Read The Taming of the Shrew for Free Online

oftentimes he goes but mean-apparelled 66 .
    BAPTISTA     I am glad he’s come, howsoe’er he comes.
    BIONDELLO     Why, sir, he comes not.
    BAPTISTA     Didst thou not say he comes?
    BIONDELLO     Who? That Petruchio came?
    BAPTISTA     Ay, that Petruchio came.
    BIONDELLO     No, sir, I say his horse comes, with him on his back.
    BAPTISTA     Why, that’s all one.
    BIONDELLO     Nay, by Saint Jamy 74 ,
    I hold 75 you a penny,
    A horse and a man
    Is more than one,
    And yet not many.
    Enter Petruchio and Grumio
    PETRUCHIO     Come, where be these gallants 79 ? Who’s at home?
    BAPTISTA     You are welcome, sir.
    PETRUCHIO     And yet I come not well 81 .
    BAPTISTA     And yet you halt 82 not.
    TRANIO     Not so well apparelled as I wish you were.
    PETRUCHIO     Were it better, I should rush in thus.
    But where is Kate? Where is my lovely bride?
    How does my father? Gentles 86 , methinks you frown.
    And wherefore 87 gaze this goodly company,
    As if they saw some wondrous monument 88 ,
    Some comet 89 or unusual prodigy?
    BAPTISTA     Why, sir, you know this is your wedding day.
    First were we sad, fearing you would not come,
    Now sadder that you come so unprovided 92 .
    Fie, doff 93 this habit, shame to your estate,
    An eyesore to our solemn 94 festival!
    TRANIO     And tell us what occasion of import 95
    Hath all so long detained you from your wife,
    And sent you hither so unlike yourself?
    PETRUCHIO     Tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear:
    Sufficeth I am come to keep my word,
    Though in some part enforcèd to digress,
    Which at more leisure I will so excuse
    As you shall well be satisfied withal.
    But where is Kate? I stay too long from her.
    The morning wears 104 , ’tis time we were at church.
    TRANIO     See not your bride in these unreverent 105 robes.
    Go to my chamber, put on clothes of mine.
    PETRUCHIO     Not I, believe me. Thus I’ll visit her.
    BAPTISTA     But thus, I trust, you will not marry her.
    PETRUCHIO      Good sooth 109 , even thus: therefore ha’ done with words.
    To me she’s married, not unto my clothes.
    Could I repair what she will wear 111 in me,
    As I can change these poor accoutrements 112 ,
    ’Twere well for Kate and better for myself.
    But what a fool am I to chat with you,
    When I should bid good morrow to my bride,
    And seal the title with a lovely 116 kiss!
    Exeunt
[
Petruchio and Grumio
]
    TRANIO     He hath some meaning in his mad attire.
    We will persuade him, be it possible,
    To put on better ere he go to church.
    BAPTISTA     I’ll after him, and see the event 120 of this.
    Exeunt
[
Baptista, Gremio and Attendants
]
    TRANIO     But, sir, love concerneth us to add
    To Lucentio
        Her father’s liking 122 , which to bring to pass,
    As before I imparted to your worship,
    I am to get a man — whate’er he be,
    It skills 125 not much, we’ll fit him to our turn —
    And he shall be Vincentio of Pisa,
    And make assurance here in Padua
    Of greater sums than I have promisèd.
    So shall you quietly enjoy your hope,
    And marry sweet Bianca with consent.
    LUCENTIO     Were it not that my fellow schoolmaster
    Doth watch Bianca’s steps 132 so narrowly,
    ’Twere good, methinks, to steal our marriage 133 ,
    Which once performed, let all the world say no,
    I’ll keep mine own, despite of all the world.
    TRANIO     That by degrees we mean to look into,
    And watch our vantage 137 in this business.
    We’ll overreach 138 the greybeard, Gremio,
    The narrow-prying 139 father, Minola,
    The quaint 140 musician, amorous Litio,
    All for my master’s