Obrázky stránek
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

SCENE 3.]

MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.

Eva. But can you affection the 'oman? Let us command to know that of your mouth, or of your lips; for divers philosophers hold, that the lips is parcel of the mouth;-Therefore, precisely, can you carry your good will to the maid?

Skal. Cousin Abraham Slender, can you love her? Slen. I hope, sir,-I will do, as it shall become one that would do reason.

Eva. Nay, Got's lords and his ladies, you must speak possitable, if you can carry her your desires towards her.

Shal. That you must: Will you, upon good dowry, marry her?

Sken. I will do a greater thing than that, upon your request, cousin, in any reason.

Shal. Nay, conceive me, conceive me, sweet coz; what I do, is to pleasure you, coz: Can you love the maid?

Slen. I will marry her, sir, at your request; but
if there be no great love in the beginning, yet hea-
ven may decrease it upon better acquaintance, when
we are married, and have more occasion to know one
another: I hope, upon familiarity will grow more
contempt; but if you say, marry her, I will marry
her, that I am freely dissolved, and dissolutely.

Eva. It is a fery discretion answer; save, the
faul' is in the 'ort dissolutely: the 'ort is, according
to our meaning, resolutely;-his meaning is good.
Shal. Ay, I think my cousin meant well.
Slen. Ay, or else I would I might be hanged, la.
Re-enter ANNE PAGE.

Shal. Here comes fair mistress Anne:-Would
I were young, for your sake, mistress Anne!

Anne. The dinner is on the table; my father
desires your worships' company.

Shal. I will wait on him, fair mistress Anne..
Evu. Od's plessed will! I will not be absence at
[Exeunt Shal. and Sir H. Evans.
the grace.
Anne. Will't please your worship to come in, sir?
Slen. No, I thank you, forsooth, heartily; I am
Anne. The dinner attends you, sir. [very well.
Slen. I am not a-hungry, I thank you, forsooth.
Go, sirrah, for all you are my man, go, wait upon
my cousin Shallow: [Exit Simple.] A justice of
peace sometime may be beholden to his friend for
a man:-I keep but three men and a boy yet, till
my mother be dead: But what though? yet I live
like a poor gentleman born.

Anne. I may not go in without your worship:
they will not sit till you come.

Slen. I'faith, I'll eat nothing; I thank you as much as though I did.

Anne. I pray you, sir, walk in.

I

Slen. I had rather walk here, I thank you; bruised my shin the other day with playing at sword and dagger with a master of fence, three veneys for a dish of stewed prunes; and, by my troth, I cannot abide the smell of hot meat since. Why do your dogs bark so? be there bears i' the town. [of. Anne. I think there are, sir; I heard them talked Slen. I love the sport well; but I shall as soon quarrel at it, as any man in England:-You are afraid, if you see the bear loose, are you not?

Anne. Ay, indeed, sir.

Slen. That's meat and drink to me now: I have seen Sackerson loose twenty times; and have taken him by the chain: but, I warrant you, the women have so cried and shriek'd at it, that it pass'd:-but women, indeed, cannot abide 'em; they are very illfavoured rough things.

Re-enter PAGE.

Page. Come, gentle master Slender, come; we
stay for you.

Slen. I'll eat nothing, I thank you, sir.
Page. By cock and pye, you shall not choose,
sir: come, come.

Slen. Nay, pray you, lead the way.
Page. Come on, sir.

go first.

Slen. Mistress Anne, yourself shall
Anne. Not I, sir; pray you, keep on.
Slen. Truly, I will not go first; truly, la: I will
not do you that wrong.

Anne. I pray you, sir.

Slen. I'll rather be unmannerly than troublesome; [Exeunt. you do yourself wrong, indeed, la.

SCENE II.-The same.

Enter Sir HUGH EVANS and SIMPLE. Eva. Go your ways, and ask of Doctor Caius' house, which is the way: and there dwells one mistress Quickly, which is in the manner of his nurse, or his dry nurse, or his cook, or his laundry, his washer, and his wringer.

