Act 4, Scene I - Page 2

Lend thine ear.

CURTIS
Here.

GRUMIO
There.

Strikes him

CURTIS
This is to feel a tale, not to hear a tale.

GRUMIO
And therefore 'tis called a sensible tale: and this
cuff was but to knock at your ear, and beseech
listening. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a
foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress,--

CURTIS
Both of one horse?

GRUMIO
What's that to thee?

CURTIS
Why, a horse.

GRUMIO
Tell thou the tale: but hadst thou not crossed me,
thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell and she
under her horse; thou shouldst have heard in how
miry a place, how she was bemoiled, how he left her
with the horse upon her, how he beat me because
her horse stumbled, how she waded through the dirt
to pluck him off me, how he swore, how she prayed,
that never prayed before, how I cried, how the
horses ran away, how her bridle was burst, how I
lost my crupper, with many things of worthy memory,
which now shall die in oblivion and thou return
unexperienced to thy grave.

CURTIS
By this reckoning he is more shrew than she.

GRUMIO
Ay; and that thou and the proudest of you all shall
find when he comes home. But what talk I of this?
Call forth Nathaniel, Joseph, Nicholas, Philip,
Walter, Sugarsop and the rest: let their heads be
sleekly combed their blue coats brushed and their
garters of an indifferent knit: let them curtsy
with their left legs and not presume to touch a hair
of my master's horse-tail till they kiss their
hands. Are they all ready?

CURTIS
They are.

GRUMIO
Call them forth.

CURTIS
Do you hear, ho? you must meet my master to
countenance my mistress.

GRUMIO
Why, she hath a face of her own.

CURTIS
Who knows not that?

GRUMIO
Thou, it seems, that calls for company to
countenance her.

CURTIS
I call them forth to credit her.

GRUMIO
Why, she comes to borrow nothing of them.

Enter four or five Serving-men

NATHANIEL
Welcome home, Grumio!

PHILIP
How now, Grumio!

JOSEPH
What, Grumio!

NICHOLAS
Fellow Grumio!

NATHANIEL
How now, old lad?

GRUMIO
Welcome, you;--how now, you;-- what, you;--fellow,
you;--and thus much for greeting. Now, my spruce
companions, is all ready, and all things neat?

NATHANIEL
All things is ready. How near is our master?

GRUMIO
E'en at hand, alighted by this; and therefore be
not--Cock's passion, silence! I hear my master.

Enter PETRUCHIO and KATHARINA

PETRUCHIO
Where be these knaves? What, no man at