SCENE II. Padua. Before Baptista’s house.

Enter Tranio and Hortensio.

 

TRANIO.

Is ’t possible, friend Licio, that Mistress Bianca

Doth fancy any other but Lucentio?

I tell you, sir, she bears me fair in hand.

 

HORTENSIO.

Sir, to satisfy you in what I have said,

Stand by and mark the manner of his teaching.

 

[They stand aside.]

 

Enter Bianca and Lucentio.

 

LUCENTIO.

Now, mistress, profit you in what you read?

 

BIANCA.

What, master, read you? First resolve me that.

 

LUCENTIO.

I read that I profess¹, The Art to Love.

 

BIANCA.

And may you prove, sir, master of your art!

 

LUCENTIO.

While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart.

 

[They retire.]

 

HORTENSIO.

Quick proceeders, marry! Now tell me, I pray,

You that durst swear that your Mistress Bianca

Lov’d none in the world so well as Lucentio.

 

TRANIO.

O despiteful love! unconstant womankind!

I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful.

 

HORTENSIO.

Mistake no more; I am not Licio.

Nor a musician as I seem to be;

But one that scorn to live in this disguise

For such a one as leaves a gentleman

And makes a god of such a cullion:

Know, sir, that I am call’d Hortensio.

 

TRANIO.

Signior Hortensio, I have often heard

Of your entire affection to Bianca;

And since mine eyes are witness of her lightness,

I will with you, if you be so contented²,

Forswear Bianca and her love for ever.

 

HORTENSIO.

See, how they kiss and court! Signior Lucentio,

Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow³

Never to woo her more, but do forswear her,

As one unworthy all the former favours

That I have fondly flatter’d her withal.

 

TRANIO.

And here I take the like unfeigned oath,

Never to marry with her though she would entreat⁴;

Fie on her! See how beastly she doth court him!

 

HORTENSIO.

Would all the world but he had quite forsworn!

For me, that I may surely keep mine oath,

I will be married to a wealthy widow

Ere three days pass, which hath as long lov’d me

As I have lov’d this proud disdainful haggard.

And so farewell, Signior Lucentio.

Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks,

Shall win my love; and so I take my leave,

In resolution as I swore before.

 

[Exit Hortensio. Lucentio and Bianca advance.]

 

TRANIO.

Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace

As ’longeth to a lover’s blessed case!

Nay⁵, I have ta’en you napping, gentle love,

And have forsworn you with Hortensio.

 

BIANCA.

Tranio, you jest; but have you both forsworn me?

 

TRANIO.

Mistress, we have.

 

LUCENTIO.

Then we are rid of Licio.

 

TRANIO.

I’ faith, he’ll have a lusty widow now,

That shall be woo’d and wedded⁶ in a day.

 

BIANCA.

God give him joy!

 

TRANIO.

Ay, and he’ll tame her.

 

BIANCA.

He says so, Tranio.

 

TRANIO.

Faith, he is gone unto the taming-school.

 

BIANCA.

The taming-school! What, is there such a place?

 

TRANIO.

Ay, mistress; and Petruchio is the master,

That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long,

To tame a shrew and charm her chattering⁷ tongue.

 

Enter Biondello, running.

 

BIONDELLO.

O master, master! I have watch’d so long

That I am dog-weary; but at last I spied

An ancient angel coming down the hill

Will serve the turn.

 

TRANIO.

What is he, Biondello?

 

BIONDELLO.

Master, a mercatante or a pedant⁸,

I know not what; but formal in apparel,

In gait and countenance⁹ surely like a father.

 

LUCENTIO.

And what of him, Tranio?

 

TRANIO.

If he be credulous¹⁰ and trust my tale,

I’ll make him glad to seem Vincentio,

And give assurance to Baptista Minola,

As if he were the right Vincentio.

Take in your love, and then let me alone.

 

[Exeunt Lucentio and Bianca.]

 

Enter a Pedant.

 

PEDANT.

God save you, sir!

 

TRANIO.

And you, sir! you are welcome.

