Читать книгу The Taming of the Shrew - William Shakespeare - Страница 10

Padua, the town square.

Stage right are a FRUIT VENDOR and a FLOWER VENDOR.

Stage left are a WIDOW and the WIDOW’S DATE.

Stage left center is HORTENSIO,dozing in a chair.

Enter PETRUCHIO and his man GRUMIO from stage rear. GRUMIO carries PETRUCHIO’S bag.

PETRUCHIO grabs a flower from the FLOWER VENDOR’S basket. She tries to stop him, but he keeps moving. While the FRUIT VENDOR and the FLOWER VENDOR are watching PETRUCHIO, GRUMIO grabs an apple from the FRUIT VENDOR’S basket.

PETRUCHIO gives the flower to the WIDOW, who blushes.

The WIDOW’S DATE becomes flustered, buys a bunch of flowers from the FLOWER VENDOR, and gives them to the WIDOW.

Meanwhile, PETRUCHIO walks stage left to where HORTENSIO is napping.

PETRUCHIO (to GRUMIO )

Verona, for a while I take my leave

To see in Padua

ALL onstage and offstage cheer with the exception of PETRUCHIO, GRUMIO, and HORTENSIO.

My best beloved friend, Hortensio.

Here, sirrah Grumio, knock, I say.

GRUMIO looks around, confused, and holds his fists up, ready to fight.

GRUMIO

Knock, sir? Whom should I knock? Is there

any man has rebused your Worship?

PETRUCHIO

Villain, I say, knock me here soundly.

GRUMIO

Knock you here, sir?

GRUMIO looks around him, glances at audience, shrugs, and winds up as if to punch PETRUCHIO.

PETRUCHIO sees what GRUMIO is about to do and grabs him by the ears.

PETRUCHIO

Villain, I say, knock me at this gate

And rap me well, or I’ll knock your knave’s pate.

PETRUCHIO wrings GRUMIO by the ears.

GRUMIO falls.

GRUMIO (to audience, complaining)

My master is grown quarrelsome.

PETRUCHIO mimes knocking on a door three times. At the same time, the CHORUS stomps three times on the floor, as if to make a “knocking” sound.

HORTENSIO wakes up and opens the door. He is happy to see PETRUCHIO.

HORTENSIO

How now! My old friend Grumio!

and my good friend Petruchio!

What happy gale

Blows you to Padua

ALL onstage and offstage cheer.

here from old Verona?

HORTENSIO greets them by grasping their forearms instead of shaking their hands.

PETRUCHIO

Hortensio,

I have thrust myself into this maze,

Happily to wive and thrive, as best I may.

HORTENSIO (looking at audience as if he has just had a great idea)

Petruchio, shall I then wish thee to

a shrewd ill-favored wife?

And yet I’ll promise thee she shall be rich.

(rubs fingers together)

PETRUCHIO

Signior Hortensio, if thou know

One rich enough to be Petruchio’s wife

Be she as foul as was Florentius’ love, makes an

ugly face

were she as rough

As are the swelling Adriatic seas (staggers as if on

a boat in high waves and winds)

I come to wive it wealthily in Padua;

If wealthily, then happily in Padua.

(rubs fingers together and smiles)

GRUMIO (to HORTENSIO)

Why, give him gold enough

and marry him to an

old trot with ne’er a tooth in her head,

(makes an ugly face with a gummy smile)

though she have as many diseases as two-and-fifty

horses. (snorts and stomps like a horse)

HORTENSIO

I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife

With wealth enough, and young and beauteous,

(mimes an hourglass figure with hands) Her only fault

Is that she is intolerable curst,

And shrewd, and froward, so beyond all measure,

I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

PETRUCHIO

Hortensio, peace. Thou know’st not gold’s effect.

I will board her, though she chide as loud

As thunder when the clouds in autumn crack. (looks

up and claps hands to mimic a thunderclap)

HORTENSIO

Her name is Katherina Minola,

ALL onstage yell in fear.

Renowned in Padua

ALL onstage cheer.

for her scolding tongue.

PETRUCHIO

I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her.

HORTENSIO (putting arm around PETRUCHIO conspiratorially)

Tarry, Petruchio. I must go with thee,

For in Baptista’s keep my treasure is.

His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca.

ALL onstage coo.

Therefore this order hath Baptista ta’en,

That none shall have access unto Bianca

ALL onstage coo.

Till Katherine the curst

ALL onstage yell in fear.

have got a husband.

HORTENSIO

Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace

And offer me disguised in sober robes

To old Baptista as a schoolmaster

Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca,

GRUMIO looks as though he has a great idea. He runs to grab a guitar from under his bench. He proudly hands the guitar to HORTENSIO.

That so I may, by this device at least,

Have leave and leisure to make love to her.

ALL exit back to their benches with HORTENSIO strumming the guitar, PETRUCHIO swaggering, and GRUMIO dancing a jig.