Then Petruchio bade Katharine tell the other headstrong women what
duty they owed their husbands. And this she straightway did, in a
speech of such wonderful grace and submission that all her hearers
were amazed. As for her husband, he was delighted with the result of
his somewhat rough schooling. “Come, Kate!” he said. “Good-night!” And
he retired triumphantly with his now loving and devoted wife.
[Illustration: “Come, Kate!... Good-night!”]
Twelfth Night [Illustration]
Orsino’s Envoy
Sebastian and Viola were brother and sister, twins, and they resembled
each other so closely that it would have been impossible to know them
apart if it had not been for the difference in dress.
Travelling by sea on one occasion, they met with a dangerous
adventure, for near the coast of Illyria their ship was wrecked, and
though both managed to get safely to land, each feared the other had
perished. The captain of the ship, who was saved in the same boat with
Viola, kindly befriended her. It happened he knew that country well,
for he was born and bred there, and had only left it a month before.
He told Viola that it was governed by a Duke, noble in nature as in
name, and that this Duke was in love with a fair lady called Olivia.
The father and brother of the lady, however, had both died within the
last year, and the Countess Olivia out of love for them and grief for
their loss had shut herself up in seclusion ever since, and refused to
see anyone.
Viola, who had been cast quite destitute on shore, would gladly have
served this lady for awhile till the opportunity came to show what was
her real estate in life; but the captain said that would be difficult
to manage, for the Countess would listen to no kind of suit, not even
the Duke Orsino’s. Then the idea came to Viola to disguise herself
as a page, and to seek service with the Duke, of whom she had heard
her own father speak. She could sing and play to him in many sorts of
music, which would make her well worth his service, for the Duke was
especially fond of music. The captain promised to keep concealed who
she really was, aid her in getting a disguise, and present her to the
Duke.
All went well. Viola, with her grace, beauty, and noble bearing, made
such a gallant young page that she was received into instant favour,
and before three days were over, the Duke, won by some irresistible
charm, had confided to “Cesario” (as he called her) all the secret
of his unhappy love for the lady Olivia. His suit so far had been
rejected, even his messengers were denied admittance; but it occurred
to Orsino that if he sent this pretty lad to the Countess perhaps he
might be more successful in pleading his cause than some older envoy
of graver aspect. He bade Cesario insist on admittance, and refuse
to be sent away without seeing Olivia. When he gained speech with the
Countess, he was to tell her of Orsino’s devotion, and relate his woes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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