READ STUDY GUIDE: Act IV, scenes iii–v |
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Act IV, Scene iv:
Padua. Before BAPTISTA'S house.
Padua. Before BAPTISTA'S house.
| [Enter TRANIO, and the PEDANT dressed like VINCENTIO.] |
| TRANIO: |
| Sir, this is the house; please it you that I call? |
| PEDANT: |
| 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. |
| TRANIO: |
| 'Tis well; and hold your own, in any case, |
| With such austerity as 'longeth to a father. |
| PEDANT: |
| I warrant you. But, sir, here comes your boy; |
| 'Twere good he were school'd. |
| [Enter BIONDELLO.] |
| TRANIO: |
| Fear you not him. Sirrah Biondello, |
| Now do your duty throughly, I advise you. |
| Imagine 'twere the right Vincentio. |
| BIONDELLO: |
| Tut! fear not me. |
| TRANIO: |
| But hast thou done thy errand to Baptista? |
| BIONDELLO: |
| I told him that your father was at Venice, |
| And that you look'd for him this day in Padua. |
| TRANIO: |
| Thou'rt a tall fellow; hold thee that to drink. |
| Here comes Baptista. Set your countenance, sir. |
| [Enter BAPTISTA and LUCENTIO.] |
| Signior Baptista, you are happily met. |
| [To the PEDANT] Sir, this is the gentleman I told you of; |
| I pray you stand good father to me now; |
| Give me Bianca for my patrimony. |
| PEDANT: |
| 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 match'd; 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 bestow'd; |
| For curious I cannot be with you, |
| Signior Baptista, of whom I hear so well. |
| 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. |
| TRANIO: |
| 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? |
| BAPTISTA: |
| Not in my house, Lucentio, for you know |
| Pitchers have ears, and I have many servants; |
| Besides, old Gremio is hearkening still, |
| And happily we might be interrupted. |
| TRANIO: |
| 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. |
| BAPTISTA: |
| It likes me well. Cambio, hie you home, |
| And bid Bianca make her ready straight; |
| And, if you will, tell what hath happened: |
| Lucentio's father is arriv'd in Padua, |
| And how she's like to be Lucentio's wife. |
| LUCENTIO: |
| I pray the gods she may, with all my heart! |
| TRANIO: |
| 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. |
| BAPTISTA: |
| I follow you. |
| [Exeunt TRANIO, Pedant, and BAPTISTA.] |
| BIONDELLO: |
| Cambio! |
| LUCENTIO: |
| What say'st thou, Biondello? |
| BIONDELLO: |
| You saw my master wink and laugh upon you? |
| LUCENTIO: |
| Biondello, what of that? |
| BIONDELLO: |
| Faith, nothing; but has left me here behind to expound |
| the meaning or moral of his signs and tokens. |
| LUCENTIO: |
| I pray thee moralize them. |
| BIONDELLO: |
| Then thus: Baptista is safe, talking with the |
| deceiving father of a deceitful son. |
| LUCENTIO: |
| And what of him? |
| BIONDELLO: |
| His daughter is to be brought by you to the supper. |
| LUCENTIO: |
| And then? |
| BIONDELLO: |
| The old priest at Saint Luke's church is at your |
| command at all hours. |
| LUCENTIO: |
| And what of all this? |
| BIONDELLO: |
| I cannot tell, except they are busied about a |
| counterfeit assurance. Take your assurance of her, cum privilegio |
| ad imprimendum solum; to the church! take the priest, clerk, and |
| some sufficient honest witnesses. |
| If this be not that you look for, I have more to say, |
| But bid Bianca farewell for ever and a day. |
| [Going.] |
| LUCENTIO: |
| Hear'st thou, 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. |
| [Exit.] |
| LUCENTIO: |
| I may, and will, if she be so contented. |
| She will be pleas'd; then wherefore should I doubt? |
| Hap what hap may, I'll roundly go about her; |
| It shall go hard if Cambio go without her: |
| [Exit.] |
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