And do as adversaries do in law,- Gru. Bion. O excellent motion! Fellows, let's begone. Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so; Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. The same. A Room in Baptista's House. Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA. Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself, To make a bondmaid and a slave of me; Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell 1- as adversaries do in law,] By adversaries in law, I believe, our author means not suitors, but barristers, who, however warm in their opposition to each other in the courts of law, live in greater harmony and friendship in private, than perhaps those of any other of the liberal professions. Their clients seldom " eat and drink with their adversaries as friends." MALONE. Fellows, let's begone.] Fellows means fellow-servants. Grumio and Biondello address each other, and also the disguised Lucentio. MALONE. I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him. Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so? Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so. Enter BAPTISTA. [Strikes her. Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this insolence? Bianca, stand aside;-poor girl! she weeps :- Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee? When did she cross thee with a bitter word? 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. Will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see, She is your treasure, she must have a husband; I must dance bare-foot on her wedding-day, And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell.1 -hilding-] The word hilding or hinderling, is a low wretch; it is applied to Katharine for the coarseness of her behaviour. JOHNSON. 1 And, for your love to her, lead upes in hell.] " To lead apes" was in our author's time, as at present, one of the employments of a bear-herd, who often carries about one of those animals along with his bear: but I know not how this phrase came to be applied to old maids. MALONE. That women who refused to bear children, should, after death, be condemned to the care of apes in leading-strings, might have been considered as an act of posthumous retribution. STEEVENS, 1 Talk not to me; I will go sit and weep, [Exit KATHARINA. Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd as I? 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! Pet. And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a 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, Within your house, to make mine eye the wit ness Of that report which I so oft have heard. [Presenting HORTENSIO. Cunning in musick, and the mathematicks, Bap. You're welcome, sir; and he, for your good sake: But for my daughter Katharine, this I know, Pet. I see, you do not mean to part with her; Or else you like not of my company. Bap. Mistake me not, I speak but as I find. Whence are you, sir? what may I call your name? Pet. Petruchio is my name; Antonio's son, A man well known throughout all Italy. Bap. I know him well: you are welcome for his sake. Gre. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray, Let us, that are poor petitioners, speak too: Baccare! you are marvellous forward. Pet. O, pardon me, signior Gremio; I would fain be doing. Gre. I doubt it not, sir; but you will curse your wooing. Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholden to you than any, I 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, 2 Baccare!] A proverbial word, meaning stand back, or give place. Unto Bianca, fair, and virtuous. Bap. Lucentio is your name? of whence, I pray? Tra. Of Pisa, sir; son to Vincentio. I know him well: you are very welcome, sir.- the set of books, You shall go see your pupils presently. 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, Pet. Signior Baptista, my business asketh haste, - this small packet of Greek and Latin books:] In queen Elizabeth's time the young ladies of quality were usually instructed in the learned languages, if any pains were bestowed on their minds at all. Lady Jane Grey and her sisters, Queen Elizabeth, &c. are trite instances. PERCY. |