Katharina. I like it well; good Grumio, fetch it me. What say you to a piece of beef and mustard? Katharina. Then both, or one, or anything thou wilt. That feedest me with the very name of meat. Sorrow on thee and all the pack of you, That triumph thus upon my misery! Go, get thee gone, I say. Petruchio and Hortensio enter [L. 3] with food. Petruchio. How fares my Kate? Katharina. Faith, as cold as can be. Petruchio. Here love, thou see'st how diligent I am [To Grumio.] Here, take away this dish. Katharina. I pray you, let it stand. Petruchio. The poorest service is repaid with thanks, And so shall mine, before you touch the meat. Katharina. I thank you, sir. Hortensio. Signior Petruchio, fie! you are to blame. Come, Mistress Kate, I'll bear you company.2 1 Through all this again runs the superstition that "hot" foods fed Petruchio. [Aside.] Eat it up all, Hortensio, if thou lovest me. Much good may it do thy gentle heart! Kate, eat quickly. And now, my honey love, With silken coats and caps and golden rings, [A tailor appears at the door R. 2.] The tailor stays thy leisure, To deck thy body with his ruffling treasure. — The tailor enters. Come, tailor, let us see these ornaments; Lay forth the gown. A haberdasher appears in the doorway [R. 2]. What news with you, sir? Haberdasher. Here is the cap your worship did bespeak.2 A toy, a baby's cap. Away with it! come, let me have a bigger. Katharina. I'll have no bigger; this doth fit the time, Petruchio. When you are gentle, you shall have one too, Hortensio. [Aside.] That will not be in haste. 1 farthingales (fär'thing-galz): hooped skirts. 2 bespeak: order. 3 porringer: a mush dish, a dish for porridge. 4 În a very few places Petruchio speaks directly to Katharina, dropping the part he plays and letting her see him as himself; as much as to hint that he will drop the masquerade when he sees that she has conquered herself. Katharina. Why, sir, I trust I may have leave to speak; I love thee well, in that thou likest it not. But the haberdasher at a sign from Petruchio has already left the house [R. 1]. Petruchio. Thy gown? Why, ay.- Come, tailor, let us see't. O mercy, what's this? A sleeve? What, up and down, carved like an apple-tart1? Here's snip and nip and cut and slish and slash, — Hortensio. [Aside.] I see she's like to have neither cap nor gown. Tailor. You bid me make it According to the fashion and the time. More quaint, more pleasing, nor more commendable. Petruchio. Why, true; he means to make a puppet of thee. 1 carved like an apple-tart. "Slits" in sleeves, through which silk of another color showed, were the fashion in Shakespeare's time. 2 puppet: a tiny human figure made to play with. Petruchio. O monstrous arrogance! Thou liest, thou thread, thou thimble, Thou yard, three-quarters, half-yard, quarter, inch! Thou flea, thou nit, thou winter-cricket thou! I tell thee, I, that thou hast marred her gown. Just as my master had direction. Grumio gave order how it should be done. Grumio. I bid thy master cut out the gown, but I did not bid him cut it to pieces. Petruchio. Well, sir, in brief, the gown is not for me. [The tailor prepares to leave.] Grumio. You are in the right, sir; 'tis for my mistress. Petruchio. [Aside.] Hortensio, say thou wilt see the tailor paid. [To the Tailor.] Go take it hence; be gone, and say no more. Hortensio. [Aside.] Tailor, I'll pay thee for thy gown to morrow; Take no unkindness of his hasty words. Away! I say; commend me to thy master. [Exit Tailor R. 1.] Petruchio. Well, come, my Kate; we will unto your father's Our purses shall be proud, our garments poor; Katharina. I dare assure you, sir, 'tis almost two; I will not go today, and ere I do, It shall be what o'clock I say it is. Hortensio. [Aside.] Why, so Petruchio will command the sun. [They go back L. 2 to another room.] SETTING IV The road Episode 8 [Enter Petruchio, Katharina, Hortensio, and Grumio, L., dressed for the journey.] Petruchio. Come on, i' God's name; once more toward our father's. [They leave the house.] Good Lord, how bright and goodly shines the moon! Katharina. The moon! the sun. It is not moonlight now. Evermore crossed and crossed: nothing but crossed! Katharina. Forward, I pray, since we have come so far, Petruchio. I say it is the moon. |