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The Taming of the Shrew

Act 4, Scene 4

Enter TRANIO as LUCENTIO. MERCHANT booted and dressed like VINCENTIO

TRANIO enters, disguised as LUCENTIO with the MERCHANT dressed like VINCENTIO
TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Sir, this is the house. Please it you that I call?

 TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Sir, this is the house. Would you like me to ring?
MERCHANT

Ay, what else? and but I be deceived,

Signior Baptista may remember me,

Near twenty years ago, in Genoa,

Where we were lodgers at the Pegasus.

 MERCHANT

Yes, certainly. Unless I am mistaken, Signior Baptista may remember me from the Pegasus in Genoa, where we both stayed twenty years ago.
TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) ’Tis well; and hold your own, in any case,

With such austerity as ’longeth to a father.

 TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Fine, fine. Just play your part and act as serious as a father should.
MERCHANT

I warrant you.

 MERCHANT

Of course I will.

Enter BIONDELLO

BIONDELLO enters.

But, sir, here comes your boy.

’Twere good he were schooled.

But, sir, here comes your servant. Better fill him in.
TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Fear you not him.—Sirrah Biondello,

Now do your duty throughly, I advise you.

Imagine ’twere the right Vincentio.

 TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Don’t worry about him.—You there, Biondello, now act your part convincingly. Behave as though this were the real Vincentio.
BIONDELLO

Tut, fear not me.

 BIONDELLO

Don’t worry about me.
TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) But hast thou done thy errand to Baptista?

 TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) And did you take the message to Baptista?
BIONDELLO

I told him that your father was at Venice,

And that you looked for him this day in Padua.

 BIONDELLO

I told him that your father was in Venice, and that you expected him to arrive in Padua today.
TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Thou’rt a tall fellow. Hold thee that to drink.

(Gives money)

 TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Good lad! Here, buy yourself a drink on me.

(He gives BIONDELLO some money.)

Enter BAPTISTA and LUCENTIO

BAPTISTA and LUCENTIO enter.

Here comes Baptista. Set your countenance, sir.

Here comes Baptista. Places, everyone!

MERCHANT takes off his cap

MERCHANT takes off his cap.

Signior Baptista, you are happily met.—

Sir, this is the gentleman I told you of.

I pray you stand good father to me now.

Give me Bianca for my patrimony.

Signior Baptista, I’m glad to see you.—Sir, this is the gentleman I told you of. I hope you’ll be a good father to me now. Give me Bianca for my inheritance.
MERCHANT

(as VINCENTIO) Soft son.—

Sir, by your leave, having come to Padua

To gather in some debts, my son Lucentio

Made me acquainted with a weighty cause

Of love between your daughter and himself.

And, for the good report I hear of you

And for the love he beareth to your daughter

And she to him, to stay him not too long,

I am content, in a good father’s care,

To have him matched. And if you please to like

No worse than I, upon some agreement

Me shall you find ready and willing

With one consent to have her so bestowed,

For curious I cannot be with you,

Signior Baptista, of whom I hear so well.

 MERCHANT

(as VINCENTIO) Hush, son.—Sir, may I? Having come to Padua to collect some debts, my son Lucentio acquainted me with a serious matter, namely the love between your daughter and himself. Now, since I’ve heard good reports of you, and in view of the love between your daughter and my son, I’m willing to give my consent to his marriage right away. So, if you think you can put up with no worse a man than I am, you’ll find me willing, pending some agreement, to see your daughter betrothed to him. I can’t haggle with you, Signior Baptista. I have too much respect for you.
BAPTISTA

Sir, pardon me in what I have to say.

Your plainness and your shortness please me well.

Right true it is your son Lucentio here

Doth love my daughter and she loveth him,

Or both dissemble deeply their affections.

And therefore, if you say no more than this,

That like a father you will deal with him

And pass my daughter a sufficient dower,

The match is made, and all is done.

Your son shall have my daughter with consent.

 BAPTISTA

Sir, pardon me for what I am about to say. I appreciate your frankness and your brevity. It’s true that your son Lucentio here loves my daughter, and she loves him—or else they’re putting on quite an act. Therefore, provided that you assure me that you will treat your son as a father should and offer my daughter a sufficient dowry, we’ll call it a match and be done with it. Your son will have my consent to marry my daughter.
TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO)

I thank you, sir. Where then do you know best

We be affied and such assurance ta’en

As shall with either part’s agreement stand?

 TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Thank you, sir. Where can we draw up the necessary papers and get this settled?
BAPTISTA

Not in my house, Lucentio, for you know

Pitchers have ears, and I have many servants.

Besides, old Gremio is heark’ning still,

And happily we might be interrupted.

 BAPTISTA

Not in my house, Lucentio. My servants might overhear, and old Gremio is still hanging around, so we might be interrupted.
TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Then at my lodging, an it like you.

