet. And you, good sir! Pray, have daughter Call'd Katharina, fair and virtuous ? Bap. I have a daughter, sir, call'd Katharina. Pet. You wrong me, Signior Gremio: give me leave. I am a gentleman of Verona, sir, That, hearing of her beauty and her wit, Her wondrous qualities, and mild behaviour,— Within your house, to make mine eye the witness [Presenting HORTENSIO. Bap. You're welcome, sir; and he, for your good sake: But for my daughter Katharine,—this I know, Bap. Mistake me not, I speak but as I find. name your Pet. Petruchio is my name; Antonio's son, A man well known throughout all Italy. ? I know him wella: you are welcome for his ake. ps we should read, "I knew him well," but Baptista upposed not to know that Petruchio's father is dead. on p. 156. Gre. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray, Let us, that are poor petitioners, speak too: Backare5! you are marvellous forward. Pet. O, pardon me, Signior Gremio; I would fain be doing. Gre. I doubt it not, sir; but you wooing. will curse your Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholding to you than any, Ia freely give unto you this young scholar [presenting LUCENTIO], that hath been long studying at Rheims; as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in musick and mathematicks: his name is Cambio; pray, accept his service. Bap. A thousand thanks, Signior Gremio: welcome, good Cambio. But, gentle sir [to TRANIO], methinks you walk like a stranger; May I be so bold to know the cause of your coming? Tra. Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own; That, being a stranger in this city here, Do make myself a suitor to your daughter, Unto Bianca, fair and virtuous. Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me, In the preferment of the eldest sister: That, upon knowledge of my parentage, I may have welcome 'mongst the rest that woo, And free access and favour as the rest. And toward the education of your daughters, 5 Backare, a cant word meaning go back, in allusion to a proverbial saying, " Backare, quoth Mortimer to his sow." Probably made in ridicule of some ignorant fellow who affected a knowledge of Latin without having it, and produced his Latinized English instead. a The folio omits I, and just above has neighbours instead of neighbour. And this small packet of Greek and Latin books: Bap. A mighty man of Pisa, by report I know him well: you are very welcome, sir.— Take you [to HOR.] the lute, and you [to Luc.] the set of books, You shall go see your pupils presently. Holla, within! Sirrah, lead Enter a Servant. These gentlemen to my daughters: and tell them both, These are their tutors; bid them use them well. [Exit Servant, with HORTENSIO, LUCENTIO, and BIONDello. We will go walk a little in the orchard, And then to dinner: You are passing welcome, Pet. Signior Baptista, my business asketh haste, And every day I cannot come to woo. You knew my father well; and in him, me, lands: In the reign of Elizabeth the young ladies of quality were usually instructed in the learned languages, if any pains were bestowed upon their minds at all. The queen herself, Lady Jane and her sisters, &c. are trite instances. This must be understood as meaning, I know well who he is. fore, Baptista says the same of Petruchio's father, who is sed to have died before the commencement of the play. |