Simp. Well, sir.

Eva. Nay, it is petter yet:-give her this letter; for it is a 'oman that altogether's acquaintance with mistress Anne Page: and the letter is, to desire and require her to solicit your master's desires to mistress Anne Page: I pray you, begone: I will make an end of my dinner; there's pippins and cheese to [Exeunt. SCENE III.-A Room in the Garter Inn. Enter FALSTAFF, HOST, BARDOLPH, NYM, PISTOL,

come.

and ROBIN.

Fal. Mine host of the Garter,

Host. What says my bully-rook? Speak scho[of my followers. larly, and wisely. Fal. Truly, mine host, I must turn away some Host. Discard, bully Hercules; cashier : let them wag; trot, trot.

Fal. I sit at ten pounds a week.

Host. Thou'rt an emperor, Cæsar, Keisar, and
Pheezar. I will entertain Bardolph; he shall draw,
he shall tap: said I well, bully Hector?
Fal. Do so, good mine host.

Host. I have spoke; let him follow: Let me see
follow.
thee froth, and lime: I am at a word;

[Exit Host. Fal. Bardolph, follow him; a tapster is a good trade: An old cloak makes a new jerkin; a withered serving-man, a fresh tapster: Go; adieu.

Bard. It is a life that I have desired; I will [Exit Bard. thrive. Pist. O base Gongarian wight! wilt thou the spigot wield?

Nym. He was gotten in drink: Is not the humour conceited? His mind is not heroic, and there's the humour of it.

Fal. I am glad, I am so acquit of this tinderbox; his thefts were too open; his filching was like [rest. an unskilful singer, he kept not time.

Nym. The good humour is, to steal at a minute's Pis. Convey, the wise it call: Steal! foh; a fico for the phrase!

Fal. Well, sirs, I am almost out at heels.
Pist. Why then, let kibes ensue.

Fal. There is no remedy; I must coney-catch;
I must shift.

Pist. Young ravens must have food.
Fal. Which of you know Ford of this town?
Pist. I ken the wight; he is of substance good.
Fal. My honest lads, I will tell you what I am
Pist. Two yards, and more.

[about.

Fal. No quips now, Pistol: Indeed I am in the waist two yards about: but I am now about no waste; I am about thrift. Briefly, I do mean to make love to Ford's wife; I spy entertainment in her; she discourses, she carves, she gives the leer of invitation: I can construe the action of her familiar style; and the hardest voice of her behaviour, to be English'd rightly, is, I am sir John Falstaff's.

Pist. He hath studied her well, and translated her well; out of honesty into English.

[pass? Nym. The anchor is deep: Will that humour Fal. Now, the report goes, she has all the rule of her husband's purse; she hath legions of angels.

Pist. As many devils entertain; and, To her, boy, say I. [me the angels. Nym. The humour rises; it is good: humour Fal. I have writ me here a letter to her: and here another to Page's wife; who even now gave me good eyes too, examin'd my parts with most judicious eyliads: sometimes the beam of her view gilded my foot, sometimes my portly belly. Pist. Then did the sun on dung-hill shine. Nym. I thank thee for that humour.

Fal. O, she did so course o'er my exteriors with such a greedy intention, that the appetite of her eye did seem to scorch me up like a burning glass! Here's another letter to her: she bears the purse too; she is a region in Guiana, all gold and bounty. I will be cheater to them both, and they shall be exchequers to me; they shall be my East and West Indies, and I will trade to them both. Go, bear thou this letter to mistress Page; and thon this to mistress Ford: we will thrive, lads, we will thrive. Pist. Shall I sir Pandarus of Troy become, And by my side wear steel? then, Lucifer take all! Nym. I will run no base humour: here, take the humourletter; I will keep the 'haviour of reputation. Fal. Hold, sirrah, (to Rob.) bear you these letters tightly;

