Read The Taming of the Shrew for Free Online Page B

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    GREMIO     Ay, marry, sir, now it begins to work 214 .
    KATE     Gentlemen, forward to the bridal dinner.
    I see a woman may be made a fool,
    If she had not a spirit to resist.
    PETRUCHIO     They shall go forward, Kate, at thy command.—
    Obey the bride, you that attend on her.
    Go to the feast, revel and domineer 220 ,
     Carouse full measure 221 to her maidenhead,
    Be mad 222 and merry, or go hang yourselves.
    But for my bonny Kate, she must with me.—
    Nay, look not big 224 , nor stamp, nor stare, nor fret.
    I will be master of what is mine own:
    She is my goods, my chattels, she is my house 226 ,
    My household stuff 227 , my field, my barn,
    My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything,
    And here she stands, touch her whoever dare.
    I’ll bring mine action 230 on the proudest he
    That stops my way in Padua.— Grumio,
    Draw forth thy weapon, we are beset with thieves.
    Rescue thy mistress, if thou be a man.
    Fear not, sweet wench, they shall not touch thee, Kate.
    I’ll buckler 235 thee against a million.
    Exeunt Petruchio, Katherina
[
and Grumio
]
    BAPTISTA     Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones.
    GREMIO      Went they not 237 quickly, I should die with laughing.
    TRANIO     Of all mad matches never was the like.
    LUCENTIO     Mistress, what’s your opinion of your sister?
    BIANCA     That, being mad herself, she’s madly mated.
    GREMIO     I warrant him, Petruchio is Kated 241 .
    BAPTISTA     Neighbours and friends, though bride and bridegroom wants
    For to 242 supply the places at the table,
    You know there wants no junkets 244 at the feast.
    Lucentio, you shall supply the bridegroom’s place,
    And let Bianca take her sister’s room 246 .
    TRANIO     Shall sweet Bianca practise how to bride it 247 ?
    BAPTISTA     She shall, Lucentio. Come, gentlemen, let’s go.
    Exeunt
[Act 3 Scene 3]
running scene 5
    Location: a country estate
    Enter Grumio
    GRUMIO     Fie, fie on all tired jades, on all mad masters, and all
     foul ways 2 !
    Was ever man so beaten? Was ever man so rayed? Was ever man so weary? I am sent before to make a fire, and
    they are coming after to warm them. Now, were not I a little
    pot and soon hot 4 , my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my
    tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my belly, ere I
    should come by a fire to thaw me. But I with blowing the fire
    shall warm myself, for, considering the weather, a taller 8 man
    than I will take cold. Holla, ho, Curtis!
    Enter Curtis
    CURTIS     Who is that calls so coldly 10 ?
    GRUMIO     A piece of ice: if thou doubt it, thou mayst slide
    from my shoulder to my heel with no greater a run 12 but my
    head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis.
    CURTIS     Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio?
    GRUMIO     O, ay, Curtis, ay, and therefore fire, fire, cast on no water 15 .
    CURTIS     Is she so hot 16 a shrew as she’s reported?
    GRUMIO     She was, good Curtis, before this frost. But, thou
    know’st, winter tames man, woman and beast 18 , for it hath
    tamed my old master and my new mistress and myself, fellow
    Curtis.
    CURTIS     Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast 21 .
    GRUMIO     Am I but three inches? Why, thy horn 22 is a foot, and
     so long am I at the least 23 . But wilt thou make a fire, or shall I
    complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand, she being
    now at hand, thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for
    being slow in thy hot office 26 ?
    CURTIS     I prithee, good Grumio, tell me how goes the world?
    GRUMIO     A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine, and
    therefore fire: do thy duty 29 , and have thy duty, for my master
    and mistress are