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And is the bride and bridegroom coming home?

Tranio, as Lucentio
And is the bride and bridegroom coming home?
Gremio
A bridegroom, say you? ’Tis a groom indeed,
A grumbling groom, and that the girl shall find.
Tranio, as Lucentio
Curster than she? Why, ’tis impossible.
Gremio
Why, he’s a devil, a devil, a very fiend.
Tranio, as Lucentio
Why, she’s a devil, a devil, the devil’s dam.
Gremio
Tut, she’s a lamb, a dove, a fool to him.
I’ll tell you, Sir Lucentio: when the priest
Should ask if Katherine should be his wife,
“Ay, by gog’s wouns!” quoth he, and swore so loud
That, all amazed, the priest let fall the book,
And as he stooped again to take it up,
This mad-brained bridegroom took him such a cuff
That down fell priest and book, and book and priest.
“Now, take them up,” quoth he, “if any list.”
Tranio, as Lucentio
What said the wench when he rose again?
Gremio
Trembled and shook, for why he stamped and swore
As if the vicar meant to cozen him.
But after many ceremonies done,
He calls for wine. “A health!” quoth he, as if
He had been aboard, carousing to his mates
After a storm; quaffed off the muscatel
And threw the sops all in the sexton’s face,
Having no other reason
But that his beard grew thin and hungerly,
And seemed to ask him sops as he was drinking.
This done, he took the bride about the neck
And kissed her lips with such a clamorous smack
That at the parting all the church did echo.
And I, seeing this, came thence for very shame,
And after me I know the rout is coming.
Such a mad marriage never was before!
Music plays.
Hark, hark, I hear the minstrels play.

Source:
Act 3
Scene 2
Line 153

Source Type:

Spoken by:
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