Sail like my pinnace to these golden shores.-
Rogues, hence, avaunt! vanish like hail-stones, go;
Trudge, plod, away, o'the hoof; seek shelter, pack!
Falstaff will learn the humour of this age,
French thrift, you rogues; myself, and skirted page.
[Exeunt Fal. and Robin.
Pist. Let vultures gripe thy guts! for gourd and
fullam holds,

And high and low beguile the rich and poor;
Tester I'll have in pouch, when thou shalt lack,
Base Phrygian Turk!

Nym. I have operations in my head, which be humours of revenge.

Pist. Wilt thou revenge?
Nym. By welkin, and her star!
Pist. With wit, or steel?

Nym. With both the humours, I:

I will discuss the humour of this love to Page.
Pist. And I to Ford shall eke unfold,

How Falstaff, varlet vile,

His dove will prove, his gold will hold,
And his soft couch defile.

Nym. My humour shall not cool: I will incense Page to deal with poison; I will possess him with yellowness, for the revolt of mien is dangerous: that is my true humour.

Pist. Thou art the Mars of malcontents: I second thee; troop on. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-A Room in Dr. Caius' House. Enter Mistress QUICKLY, SIMPLE, and RUGBY. Quick. What; John Rugby!-I pray thee, go to the casement, and see if you can see my master, master Doctor Caius, coming: if he do, i'faith, and find any body in the house, here will be an old abusing of God's patience, and the king's English. Rug. I'll go watch. [Exit Rugby. Quick. Go; and we'll have a posset for't soon at night, in faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal fire. An honest, willing, kind fellow, as ever servant shall come in house withal; and, I warrant you, no tell-tale, nor no breed-bate; his worst fault is, that he is given to prayer; he is something peevish that way; but nobody but has his fault-but let that pass. Peter Simple, you say your name is? Sim. Ay, for fault of a better.

Quick. And master Slender's your master?
Sim. Ay, forsooth.

Quick. Does he not wear a great round beard, like a glover's paring knife?

Sim. No, forsooth: he hath but a little wee face, with a little yellow beard; a Cain-coloured beard. Quick, A softly-sprighted man, is he not?

Sim. Ay, forsooth: but he is as tall a man of his hands, as any is between this and his head; he hath fought with a warrener.

Quick. How say you?-O, I should remember him? Does he not hold up his head, as it were? and strut in his gait?

Sim. Yes, indeed, does he.

Quick. Well, heaven send Anne Page no worse fortune! Tell master parson Evans, I will do what I can for your master: Anne is a good girl, and I wish

Re-enter RUGBY.

Rug. Out, alas! here comes my master. Quick. We shall all be shent: Run in here, good young man; go into this closet. (Shuts Simple in the closet.) He will not stay long.-What, John Rugby! John, what, John, I say!-Go, John, go enquire for my master; I doubt, he be not well, that he comes not home:-and down, down, adown-a, &c. (Sings.) Enter Doctor CAIUS.

Caius. Vat is you sing? I do not like dese toys; Pray you, go and vetch me in my closet un boitier verd; a box, a green-a box ; Do intend vat I speak? a green-a box.

Quick. Ay, forsooth, I'll fetch it you. I am glad he went not in himself: if he had found the young man, he would have been horn-mad. (Aside.)

Caius. Fe, fe fe, fe! ma foi, il fait fort chaud.
Je m'en vais à la Cour,―la grande affaire.
Quick. Is it this, sir?

Caius. Ouy: mette le au mon pocket; Depeche,
quickly:-Vere is dat knave Rugby?
Quick. What, John Rugby! John!
Rug. Here, sir.

Caius. You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby Come, take-a your rapier, and come after my heel to de court.

Rug. 'Tis ready, sir, here in the porch.