There doth my father lie, and there this night

We’ll pass the business privately and well.

Send for your daughter by your servant here.

My boy shall fetch the scrivener presently.

The worst is this, that at so slender warning

You are like to have a thin and slender pittance.

 TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Then at my place, if you like. That’s where my father’s staying. We can get everything sorted out in private there tonight. Send your servant for Bianca. Mine shall go and fetch the notary. The only drawback is that, with such short notice, we’ll be able to offer you only modest refreshment.
BAPTISTA

It likes me well.—Cambio, hie you home,

And bid Bianca make her ready straight.

And, if you will, tell what hath happenèd:

Lucentio’s father is arrived in Padua,

And how she’s like to be Lucentio’s wife.

 BAPTISTA

This is all very acceptable.—Cambio, hurry home and tell Bianca to get ready right away and, if you don’t mind, tell her what’s happened: that Lucentio’s father has arrived in Padua, and that she’s likely to become Lucentio’s wife.

Exit LUCENTIO

LUCENTIO exits.
BIONDELLO

I pray the gods she may, with all my heart!

 BIONDELLO

I hope with all my heart she will!
TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Dally not with the gods, but get thee gone.—

Signior Baptista, shall I lead the way?

Welcome! One mess is like to be your cheer.

Come, sir, we will better it in Pisa.

 TRANIO

(as LUCENTIO) Forget about your heart and get busy.—Signior Baptista, shall I lead the way? You’ll be welcome, though dinner will probably be only one course. We’ll make it up to you in Pisa.
BAPTISTA

I follow you.

 BAPTISTA

I’ll come with you.

Exeunt TRANIO, MERCHANT, and BAPTISTA

TRANIO, MERCHANT and BAPTISTA exit.
BIONDELLO

Cambio.

 BIONDELLO

Cambio.
LUCENTIO

What sayest thou, Biondello?

 LUCENTIO

What is it, Biondello?
BIONDELLO

You saw my master wink and laugh upon you?

 BIONDELLO

You saw my master wink and laugh at you?
LUCENTIO

Biondello, what of that?

 LUCENTIO

What about it?
BIONDELLO

Faith, nothing; but ’has left me here behind to expound the meaning or moral of his signs and tokens.

 BIONDELLO

Nothing. It’s just that he left me here behind to interpret his signs and signals.
LUCENTIO

I pray thee, moralize them.

 LUCENTIO

Please, educate me.
BIONDELLO

Then thus: Baptista is safe, talking with the deceiving father of a deceitful son.

 BIONDELLO

Here’s the deal: we’re safe on the Baptista front. He’s talking with the bogus father about the bogus son.
LUCENTIO

And what of him?

 LUCENTIO

And so—?
BIONDELLO

His daughter is to be brought by you to the supper.

 BIONDELLO

You are to bring his daughter to the supper.
LUCENTIO

And then?

 LUCENTIO

And then?
BIONDELLO

The old priest at Saint Luke’s Church is at your command at all hours.

 BIONDELLO

The old priest at Saint Luke’s Church is at your command at all hours.
LUCENTIO

And what of all this?

 LUCENTIO

And what of all this?
BIONDELLO

I cannot tell, except they are busied about a counterfeit assurance. Take you assurance of her cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum. To th’ church take the priest, clerk, and some sufficient honest witnesses. If this be not that you look for, I have no more to say, But bid Bianca farewell forever and a day.

 BIONDELLO

I don’t know, except they are busy with some phony guarantee. So go and put your stamp on the girl. Go to the church: take the priest, the clerk, and some reasonably honest witnesses. If this isn’t what you’ve been hoping for, I have no more to say except that you ought to say goodbye to Bianca forever.
LUCENTIO

Hear’st thou, Biondello?

 LUCENTIO

Listen, Biondello—
BIONDELLO

I cannot tarry. I knew a wench married in an afternoon as she went to the garden for parsley to stuff a rabbit, and so may you, sir. And so adieu, sir. My master hath appointed me to go to Saint Luke’s to bid the priest be ready to come against you come with your appendix.

 BIONDELLO

I can’t stay. I knew a girl who was married in an afternoon as she went to the garden for parsley to stuff a rabbit. It could happen to you. Farewell, sir. My master has instructed me to go to Saint Luke’s to tell the priest to be ready in case you should show up with your better half.

Exit

He exits.
LUCENTIO

I may, and will, if she be so contented.

She will be pleased. Then wherefore should I doubt?

Hap what hap may, I’ll roundly go about her.

It shall go hard if “Cambio” go without her.

 LUCENTIO

I may. I will if she likes the idea. She will be pleased. Then why am I worried? Oh well, whatever. I’ll ask her straight out. It will be hard if “Cambio” loses her.

Exit

He exits.

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