Travel you far on, or are you at the farthest?

 

PEDANT.

Sir, at the farthest for a week or two;

But then up farther, and as far as Rome;

And so to Tripoli, if God lend me life.

 

TRANIO.

What countryman, I pray?

 

PEDANT.

Of Mantua.

 

TRANIO.

Of Mantua, sir? Marry, God forbid,

And come to Padua, careless of your life!

 

PEDANT.

My life, sir! How, I pray? for that goes hard.

 

TRANIO.

’Tis death for anyone in Mantua

To come to Padua. Know you not the cause?

Your ships are stay’d at Venice; and the Duke,—

For private quarrel ’twixt your Duke and him,—

Hath publish’d and proclaim’d it openly.

’Tis marvel¹¹, but that you are but newly come

You might have heard it else proclaim’d about.

 

PEDANT.

Alas¹², sir! it is worse for me than so;

For I have bills for money by exchange

From Florence, and must here deliver them.

 

TRANIO.

Well, sir, to do you courtesy,

This will I do, and this I will advise you:

First, tell me, have you ever been at Pisa?

 

PEDANT.

Ay, sir, in Pisa have I often been,

Pisa renowned¹³ for grave citizens.

 

TRANIO.

Among them know you one Vincentio?

 

PEDANT.

I know him not, but I have heard of him,

A merchant of incomparable wealth.

 

TRANIO.

He is my father, sir; and, sooth to say,

In countenance somewhat doth resemble you.

 

BIONDELLO.

[Aside.] As much as an apple doth an oyster¹⁴, and all one.

 

TRANIO.

To save your life in this extremity¹⁵,

This favour will I do you for his sake;

And think it not the worst of all your fortunes

That you are like to Sir Vincentio.

His name and credit shall you undertake,

And in my house you shall be friendly lodg’d;

Look that you take upon you as you should!

You understand me, sir; so shall you stay

Till you have done your business in the city.

If this be courtesy, sir, accept of it.

 

PEDANT.

O, sir, I do; and will repute you ever

The patron of my life and liberty.

 

TRANIO.

Then go with me to make the matter good.

This, by the way, I let you understand:

My father is here look’d for every day

To pass assurance of a dower in marriage

’Twixt me and one Baptista’s daughter here:

In all these circumstances I’ll instruct you.

Go with me to clothe you as becomes you.

 

[Exeunt.]

1 profess   

v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰

参考例句：

• I profess that I was surprised at the news.我承认这消息使我惊讶。
• What religion does he profess?他信仰哪种宗教？

2 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

3 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

4 entreat   

v.恳求，恳请

参考例句：

• Charles Darnay felt it hopeless entreat him further,and his pride was touched besides.查尔斯-达尔内感到再恳求他已是枉然，自尊心也受到了伤害。
• I entreat you to contribute generously to the building fund.我恳求您慷慨捐助建设基金。

5 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

6 wedded   

adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She's wedded to her job. 她专心致志于工作。
• I was invited over by the newly wedded couple for a meal. 我被那对新婚夫妇请去吃饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 chattering   

n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。
• I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。

8 pedant   

n.迂儒；卖弄学问的人

参考例句：

• He's a bit of a pedant.这人有点迂。
• A man of talent is one thing,and a pedant another.有才能的人和卖弄学问的人是不一样的。

9 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

10 credulous   

adj.轻信的，易信的

参考例句：

• You must be credulous if she fooled you with that story.连她那种话都能把你骗倒，你一定是太容易相信别人了。
• Credulous attitude will only make you take anything for granted.轻信的态度只会使你想当然。

11 marvel   

vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事

参考例句：

• The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。
• The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。

12 alas   

int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)

参考例句：

• Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！
• Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。

13 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。

14 oyster   

n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人

参考例句：

• I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎，它味道真美。
• I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时，我发现我相当喜欢吃。

15 extremity   

n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度

参考例句：

• I hope you will help them in their extremity.我希望你能帮助在穷途末路的他们。
• What shall we do in this extremity?在这种极其困难的情况下我们该怎么办呢？