Taming of the Shrew | Page 25

Information prepared by the Project Gutenberg legal advisor 25
BIONDELLO. Where have I been! Nay, how now! where are you? Master, has my fellow Tranio stol ' n your clothes? Or you stol ' n his? or both? Pray, what ' s the news?
LUCENTIO. Sirrah, come hither: ' tis no time to jest, And therefore frame your manners to the time. Your fellow Tranio here, to save my life, Puts my apparel and my count ' nance on, And I for my escape have put on his; For in a quarrel since I came ashore I kill ' d a man, and fear I was descried. Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes, While I make way from hence to save my life. You understand me?
BIONDELLO. I, sir! Ne ' er a whit.
LUCENTIO. And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth: Tranio is changed to Lucentio.
BIONDELLO. The better for him: would I were so too!
TRANIO. So could I, faith, boy, to have the next wish after, That Lucentio indeed had Baptista ' s youngest daughter. But, sirrah, not for my sake but your master ' s, I advise You use your manners discreetly in all kind of companies: When I am alone, why, then I am Tranio; But in all places else your master, Lucentio.
LUCENTIO. Tranio, let ' s go. One thing more rests, that thyself execute, to make one among these wooers: if thou ask me why, sufficeth my reasons are both good and weighty.
[ Exeunt.] [ The Presenters above speak.] FIRST SERVANT. My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play.
SLY. Yes, by Saint Anne, I do. A good matter, surely: comes there any more of it?