THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

Act 4 Scene 2

(Enter Tranio as Lucentio, and Hortensio as Licio)
l1l	Tranio	 Is ’t possible, friend Licio, that Mistress Bianca
l2l		Doth fancy any other but Lucentio?
l3l		I tell you, sir, she bears me fair in hand.
l4l	Hortensio	Sir, to satisfy you in what I have said,
l5l		Stand by, and mark the manner of his teaching.
		(They stand aside.)
l6l		Enter Bianca, and Lucentio as Cambio
	Lucentio	 Now, mistress, profit you in what you read?
l7l	Bianca	What, master, read you? First resolve me that.
l8l	Lucentio	I read that I profess, The Art to Love.
l9l	Bianca	And may you prove, sir, master of your art.
l10l	Lucentio	While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart.
		( 10 They stand aside)
l11l	Hortensio	 Quick proceeders, marry! Now tell me, I pray,
l12l		You that durst swear that your mistress Bianca
l13l		Loved none in the world so well as Lucentio.
l14l	Tranio	O despiteful love, unconstant womankind!
l15l		I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful.
l16l	Hortensio	Mistake no more, I am not Licio,
l17l		Nor a musician as I seem to be,
l18l		But one that scorn to live in this disguise
l19l		For such a one as leaves a gentleman
l20l		And makes a god of such a cullion.
l21l		Know, sir, that I am called Hortensio.
l22l	Tranio	Signor Hortensio, I have often heard
l23l		Of your entire affection to Bianca,
l24l		And since mine eyes are witness of her lightness
l25l		I will with you, if you be so contented,
l26l		Forswear Bianca and her love for ever.
l27l	Hortensio	See how they kiss and court. Signor Lucentio,
l28l		Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow
l29l		Never to woo her more, but do forswear her
l30l		As one unworthy all the former favours
l31l		That I have fondly flattered her withal.
l32l	Tranio	And here I take the like unfeignèd oath
l33l		Never to marry with her, though she would entreat.
l34l		Fie on her, see how beastly she doth court him!
l35l	Hortensio	Would all the world but he had quite forsworn.
l36l		For me, that I may surely keep mine oath
l37l		I will be married to a wealthy widow
l38l		Ere three days pass, which hath as long loved me
l39l		As I have loved this proud disdainful haggard.
l40l		And so farewell, Signor Lucentio.
l41l		Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks,
l42l		Shall win my love# and so I take my leave,
l43l		In resolution as I swore before.
		(Exit)
l44l	Tranio	 Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace
l45l		As ’longeth to a lover’s blessèd case.
l46l		Nay, I have ta’en you napping, gentle love,
l47l		And have forsworn you with Hortensio.
l48l	Bianca	Tranio, you jest. But have you both forsworn me?
l49l	Tranio	Mistress, we have.
	Lucentio	Then we are rid of Licio.
l50l	Tranio	I’ faith, he’ll have a lusty widow now,
l51l		That shall be wooed and wedded in a day.
l52l	Bianca	God give him joy.
l53l	Tranio	Ay, and he’ll tame her.
l54l	Bianca	He says so, Tranio.
l55l	Tranio	Faith, he is gone unto the taming-school.
l56l	Bianca	The taming-school—what, is there such a place?
l57l	Tranio	Ay, mistress, and Petruccio is the master,
l58l		That teacheth tricks eleven-and-twenty long
l59l		To tame a shrew and charm her chattering tongue.
		(Enter Biondello)
l60l	Biondello	 O, master, master, I have watched so long
l61l		That I am dog-weary, but at last I spied
l62l		An ancient angel coming down the hill
l63l		Will serve the turn.
	Tranio	What is he, Biondello?
l64l	Biondello	Master, a marcantant or a pedant,
l65l		I know not what, but formal in apparel,
l66l		In gait and countenance surely like a father.
l67l	Lucentio	And what of him, Tranio?
l68l	Tranio	If he be credulous and trust my tale,
l69l		I’ll make him glad to seem Vincentio
l70l		And give assurance to Baptista Minola
l71l		As if he were the right Vincentio.
l72l		Take in your love, and then let me alone.
		(Exeunt Lucentio and Bianca)
l73l		(Enter a Pedant)
		Pedant	 God save you, sir.
	Tranio	And you, sir. You are welcome.
l74l		Travel you farre on, or are you at the farthest?
l75l	Pedant	Sir, at the farthest for a week or two,
l76l		But then up farther and as far as Rome,
l77l		And so to Tripoli, if God lend me life.
l78l	Tranio	What countryman, I pray?
	Pedant	Of Mantua.
l79l	Tranio	Of Mantua, sir? Marry, God forbid,
l80l		And come to Padua careless of your life!
l81l	Pedant	My life, sir? How, I pray? For that goes hard.
l82l	Tranio	’Tis death for anyone in Mantua
l83l		To come to Padua. Know you not the cause?
l84l		Your ships are stayed at Venice, and the Duke,
l85l		For private quarrel ’twixt your Duke and him,
l86l		Hath published and proclaimed it openly.
l87l		’Tis marvel, but that you are but newly come,
l88l		You might have heard it else proclaimed about.
l89l	Pedant	Alas, sir, it is worse for me than so,
l90l		For I have bills for money by exchange
l91l		From Florence, and must here deliver them.
l92l	Tranio	Well, sir, to do you courtesy
l93l		This will I do, and this I will advise you.
l94l		First tell me, have you ever been at Pisa?
l95l	Pedant	Ay, sir, in Pisa have I often been,
l96l		Pisa renownèd for grave citizens.
l97l	Tranio	Among them know you one Vincentio?
l98l	Pedant	I know him not, but I have heard of him,
l99l		A merchant of incomparable wealth.
l100l	Tranio	He is my father, sir, and sooth to say,
l101l		In count’nance somewhat doth resemble you.
l102l	Biondello	(aside)
		 As much as an apple doth an oyster,
l103l		and all one.
l104l	Tranio	 To save your life in this extremity
l105l		This favour will I do you for his sake,
l106l		And think it not the worst of all your fortunes
l107l		That you are like to Sir Vincentio.
l108l		His name and credit shall you undertake,
l109l		And in my house you shall be friendly lodged.
l110l		Look that you take upon you as you should.
l111l		You understand me, sir? So shall you stay
l112l		Till you have done your business in the city.
l113l		If this be courtesy, sir, accept of it.
l114l	Pedant	O sir, I do, and will repute you ever
l115l		The patron of my life and liberty.
l116l	Tranio	Then go with me to make the matter good.
l117l		This, by the way, I let you understand—
l118l		My father is here looked for every day
l119l		To pass assurance of a dower in marriage
l120l		’Twixt me and one Baptista’s daughter here.
l121l		In all these circumstances I’ll instruct you.
l122l		Go with me to clothe you as becomes you.
		(Exeunt)