Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Adaptations; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Stories, plots, etc. -- Juvenile literature
my mind; and if you cannot, you had better stop your ears." Petruchio
would not hear these angry words, for he had happily discovered a better
way of managing his wife than keeping up a jangling argument with her;
therefore his answer was, "Why, you say true; it is a paltry cap, and I
love you for not liking it."--"Love me, or love me not," said Katharine,
"I like the cap, and I will have this cap or none."--"You say you wish
to see the gown," said Petruchio, still affecting to misunderstand her.
The tailor then came forward and showed her a fine gown he had made for
her. Petruchio, whose intent was that she should have neither cap nor
gown, found as much fault with that. "O mercy, Heaven!" said he, "what
stuff is here! What, do you call this a sleeve? it is like a
demi-cannon, carved up and down like an apple tart." The tailor said,
"You bid me make it according to the fashion of the times;" and
Katharine said, she never saw a better fashioned gown. This was enough
for Petruchio, and privately desiring these people might be paid for
their goods, and excuses made to them for the seemingly strange
treatment he bestowed upon them, he with fierce words and furious
gestures drove the tailor and the haberdasher out of the room; and then,
turning to Katharine, he said, "Well, come, my Kate, we will go to your
father's even in these mean garments we now wear." And then he ordered
his horses, affirming they should reach Baptista's house by dinner-time,
for that it was but seven o'clock. Now it was not early morning, but the
very middle of the day, when he spoke this; therefore Katharine ventured
to say, though modestly, being almost overcome by the vehemence of his
manner, "I dare assure you, sir, it is two o'clock, and will be
supper-time before we get there." But Petruchio meant that she should be
so completely subdued, that she should assent to everything he said,
before he carried her to her father; and therefore, as if he were lord
even of the sun, and could command the hours, he said it should be what
time he pleased to have it, before he set forward; "For," he said,
"whatever I say or do, you still are crossing it. I will not go to-day,
and when I go, it shall be what o'clock I say it is." Another day
Katharine was forced to practise her newly-found obedience, and not till
he had brought her proud spirit to such a perfect subjection, that she
dared not remember there was such a word as contradiction, would
Petruchio allow her to go to her father's house; and even while they
were upon their journey thither, she was in danger of being turned back
again, only because she happened to hint it was the sun, when he
affirmed the moon shone brightly at noonday. "Now, by my mother's son,"
said he, "and that is myself, it shall be the moon, or stars, or what I
list, before I journey to your father's house." He then made as if he
were going back again; but Katharine, no longer Katharine the Shrew, but
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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