58 THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.

“A hundred then,” cried Lucentio, Bianca’s
husband.

“Content,” cried the others.
a Then Lucentio sent a message to the fair
Be fn Bianca bidding her to come to him. And
Baptista said he was certain his daughter
would come. But the servant coming back,
said—

“Sir, my mistress is busy, and she cannot
come.”

“There’s an answer for you,” said Pet-
ruchio.
is “You may think yourself fortunate if your
i wife does not send you a worse.”

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
    
    
                
  

   
  
 

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a

Z My cole hope, better,” Petruchio answered.
eZ Then Hortensio said—

  

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“Go and entreat my wife
to come.to me at once.”

“ Oh—if you entreat her,”
said Petruchio.

“T am afraid,” answered
Hortensio, sharply, “do what

  
 

you can, yours will not be entreated.”

But now the servant came in, and said—

“She says you are playing some jest, she will not come.”

“ Better and better,” cried Petruchio ; ‘‘ now go to your mistress and
say I command her to come to me.” ;

They all began to laugh, saying they knew what her answer would
be, and that she would not come.

Then suddenly Baptista cried—

‘Here comes Katharine!” And sure enough—there she was.

“What do you wish, sir?” she asked her husband.

“ Where are your sister and Hortensio’s wife?”

-“ Talking by the parlour fire.”

“Fetch them here.”

When she was gone to fetch them, Lucentio said—