Caus. By my trot, I tarry too long:-Od's me! Qu'ay j'oublié ? dere is some simples in my closet, dat I vill not for the varld I shall leave behind.

Quick. Ah me! he'll find the young man there, and be mad!

Caius. O diable, diable! vat is in my closet?Villainy! larron! (Pulling Simple out.) Rugby, my Quick. Good master, be content. [rapier. Caius. Verefore shall I be content-a? Quick. The young man is an honest man. Caius. Vat shall de honest man do in my closet? dere is no honest man dat shall come in my closet. Quick. I beseech you, be not so phlegmatic; hear the truth of it: He came of an errand to me from Caius. Vell. [parson Hugh.

Sim. Ay, forsooth, to desire her to-
Quick. Peace, I pray yon.

Caius. Peace-a your tongue :-Speak-a your tale. Sim. To desire this honest gentlewoman, your maid, to speak a good word to Mrs. Anne Page for my master, in the way of marriage.

Quick. This is all, indeed, la; but I'll ne'er put my finger in the fire, and need not.

Caius. Sir Hugh send-a you?-Rugby, baillez me some paper: Tarry you a little-a while. (Writes.) Quick. I am glad he is so quiet: if he had been thoroughly moved, you should have heard him so loud, and so melancholy;-But notwithstanding, man, I'll do your master what good I can: and the very yea and the nois, the French doctor, my master,-I may call him my master, look you, for I keep his house; and I wash, wring, brew, bake. scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and do all myself:

[band.

Sim. 'Tis a great charge, to come under one body's Quick. Are you avis'd o' that? you shall find it a great charge: and to be up early and down late but notwithstanding, (to tell you in your ear I would have no words of it;) my master himself is in love with mistress Anne Page: but notwithstand.

ACT II. SCENE 1.]

MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR,

ing that, I know Anne's mind,-that's neither here nor there.

Caius. You jack'nape; give-a dis letter to sir Hagh; by gar, it is a shallenge: I vill cut his troat in de park; and I vill teach a scurvy jack-a-nape priest to meddle or make :-you may be gone; it is not good you tarry here:-by gar, I vill cut all his two stones; by gar, he shall not have a stone to trow [Exit Simple. at his dog. Quick. Alas, he speaks but for his friend. Carus. It is no matter-a for dat:-do not you tell-a me dat I shall have Anne Page for myself? by gar, I will kill de Jack Priest; and I have appointed mine host of de Jarterre to measure our weapon :-by gar, I vill myself have Anne Page. Quick. Sir, the maid loves you, and all shall be well: we must give folks leave to prate: What, the good-jer!

Caius. Rugby, come to de court vit me ;-By gar, if I have not Anne Page, I shall turn your head out of my door :- Follow my heels, Rugby.

[Exeunt Caius and Rugby. Quick. You shall have An fools-head of your own. No. I know Anne's mind for that: never a woman in Windsor knows more of Anne's mind, than I do; nor can do more than I do with her, I thank heaven. Fent. (Within.) Who's within there? ho! Quick. Who's there, I trow? Come near the house, I pray you.

Enter FENTON.

Fen. How now, good woman; how dost thou ? Quick. The better, that it pleases your good [Anne? worship to ask. Fen. What news? how does pretty mistress Quick. In truth, sir, and she is pretty, and honest, and gentle; and one that is your friend, I can tell you that by the way; I praise heaven for it.

Pent. Shall I do any good, thinkest thou? Shall I not lose my suit?

Quick. Troth, sir, all is in his hands above: but notwithstanding, master Fenton, I'll be sworn on a book, she loves you:-Have not your worship a wart above your eye?

Fent. Yes, marry, have I; what of that? Quick. Well, thereby hangs a tale;-good faith, it is such another Nan-but, I detest, an honest maid as ever broke bread:-We had an hour's talk of that wart-I shall never laugh but in that maid's company! But, indeed, she is given too much to allicholly, and musing: But for youWell, go to.

