e the parents
of so fair a child."--"Why, how now, Kate," said Petruchio; "I hope you
are not mad. This is a man, old and wrinkled, faded and withered, and
not a maiden, as you say he is." On this Katharine said, "Pardon me, old
gentleman; the sun has so dazzled my eyes, that everything I look on
seemeth green. Now I perceive you are a reverend father: I hope you will
pardon me for my sad mistake."--"Do, good old grandsire," said Petruchio,
"and tell us which way you are travelling. We shall be glad of your good
company, if you are going our way." The old gentleman replied, "Fair
sir, and you, my merry mistress, your strange encounter has much amazed
me. My name is Vincentio, and I am going to visit a son of mine who
lives at Padua." Then Petruchio knew the old gentleman to be the father
of Lucentio, a young gentleman who was to be married to Baptista's
younger daughter, Bianca, and he made Vincentio very happy, by telling
him the rich marriage his son was about to make: and they all journeyed
on pleasantly together till they came to Baptista's house, where there
was a large company assembled to celebrate the wedding of Bianca and
Lucentio, Baptista having willingly consented to the marriage of Bianca
when he had got Katharine off his hands.

When they entered, Baptista welcomed them to the wedding feast, and
there was present also another newly married pair.

Lucentio, Bianca's husband, and Hortensio, the other new married man,
could not forbear sly jests, which seemed to hint at the shrewish
disposition of Petruchio's wife, and these fond bridegrooms seemed
highly pleased with the mild tempers of the ladies they had chosen,
laughing at Petruchio for his less fortunate choice. Petruchio took
little notice of their jokes till the ladies were retired after dinner,
and then he perceived Baptista himself joined in the laugh against him:
for when Petruchio affirmed that his wife would prove more obedient than
theirs, the father of Katharine said, "Now, in good sadness, son
Petruchio, I fear you have got the veriest shrew of all." "Well," said
Petruchio, "I say no, and therefore for assurance that I speak the
truth, let us each one send for his wife, and he whose wife is most
obedient to come at first when she is sent for, shall win a wager which
we will propose." To this the other two husbands willingly consented,
for they were quite confident that their gentle wives would prove more
obedient than the headstrong Katharine;