The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (600 page)

BOOK: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
4.54Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

Why, here is a note of the directions to prove me right.

 

PETRUCHIO. Read it.

 

GRUMIO. The note lies in 's throat, if he say I said so.

 
 

The note lies in his throat, if he says I said so.

TAILOR. 'Imprimis, a loose-bodied gown.'

 
 

'
First of all, a loose-bodied gown."

 

GRUMIO. Master, if ever I said loose-bodied gown, sew me in the skirts of it and beat me to death with a bottom of brown thread; I said, a gown.

 
 

Master, if I ever said 'loose-bodied gown', sew me into its skirts and beat me to death with a roll of brown thread; I said, 'a gown.'

 

PETRUCHIO. Proceed.

 
 

Go ahead.

 

TAILOR. 'With a small compassed cape.'

 

GRUMIO. I confess the cape.

 
 

I admit to the cape.

 

TAILOR. 'With a trunk sleeve.'

 

GRUMIO. I confess two sleeves.

 
 

I admit to two sleeves.

 

TAILOR. 'The sleeves curiously cut.'

 
 

'
The sleeves uniquely cut.'

 

PETRUCHIO. Ay, there's the villainy.

 
 

Yes, there's the problem.

 

GRUMIO. Error i' the bill, sir; error i' the bill. I commanded the sleeves should be cut out, and sew'd up again; and that I'll prove upon thee, though thy little finger be armed in a thimble.

 
 

It's a mistake in the bill, sir; an error in the bill. I said the sleeves should be cut out, and sewed up again; and I'll prove that to you, even if your little finger is armed with a thimble.

 

TAILOR. This is true that I say; an I had thee in place where thou shouldst know it.

 
 

I am telling the truth; and I had you in a place where you should know it.

 

GRUMIO. I am for thee straight; take thou the bill, give me thy mete-yard, and spare not me.

 
 

Fine, do you want to fight? Spare me nothing.

 

HORTENSIO. God-a-mercy, Grumio! Then he shall have no odds.

 
 

God-a-mercy, Grumio! Then he won't have a chance.

 

PETRUCHIO. Well, sir, in brief, the gown is not for me

 

GRUMIO. You are i' the right, sir; 'tis for my mistress.

 
 

You are in the right, sir; it is for my lady.

 

PETRUCHIO. Go, take it up unto thy master's use.

 
 

Go, take it up for your master's use.

 

GRUMIO. Villain, not for thy life! Take up my mistress' gown for thy master's use!

 
 

Villain, not for your life! Take my lady's gown for your master's use!

 

PETRUCHIO. Why, sir, what's your conceit in that?

 
 

Why, sir, what's your point in that?

 

GRUMIO. O, sir, the conceit is deeper than you think for. Take up my mistress' gown to his master's use! O fie, fie, fie!

 
 

Oh, sir, there is more meaning to it than you think. Take up my lady's gown to his master's use! Oh enough, enough, enough!

 

PETRUCHIO. [Aside] Hortensio, say thou wilt see the tailor paid. [To Tailor.] Go take it hence; be gone, and say no more.

 
 

[
Aside] Hortensio, say you will make sure the tailor is paid. [To Tailor.] Go take it from here; be gone, and say no more.

 

HORTENSIO. [Aside to Tailor.] Tailor, I'll pay thee for thy gown to-morrow;

 

Tailor, I'll pay your for your gown tomorrow;

 

Take no unkindness of his hasty words.

 

Do not be offended personally by his hasty words.

 

Away, I say! commend me to thy master.

 

Away, I say! Speak of you to your master.

 

[Exit TAILOR.]

 

PETRUCHIO. Well, come, my Kate; we will unto your father's

 

Well, come, my Kate; we will go to your father's

 

Even in these honest mean habiliments.

 

Even in these honest, humble clothes.

 

Our purses shall be proud, our garments poor

For 'tis the mind that makes the body rich;

 

For it is the mind that makes the body rich;

 

And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds,

So honour peereth in the meanest habit.

 

So honor peers through the most meager outfit.

 

What, is the jay more precious than the lark

Because his feathers are more beautiful?

 

Or is the adder better than the eel

Because his painted skin contents the eye?

 

Because his painted skin pleases the eye?

 

O no, good Kate; neither art thou the worse

 

Oh no, good Kate, your are also none the worse

 

For this poor furniture and mean array.

 

For this shabby appearance.

 

If thou account'st it shame, lay it on me;

 

If you consider this shameful, blame it on me;

 

And therefore frolic; we will hence forthwith,

 

And therefore be happy; we will go soon,

 

To feast and sport us at thy father's house.

