Brick Shakespeare: The Comedies—A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Taming of the Shrew (83 page)

I prithee, sister Kate, untie my hands.

KATHARINA

If that be jest, then all the rest was so.

BAPTISTA

Why, how now, dame! whence grows this insolence?

Bianca, stand aside. Poor girl! she weeps.

Go ply thy needle; meddle not with her.

For shame, thou helding of a devilish spirit,

Why dost thou wrong her that did ne’er wrong thee?

When did she cross thee with a bitter word?

KATHARINA

Her silence flouts me, and I’ll be revenged.

BAPTISTA

What, in my sight? Bianca, get thee in.

KATHARINA

What, will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see

She is your treasure, she must have a husband;

I must dance bare-foot on her wedding day

And for your love to her lead apes in hell.

KATHARINA (cont.)

Talk not to me: I will go sit and weep

Till I can find occasion of revenge.

BAPTISTA

Was ever gentleman thus grieved as I?

But who comes here?

GREMIO

Good morrow, neighbour Baptista.

BAPTISTA

Good morrow, neighbour Gremio.

God save you, gentlemen!

PETRUCHIO

And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a daughter

Call’d Katharina, fair and virtuous?

BAPTISTA

I have a daughter, sir, called Katharina.

GREMIO

You are too blunt: go to it orderly.

PETRUCHIO

You wrong me, Signior Gremio: give me leave.

I am a gentleman of Verona, sir,

That, hearing of her beauty and her wit,

Her affability and bashful modesty,

Her wondrous qualities and mild behavior,

Am bold to show myself a forward guest

Within your house, to make mine eye the witness

Of that report which I so oft have heard.

And, for an entrance to my entertainment,

PETRUCHIO (cont.)

I do present you with a man of mine,

Cunning in music and the mathematics,

To instruct her fully in those sciences,

Whereof I know she is not ignorant:

Accept of him, or else you do me wrong:

His name is Litio, born in Mantua.