Taming of the Shrew | Page 33

Information prepared by the Project Gutenberg legal advisor 33
GREMIO. No; if without more words you will get you hence.
TRANIO. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For me as for you? GREMIO. But so is not she. TRANIO. For what reason, I beseech you?
GREMIO. For this reason, if you ' ll know, That she ' s the choice love of Signior Gremio.
HORTENSIO. That she ' s the chosen of Signior Hortensio.
TRANIO. Softly, my masters! If you be gentlemen, Do me this right; hear me with patience. Baptista is a noble gentleman, To whom my father is not all unknown; And were his daughter fairer than she is, She may more suitors have, and me for one. Fair Leda ' s daughter had a thousand wooers; Then well one more may fair Bianca have; And so she shall: Lucentio shall make one, Though Paris came in hope to speed alone.
GREMIO. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. LUCENTIO. Sir, give him head; I know he ' ll prove a jade. PETRUCHIO. Hortensio, to what end are all these words?
HORTENSIO. Sir, let me be so bold as ask you, Did you yet ever see Baptista ' s daughter?
TRANIO. No, sir, but hear I do that he hath two, The one as famous for a scolding tongue As is the other for beauteous modesty.
PETRUCHIO. Sir, sir, the first ' s for me; let her go by.
GREMIO. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules, And let it be more than Alcides ' twelve.