 

To feast and have fun at your father's house.

 

Go call my men, and let us straight to him;

 

Go call my men, and let us go straight to him;

 

And bring our horses unto Long-lane end;

 

And bring our horses to Long-land end;

 

There will we mount, and thither walk on foot.

 

There we will get on the horses, after walking there

 

Let's see; I think 'tis now some seven o'clock,

 

Let's see: I think it's now around seven o'clock,

 

And well we may come there by dinner-time.

 

And we will be in good time for dinner.

 

KATHERINA. I dare assure you, sir, 'tis almost two,

 

I can tell you, sir, it's almost two,

 

And 'twill be supper-time ere you come there.

 

And it will be suppertime before you get there.

 

PETRUCHIO. It shall be seven ere I go to horse.

 

It will be seven before I go to the horse.

 

Look what I speak, or do, or think to do,

 

Pay attention to what I speak, or do, or think to do,

 

You are still crossing it. Sirs, let 't alone:

 

Or are still going against it. Sirs, leave it alone:

 

I will not go to-day; and ere I do,

 

I will not go today; and before I do,

 

It shall be what o'clock I say it is.

 

HORTENSIO. Why, so this gallant will command the sun.

 
 

Why, this man wants to order around the sun.

 

[Exeunt.]

 

 

Padua. Before BAPTISTA'S house

 

[Enter TRANIO, and the PEDANT dressed like VINCENTIO.]

 

TRANIO. Sir, this is the house; please it you that I call?

 
 

Sir, this is the house; is it all right if I visit?

 

PEDANT. Ay, what else? and, but I be deceived,

 

Yes, what else? And, unless I am mistaken,

 

Signior Baptista may remember me,

Near twenty years ago in Genoa,

 

From nearly twenty years ago in Genoa,

 

Where we were lodgers at the Pegasus.

 

When we were guests staying at the Pegasus.

 

TRANIO. 'Tis well; and hold your own, in any case,

 

That's all right; and behave, in any case,

 

With such austerity as 'longeth to a father.

 

With such solemness as belongs to a father.

 

PEDANT. I warrant you. But, sir, here comes your boy;

 

I promise to. But, sir, here comes your boy;

 

'Twere good he were school'd.

 

It would be best if he were informed.

 

[Enter BIONDELLO.]

 

TRANIO. Fear you not him. Sirrah Biondello,

 

Don't fear him. Biondello, young man,

 

Now do your duty throughly, I advise you.

Imagine 'twere the right Vincentio.

 

Imagine this were the actual Vincentio.

 

BIONDELLO. Tut! fear not me.

 
 

It's nothing! Don't worry about me.

 

TRANIO. But hast thou done thy errand to Baptista?

 
 

But have you done your errand to Baptista?

 

BIONDELLO. I told him that your father was at Venice,

And that you look'd for him this day in Padua.

 

And that you were looking for him today in Padua.

 

TRANIO. Thou'rt a tall fellow; hold thee that to drink.

 

You have done well; keep it up.

 

Here comes Baptista. Set your countenance, sir.

 

Here comes Baptista. Get ready, sir.

 

[Enter BAPTISTA and LUCENTIO.]

 

Signior Baptista, you are happily met.

 

Sir Baptista, you came at the perfect time.

 
 

[To the PEDANT] Sir, this is the gentleman I told you of;

I pray you stand good father to me now;

 

Please be a good father to me now;

 

Give me Bianca for my patrimony.

 

Let me have Bianca.

 

PEDANT. Soft, son! Sir, by your leave: having come to Padua

 

Hush, son! Sir, begging your pardon: having come to Padua

 

To gather in some debts, my son Lucentio

Made me acquainted with a weighty cause

 

Let me know about the serious issue

 

Of love between your daughter and himself:

And,--for the good report I hear of you,

 

And, -- because of the good reputation I hear of you,

 

And for the love he beareth to your daughter,

 

And for the love he holds for your daughter,

 

And she to him,--to stay him not too long,

 

And she to him, -- to not make him wait too long,

 

I am content, in a good father's care,

 

I am content, like a good father,

 

To have him match'd; and, if you please to like

 

To have him married; and, if you are pleased to like

Other books

Nosferatu the Vampyre by Paul Monette
The Mad Sculptor by Harold Schechter
Lorraine Heath by Always To Remember
Beach Rental by Greene, Grace
Watch Me Die by Goldberg, Lee
Love Leaps: A Short Story by Karen Jerabek
The Monet Murders by Terry Mort
The Sea Break by Antony Trew