Page 1427 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

T RANIO

Master, you look’d so longly on the maid, [165]
Perhaps you mark’d not what’s the pith of all.

LUCENT IO

O yes. I saw sweet beauty in her face,
Such as the daughter of Agenor had,
That made great Jove to humble him to her hand,
When with his knees he kiss’d the Cretan strand. [170]

T RANIO

Saw you no more? Mark’d you not how her sister
Began to scold and raise up such a storm
That mortal ears might hardly endure the din?

LUCENT IO

Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move,
And with her breath she did perfume the air. [175]
Sacred and sweet was all I saw in her.

T RANIO

Nay, then ’tis time to stir him from his trance.
I pray, awake, sir. If you love the maid,
Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it stands:
Her elder sister is so curst and shrewd [180]
That till the father rid his hands of her,
Master, your love must live a maid at home,
And therefore has he closely mew’d her up,
Because she will not be annoy’d with suitors.

LUCENT IO

Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father’s he! [185]
But art thou not advis’d he took some care
To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her?

T RANIO

Ay, marry, am I, sir - and now ’tis plotted.

LUCENT IO

I have it, Tranio.