Fent. Well, I shall see her to-day; Hold, there's money for thee; let me have thy voice in my behalf: if thou seest her before me, commend me

Quick. Will I? i'faith, that we will; and I will tell your worship more of the wart, the next time we have confidence; and of other wooers. Fent. Well, farewell; I am in great haste now. Exit. Quick. Farewell to your worship.-Truly, an honest gentleman; but Anne loves him not; for I know Anne's mind as well as another does :-Out [Exit. upon't! what have I forgot?

ACT II. SCENE I.-Before Page's House.

Enter Mistress PAGE, with a letter. Mrs. Page. What! have I 'scap'd love-letters in the holy-day time of my beauty, and am I now a subject for them? Let me see: (Reads.)

Ásk me no reason why I love you; for though love use reason for his precisian, he admits him not for his counsellor: You are not young, no more am I; go to then, there's sympathy: you are merry, so am I; Ha ha! then there's more sympathy: you love sack, and so do I; Would desire better sympathy? Let it suffice thee, mistress Page, (at the least, if the love of a soldier can suffice,) that I love thee. I will not

you

say, pity me, 'tis not a soldier-like phrase; but I say,
love me. By me,
Thine own true knight,
By day or night,

Or any kind of light,
With all his might,
For thee to fight,

JOHN FALSTAFF.

What a Herod of Jewry is this?-O wicked, wicked world!-one that is well nigh worn to pieces with age, to show himself a young gallant! What an unweighed behaviour hath this Flemish drunkard picked (with the devil's name) out of my conversation, that he dares in this manner assay me? Why, he hath not been thrice in my company!What should I say to him?-I was then frugal of my mirth :-heaven forgive me!-Why, I'll exhibit bill in the parliament for the putting down of men. How shall I be revenged on him? for revenged I will be, as sure as his guts are made of puddings. Enter Mistress FORD.

a

Mrs. Ford. Mistress Page! trust me, I was going to your house. Mrs. Page. And, trust me, I was coming to you. [show to the contrary. You look very ill. Mrs. Ford. Nay, I'll ne'er believe that; I have to Mrs. Page. 'Faith, but you do, in my mind. Mrs. Ford. Well, I do then; yet, I say, I could show you to the contrary: O, mistress Page, give me some counsel !

Mrs. Page. What's the matter, woman? Mrs. Ford. O woman, if it were not for one take the trifling respect, I could come to such honour! Mrs. Page. Hang the trifle, woman; honour: What is it?-dispense with trifles ;— what is it?

Mrs. Ford. If I would but go to hell for an eternal moment, or so, I conld be knighted.

Mrs. Page. What? thou liest!-Sir Alice Ford! -These knights will hack; and so thou shouldst not alter the article of thy gentry.

Mrs. Ford. We burn day-light: --here, read, read;-perceive how I might be knighted. I shall think the worse of fat men, as long as I have an eye to make difference of men's liking: And yet he would not swear; praised women's modesty : and gave such orderly and well-behaved reproof to all uncomeliness, that I would have sworn his disposition would have gone to the truth of his words: but they do no more adhere and keep place together than the hundredth Psalm to the tune of Green Sleeves. What tempest, I trow, threw this whale, with so many tons of oil in his belly, ashore at Windsor? How shall I be revenged on him? I think the best way were to entertain him with hope, till the wicked fire of lust have melted him in his own grease. Did you ever hear the like?

Mrs. Page. Letter for letter; but that the name of Page and Ford differs!-To thy great comfort in this mystery of ill opinions, here's the twin-brother of thy letter: but let thine inherit first; for, I I warrant, he hath a protest, mine never shall. thousand of these letters, writ with blank space for different names, (sure more,) and these are of the second edition: He will print them out of doubt; for he cares not what he puts into the press when he would put us two. I had rather be a giantess, and lie under mount Pelion. Well, I will find you twenty lascivious turtles, ere one chaste man.

