Brick Shakespeare: The Comedies—A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Taming of the Shrew (98 page)

BAPTISTA

Now, in good sadness, son Petruchio,

I think thou hast the veriest shrew of all.

PETRUCHIO

Well, I say no: and therefore for assurance

Let’s each one send unto his wife;

And he whose wife is most obedient

To come at first when he doth send for her,

Shall win the wager which we will propose.

HORTENSIO

Content. What is the wager?

LUCENTIO

Twenty crowns.

PETRUCHIO

Twenty crowns!

I’ll venture so much of my hawk or hound,

But twenty times so much upon my wife.

LUCENTIO

A hundred then.

HORTENSIO

Content.

PETRUCHIO

A match! ’tis done.

HORTENSIO

Who shall begin?

LUCENTIO

That will I.

Go, Biondello, bid your mistress come to me.

BAPTISTA

Son, I’ll be your half, Bianca comes.

LUCENTIO

I’ll have no halves; I’ll bear it all myself.

LUCENTIO (cont.)

How now! what news?

BIONDELLO

Sir, my mistress sends you word

That she is busy and she cannot come.

PETRUCHIO

How! she is busy and she cannot come!

Is that an answer?

GREMIO

Ay, and a kind one too:

Pray God, sir, your wife send you not a worse.

PETRUCHIO

I hope better.

HORTENSIO

Sirrah Biondello, go and entreat my wife

To come to me forthwith.

PETRUCHIO

O, ho! entreat her!

Nay, then she must needs come.

HORTENSIO

I am afraid, sir,

Do what you can, yours will not be entreated.

HORTENSIO (cont.)

Now, where’s my wife?