The Taming of the Shrew


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ACT IV  
SCENE I. PETRUCHIO'S country house.  
Enter GRUMIO  
GRUMIO  
Fie, fie on all tired jades, on all mad masters, and  
all foul ways! Was ever man so beaten? was ever  
man so rayed? was ever man so weary? I am sent  
before to make a fire, and they are coming after to  
warm them. Now, were not I a little pot and soon  
hot, my very lips might freeze to my teeth, my  
tongue to the roof of my mouth, my heart in my  
belly, ere I should come by a fire to thaw me: but  
I, with blowing the fire, shall warm myself; for,  
considering the weather, a taller man than I will  
take cold. Holla, ho! Curtis.  
Enter CURTIS  
CURTIS  
Who is that calls so coldly?  
GRUMIO  
A piece of ice: if thou doubt it, thou mayst slide  
from my shoulder to my heel with no greater a run  
but my head and my neck. A fire good Curtis.  
CURTIS  
Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio?  
GRUMIO  
O, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire; cast  
on no water.  
CURTIS  
Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported?  
GRUMIO  
She was, good Curtis, before this frost: but, thou  
knowest, winter tames man, woman and beast; for it  
hath tamed my old master and my new mistress and  
myself, fellow Curtis.  
CURTIS  
Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast.  
GRUMIO  
Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a foot; and  
so long am I at the least. But wilt thou make a  
fire, or shall I complain on thee to our mistress,  
whose hand, she being now at hand, thou shalt soon  
feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office?  
CURTIS  
I prithee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes the world?  
GRUMIO  


Page
48 49 50 51 52

Quick Jump
1 21 43 64 85