Mrs. Ford. Why, this is the very same; the very hand, the very words: What doth he think of us?

Mrs. Page. Nay, I know not: It makes me almost ready to wrangle with mine own honesty. I'll entertain myself like one, that I am not acquainted withal; for, sure, unless he know some strain in me, that I know not myself, he would never have boarded me in this fury.

Mrs. Ford. Boarding, call you it? I'll be sure to keep him above deck.

Mrs. Page. So will I; if he come under my hatches, I'll never to sea again. Let's be reveng'd on him: let's appoint him a meeting; give him a show of comfort in his suit; and lead him on with a fine baited delay, till he hath pawn'd his horses to mine host of the Garter.

Mrs. Ford. Nay, I will consent to act any villainy against him, that may not sully the chariness of our honesty. O, that my husband saw this letter! it would give eternal food to his jealousy.

Mrs. Page. Why, look, where he comes; and my good man too: he's as far from jealousy, as I am from giving him cause; and that, I hope, is an anmeasurable distance.

Mrs. Ford. You are the happier woman. Mrs. Page. Let's consult together against this greasy knight: Come hither. [They retire. Enter FORD, PISTOL, PAGE, and NYM. Ford. Well, I hope, it be not so. Pist. Hope is a curtail dog in some affairs: Sir John affects thy wife.

Ford. Why, sir, my wife is not young. [poor, Pist. He wooes both high and low, both rich and Both young and old, one with another, Ford; He loves thy gally-maufry; Ford, perpend. Ford. Love my wife?

[thou, Pist. With liver burning hot: Prevent, or go Like sir Actæon, with Ringwood at thy heels :— O, odious is the name!

Ford. What name, sir?

[night:

Pist. The horn, I say: Farewell. Take heed; have open eye; for thieves do foot by Take heed, ere summer comes, or cuckoo birds do Away, sir corporal Nym.— [sing.Believe it, Page; he speaks sense. [Exit Pistol. Ford. I will be patient; I will find out this. Nym. And this is true; (to Page.) I like not the humour of lying. He hath wronged me in some humours; I should have borne the humoured letter to her; but I have a sword, and it shall bite upon my necessity. He loves your wife; there's the short and the long. My name is corporal Nym; I speak, and I avouch. 'Tis true-my name is Nym, and Falstaff loves your wife.-Adieu! I love not the humour of bread and cheese; and there's the humour of it. Adieu. [Exit Nym. Page. The humour of it, quoth 'a! here's a fellow frights humour out of his wits.

Ford. I will seek out Falstaff.
[rogue.
Page. I never heard snch a drawling, affecting
Ford. If I do find it, well.

Page. I will not believe such a Cataian, though the priest o' the town commended him for a true man. Ford. 'Twas a good sensible fellow: Well. Page. How now, Meg?

[you. Mrs. Page. Whither go you, George?-Hark Mrs. Ford. How now, sweet Frank? why art thou melancholy?

Ford. I melancholy! I am not melancholy.Get you home, go.

Mrs. Ford. 'Faith, thou hast some crotchets in thy head now.— .-Will you go, mistress Page? Mrs. Page. Have with you. You'll come to dinner, George? Look, who comes yonder: she shall be our messenger to this paltry knight. (Aside to Mrs. Ford.)

Enter Mistress QUICKLY. Mrs. Ford. Trust me, I thought on her: she'll fit it. Mrs. Page. You are come to see my daughter Anne? [good mistress Anne? Quick. Ay, forsooth; And, I pray, how does Mrs. Page. Go in with us, and see; we have an hour's talk with you. [Exeunt Mrs. Page, Mrs. Ford, and Mrs. Quickly.

Page. How now, master Ford? Ford. You have heard what this knave told me ; did you not? [me? Page. Yes; and you heard what the other told

Ford. Do you think there is truth in them? Page. Hang 'em, slaves; I do not think the knight would offer it: but these that accuse him in his intent towards our wives, are a yoke of his discarded men: very rogues, now they be out of Ford. Were they his men? [service. Page. Marry, were they.

