Read Online The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare - Free Book Online

    Proceed.
    TAILOR     ‘With a small compassed 138 cape.’
    Reads
    GRUMIO     I confess the cape.
    TAILOR     ‘With a trunk 140 sleeve.’
    Reads
    GRUMIO     I confess two sleeves.
    TAILOR     ‘The sleeves curiously 142 cut.’
    Reads
    PETRUCHIO     Ay, there’s the villainy.
    GRUMIO     Error i’th’ bill 144 , sir, error i’th’bill. I commanded the
    sleeves should be cut out and sewed up again, and that I’ll
     prove upon thee 146 , though thy little finger be armed in a
    thimble.
    TAILOR     This is true that I say, an 148 I had thee in place where,
    thou shouldst know it.
    GRUMIO     I am for thee straight 150 . Take thou the bill, give me thy
     mete-yard 151 , and spare not me.
    HORTENSIO     God-a-mercy, Grumio, then he shall have no odds 152 .
    PETRUCHIO     Well, sir, in brief, the gown is not for me.
    GRUMIO     You are i’th’right, sir, ’tis for my mistress.
    PETRUCHIO     Go, take it up unto thy master’s use 155 .
    GRUMIO     Villain, not for thy life. Take up my mistress’ gown
    for thy master’s use!
    PETRUCHIO     Why, sir, what’s your conceit 158 in that?
    GRUMIO     O, sir, the conceit is deeper than you think for 159 :
    Take up my mistress’ gown to his master’s use!
    O, fie, fie, fie!
    PETRUCHIO     Hortensio, say thou wilt see the tailor paid.—
    Aside to Hortensio
        Go take it hence. Be gone, and say no more.
    To the Tailor
    HORTENSIO     Tailor, I’ll pay thee for thy gown tomorrow.
    Aside to the Tailor
        Take no unkindness of 165 his hasty words.
        Away, I say, commend me to thy master.
    Exit Tailor
    PETRUCHIO     Well, come, my Kate. We will unto your father’s
    Even in these honest mean habiliments 168 :
    Our purses shall be proud 169 , our garments poor,
    For ’tis the mind that makes the body rich,
    And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds,
    So honour peereth 172 in the meanest habit.
    What, is the jay more precious than the lark,
    Because his feathers are more beautiful?
    Or is the adder better than the eel
    Because his painted 176 skin contents the eye?
    O no, good Kate, neither art thou the worse
    For this poor furniture 178 and mean array.
    If thou account’st it shame, lay 179 it on me.
    And therefore frolic 180 . We will hence forthwith,
    To feast and sport us 181 at thy father’s house.—
    Go, call my men, and let us straight to him,
    To Grumio
        And bring our horses unto Long-lane end.—
    There will we mount, and thither walk on foot.
    Let’s see, I think ’tis now some seven o’clock,
    And well we may come there by dinnertime 186 .
    KATE     I dare assure you, sir, ’tis almost two,
    And ’twill be suppertime 188 ere you come there.
    PETRUCHIO     It shall be seven ere I go to horse.
    Look, what 190 I speak, or do, or think to do,
    You are still crossing 191 it. Sirs, let’t alone.
    I will not go today, and ere I do,
    It shall be what o’clock I say it is.
    HORTENSIO     Why, so this gallant will command the sun.
    Aside
    [
Exeunt
]
[Act 4 Scene 2]
running scene 8
    Location: Padua
    Enter Tranio
[
disguised as Lucentio
]
, and the Pedant dressed like Vincentio, booted and bareheaded
    TRANIO     Sir, this is the house. Please it you that I call?
    PEDANT     Ay, what else? And but 2 I be deceived,
    Signior Baptista may remember me,
    Near twenty years ago, in Genoa,
    Where we were lodgers at the Pegasus 5 .
    TRANIO     ’Tis well, and hold your own 6 , in any case,
    With such austerity as ’longeth 7 to a father.
    Enter Biondello
    PEDANT     I warrant you. But, sir, here comes your boy.
    ’Twere good he were schooled 9 .
    TRANIO     Fear you not him.—