Pet. First kiss me, Kate, and we will. Kath. Nay, I will give thee a kiss: now pray thee, love, stay. Pet. Is not this well? Come, my sweet Kate, Better once than never, for never too late. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Room in LUCENTIO'S House. A Banquet set out; enter BAPTISTA, VINCENTIO, GREMIO, the Pedant, LUCENTIO, BIANCA, PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, HORTENSIO, and Widow TRANIO, BIONDELLO, GRUMIO, and others, attending. Luc. At last, though long, our jarring notes agree; And time it is, when raging war is done, To smile at 'scapes and perils overblown. — While I with selfsame kindness welcome thine. -- And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow, The banquet here, as in other places of Shakespeare, was a refection similar to our modern dessert, consisting of cakes, sweetmeats, fruits, &c. According to Baret," banketting dishes brought at the end of meales were junkettes, tartes, marchpanes." from the same authority it appears that a banquet and a feast were a so then synonymous, and the word is often used by Shakespeare E that sense also. Yet After our great good cheer. Pray you, sit down; For now we sit to chat, as well as eat. [They sit at table. Pet. Nothing but sit and sit, and eat and eat! Bap. Padua affords this kindness, son Petruchio. Pet. Padua affords nothing but what is kind. Hor. For both our sakes, I would that word were true. Pet. Now, for my life, Hortensio fears his widow. sense: I mean, Hortensio is afeard of you. Wid. He that is giddy thinks the world turns round. Pet. Roundly replied. Kath. Mistress, how mean you that? Wid. Thus I conceive by him. Pet. Conceives by me! How likes Hortensio that? Hor. My widow says, thus she conceives her tale. Pet. Very well mended: Kiss him for that, good widow. Kath. He that is giddy thinks the world turns I pray you, tell me what you meant by that. Wid. Your husband, being troubled with a shrew, Measures my husband's sorrow by his woe: And now you know my meaning. Kath. A very mean meaning. Wid. Right, I mean you Kath. And I am mean indeed, respecting you. Pet. To her, Kate! Hor. To her, widow! Pet. A hundred marks, my Kate does put her down. Hor. That's my office. Pet. Spoke like an officer: Ha' to thee, lad. [Drinks to HORTENSIO Bap. How likes Gremio these quick-witted folks? Gre. Believe me, sir, they butt together well. Bian. Head and butt? an hasty-witted body Would say your head and butt were head and horn. Vin. Ay, mistress bride, hath that awaken'd you? Bian. Ay, but not frighted me; therefore I'll sleep again. Pet. Nay, that you shall not; since you have begun, Have at you for a bitter2 jest or two. Bian. Am I your bird? I mean to shift my bush, And then pursue me as you draw your bow. — You are welcome all. [Exeunt BIAN., KATH., and Widow. Here, signior Pet. She hath prevented me. Tranio; This bird you aim'd at, though you hit her not: Tra. O sir! Lucentio slipp'd me like his grey hound, Which runs himself, and catches for his master. Pet. A good swift simile, but something currish Tra. "Tis well, sir, that you hunted for yourself: "Tis thought, your deer does hold you at a bay. Bap. O ho! Petruchio, Tranio hits you now. Luc. I thank thee for that gird, good Tranio. Hor. Confess, confess, hath he not hit you here? Pet. 'A has a little gall'd me, I confess; The old copy reads better. The emendation is Capell's. 3 Beside the orig nal sense of speedy in motion, swift signified witty, quick-witted. So in As You Like It, the Duke says of the clown, "He is very swift and sententious." And, as the jest did glance away from me, "Tis ten to one it maim'd you two outright. Bap. Now, in good sadness, son Petruchio, I think thou hast the veriest shrew of all. Pet. Well, I say no; and therefore, for assurance Let's each one send unto his wife; And he, whose wife is most obedient To come at first when he doth send for her, Luc. Pet. Twenty crowns! Twenty crowns I'll venture so much of my hawk, or hound, Luc. A hundred, then. Hor. Pet. Hor. Who shall begin? Luc. That will I. Content. A match! 'tis done. Go, Biondello, bid your mistress come to me. Bion. I go. [Exit. Bap. Son, I will be your half, Bianca comes. Luc. I'll have no halves; I'll bear it all myself Re-enter BIONDELLO. How now! what news? Bion. Sir, my mistress sends you word That she is busy, and she cannot come. Pet. How! she is busy, and she cannot come! Is that an answer? Gre. Ay, and a kind one, too: Pray God, sir, your wife send you not a worse. Pet. I hope better. Hor. Sirrah, Biondello, go, and entreat my wife To come to me forthwith. [Exit BION Pet. O ho! entreat her! Nay, then she must needs come. Ho I am afraid, sir, Do what you can, yours will not be entreated. Re-enter BIONDELLC Now, where's my wife? Bion. She says you have some goodly jest in hand; She will not come: she bids you come to her. Pet. Worse and worse: she will not come! O vile, Intolerable, not to be endur'd! Sirrah, Grumio, go to your mistress; Say, I command her come to me. [Exit GRUMIO. Hor. I know her answer. Pet. What? Hor. She will not. Pet. The fouler fortune mine, and there an end Enter KATHARINA. Bap. Now, by my holidom, here comes Katharina ! Kath. What is your will, sir, that you send for me? Pet. Where is your sister, and Hortensio's wife? Kath. They sit conferring by the parlour fire. Pet. Go, fetch them hither: if they deny to come, Swinge me them soundly forth unto their husbands. Away, I say, and bring them hither straight. [Exit KATHARINA. Luc. Here is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder. An awful rule, and right supremacy; And, to be short, what not that's sweet and happy. Bap. Now fair befall thee, good Petruchio! |