Taming of the Shrew

Petruchio

Sirrah Grumio, go to your mistress;
Say I command her to come to me.
[Exit Grumio]

Hortensio

I know her answer.

Petruchio

                               What?   

Hortensio

                                           She will not.  

Petruchio

The fouler fortune mine, and there an end.    
[Late in the day of Lucentio and Bianca’s wedding. The church ceremony and the main wedding feast have taken place. The wedding party has now arrived at Lucentio’s house where he’s hosting a banquet, a final course of fruit, desserts, and wine. Enter Signor Baptista, Signor Vincentio, the elderly suitor Gremio, the Merchant, Lucentio with Bianca, Petruchio with Katherina, Hortensio with his widow bride, and the servants Tranio, Biondello, and Grumio.]

Lucentio

At last, though long, our jarring notes agree,    
And time it is when raging war is done
To smile at scapes and perils overblown.    
My fair Bianca, bid my father welcome
While I with self-same kindness welcome thine.    
Brother Petruchio, sister Katherina,    
And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow,
Feast with the best, and welcome to my house.
My banquet is to close our stomachs up    
After our great good cheer. Pray you, sit down,    
For now we sit to chat as well as eat.

Petruchio

Why, how now, Kate! I hope thou art not mad.
This is a man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered;
And not a maiden as thou say'st he is.

Katherina

[To Vincentio] Pardon, old father, my mistaking eyes
That have been so bedazzled with the sun,
That everything I look on seemeth green.
Now I perceive thou art a reverend father;
Pardon, I pray thee, for my mad mistaking.

Tailor

But how did you desire it should be made?

Grumio

Marry, sir, with needle and thread.

Tailor

But did you not request to have it cut?

Grumio

Thou hast faced many things.    

Tailor

I have.

Grumio

Face not me; thou hast braved many men, brave     
not me; I will neither be faced nor braved. I say unto thee,
I bid thy master cut out the gown, but I did not bid him
cut it to pieces. Ergo, thou liest.    

Grumio

She was, good Curtis, before this frost. But thou
knowest winter tames man, woman and beast; for it hath
tamed my old master, and my new mistress, and myself,
fellow Curtis.

Curtis

Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast.    

Grumio

Am I but three inches? Why, thy horn is a foot,     
and so long am I at the least. But wilt thou make a fire,
or shall I complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand —    
she being now “at hand” — thou shalt soon feel, to thy
cold comfort for being slow in thy hot office?    

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