said Petruchio, “does she say she is busy and
cannot come? Is that an answer for a wife?”
Then they laughed at him, and said, it would be well
if Katherine did not send him a worse answer.
And now it was Hortensio’s turn to send for
his wife; and he said to his servant, “Go, and
intreat my wife to come to me.” “Oh
ho! intreat her!” said Petruchio. “Nay,
then, she needs must come.” “I am
afraid, sir,” said Hortensio, “your wife
will not be intreated.” But presently this
civil husband looked a little blank, when the servant
returned without his mistress; and he said to him,
“How now! Where is my wife?” “Sir,”
said the servant, “my mistress says you have
some goodly jest in hand, and therefore she will not
come. She bids you come to her.” “Worse
and worse!” said Petruchio; and then he sent
his servant, saying, “Sirrah, go to your mistress,
and tell her I command her to come to me.”
The company had scarcely time to think she would not
obey this summons, when Baptista, all in amaze, exclaimed,
“Now, by my hollidam, here comes Katherine!”
and she entered, saying meekly to Petruchio, “What
is your will, sir, that you send for me?”—“Where
is your sister and Hortensio’s wife?” said
he. Katherine replied, “They sit conferring
by the parlour-fire.” “Go, fetch
them hither!” said Petruchio. Away went
Katherine without reply to perform her husband’s
command. “Here is a wonder,” said
Lucentio, “if you talk of a wonder.”
“And so it is,” said Hortensio; “I
marvel what it bodes.” “Marry, peace
it bodes,” said Petruchio, “and love,
and quiet life, and right supremacy; and to be short,
every thing that is sweet and happy.” Katherine’s
father, overjoyed to see this reformation in his daughter,
said, “Now, fair befall thee, son Petruchio!
you have won the wager, and I will add another twenty
thousand crowns to her dowry, as if she were another
daughter, for she is changed as if she had never been.”
“Nay,” said Petruchio, “I will win
the wager better yet, and shew more signs of her new-built
virtue and obedience.” Katherine now entering
with the two ladies, he continued, “See where
she comes, and brings your froward wives as prisoners
to her womanly persuasion. Katherine, that cap
of yours does not become you; off with that bauble,
and throw it under foot.” Katherine instantly
took off her cap, and threw it down. “Lord!”
said Hortensio’s wife, “may I never have
a cause to sigh till I am brought to such a silly
pass!” And Bianca, she too said, “Fie,
what foolish duty call you this!” On this Bianca’s
husband said to her, “I wish your duty were
as foolish too! The wisdom of your duty, fair
Bianca, has cost me an hundred crowns since dinner-time.”
“The more fool you,” said Bianca, “for
laying on my duty.” “Katherine,”
said Petruchio, “I charge you tell these headstrong
women what duty they owe their lords and husbands.”
And to the wonder of all present, the reformed shrewish
lady spoke as eloquently in praise of the wife-like
duty of obedience, as she had practised it implicitly
in a ready submission to Petruchio’s will.
And Katherine once more became famous in Padua, not
as heretofore, as Katherine the Shrew, but as Katherine
the most obedient and duteous wife in Padua.