“A match! It’s done,” said Petruchio. “Who shall begin?” asked Hortensio. “I will,” said Lucentio. So a message was first sent to Bianca. But she sent back word that she was busy and could not come. “How? She is busy and she cannot come! Is that an answer?” said Petruchio mockingly. “Ay, and a kind one too,” said one of the guests. “Pray heaven, sir, your wife do not send you a worse.” “I hope, better,” replied Petruchio. “Signor Biondello, go and entreat my wife to come to me forthwith,” said Hortensio. “O, ho! _entreat_ her!” laughed Petruchio. “Nay, then, she must needs come.” “I am afraid, sir, do what you can, yours will not be entreated,” retorted Hortensio. Then, as the messenger returned, “Now, where’s my wife?” “She says you have some goodly jest in hand; she will not come. She bids you go to her.” “Worse and worse, ‘she will not come!’” said Petruchio. “Intolerable, not to be endured! Grumio, go to your mistress: say I command her to come to me.” “I know her answer,” said Hortensio. “What?” “She will not come.” But the next moment in walked Katharine. “What is your will, sir, that you send for me?” “Where is your sister, and Hortensio’s wife?” asked Petruchio. “They are sitting talking by the parlour fire.” “Go, fetch them hither; if they refuse to come, beat them forth to their husbands. Away, I say, and bring them straight here.” “Here is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder,” said Lucentio, as Katharine obediently departed. “And so it is. I wonder what it bodes,” said Hortensio. “Marry, peace it bodes, and love, and quiet life--in short, everything that is sweet and happy,” said Petruchio. “Now, fair befall you, good Petruchio!” said Baptista. “You have won the wager, and I will add to it twenty thousand crowns--another dowry to another daughter, for Katharine is changed as if she had never been.” “Nay,” said Petruchio, “I will win my wager better yet, and show more signs of her obedience. See where she comes and brings your froward wives as prisoners to her womanly persuasion.” Then, as Katharine entered with Bianca and Hortensio’s wife, he continued: “Katharine, that cap of yours does not become you; off with that bauble, throw it underfoot.” Greatly to the disgust of the other two wives, Katharine instantly obeyed. “Lord, let me never have a cause to sigh till I be brought to such a silly pass,” said Hortensio’s wife, and even the gentle Bianca exclaimed with equal disdain: “Fie! what sort of foolish duty do you call this?” “I wish your duty were as foolish, too,” said her husband. “The _wisdom_ of your duty, fair Bianca, has cost me a hundred crowns since supper-time.” “The more fool you, for wagering on my duty!” was Bianca’s unkind reply.