Ford. I like it never the better for that.-Does he lie at the Garter?

Page, Ay, marry, does he. If he should intend this voyage towards my wife, I would turn her loose to him; and what he gets more of her than sharp words, let it lie on my head.

Ford. I do not misdoubt my wife; but I would be loath to turn them together: A man may be too confident: I would have nothing lie on my head: I cannot be thus satisfied.

Page. Look, where my ranting host of the Garter comes: there is either liquor in his pate, or money in his purse, when he looks so merrily.-How now, mine host? Enter Host and SHALLOW.

Host. How now, bully-rook? thou'rt a gentleman cavalero-justice, I say. Shal. I follow, mine host, I follow. Good even, and twenty, good master Page! Master Page, will you go with us? we have sport in hand. [rook. Host. Tell him, cavalero-justice; tell him, bullyShal. Sir, there is a fray to be fought, between sir Hugh the Welch priest, and Caius the French doctor. [you. Ford. Good mine host o' the Garter, a word with Host. What say'st thou, bully-rook? (They go aside.)

Shal. Will you (to Page) go with us to behold it? My merry host hath had the measuring of their weapons; and, I think, he hath appointed them contrary places: for, believe me, I hear, the parson is no jester. Hark, I will tell you what our sport shall be. [guest-cavalier?

Host. Hast thou no suit against my knight, my of burnt sack to give me recourse to him, and tell Ford. None, I protest: but I'll give you a pottle him my name is Brook; only for a jest.

Host. My hand, bully: thou shalt have egress and regress; said I well? and thy name shall be Brook: It is a merry knight.-Will you go on, Shal. Have with you, mine host. [hearts? Page. I have heard, the Frenchman hath good skill in his rapier.

Shal. Tut, sir, I could have told you more: In stoccadoes, and I know not what: 'tis the heart, these times you stand on distance, your passes, master Page; 'tis here, 'tis here. I have seen the time, with my long sword, I would have made you four tall fellows skip like rats.

Host. Here, boys, here, here! shall we wag? Page. Have with you :-I had rather hear them scold than fight. [Exeunt Host, Shallow and Page.

Ford. Though Page be a secure fool, and stands so firmly on his wife's frailty, yet I cannot put off my opinion so easily: She was in his company at Page's house; and, what they made there, I know not. Well, I will look further into't: and I have I lose not my labour; if she be otherwise, 'tis laa disguise to sound Falstaff: If I find her honest, [Exit.

bour well bestowed.

SCENE II. A Room in the Garter Inn.
Enter FALSTAFF and PISTOL.
Fal. I will not lend thee a penny.
Pist. Why, then the world's mine oyster,
Which I with sword will open.-

I will retort the sum in equipage.

Fal. Not a penny. I have been content, sir, you should lay my countenance to pawn: I have grated upon my good friends for three reprieves for you and your coach-fellow, Nym; or else you had looked through the grate, like a geminy of baboons.

I am damned in hell, for swearing to gentlemen my friends, you were good soldiers, and tall fellows: and when mistress Bridget lost the handle of her fan, I took't upon mine honour, thou hadst it not. Pist. Didst thou not share? hadst thou not fifteen pence?

Fal. Reason, you rogue, reason: Think'st thou I'll endanger my soul, gratis? At a word, hang no more about me, I am no gibbet for you :-go.— A short knife and a throng;-to your manor of Pick thatch, go.-You'll not bear a letter for me, you rogue! You stand upon your honour!-Why, thou unconfinable baseness, it is as much as I can do to keep the terms of my honour precise. I, I, I myself sometimes, leaving the fear of heaven on the left hand, and hiding mine honour in my necessity, am fain to shuffle, to hedge, and to lurch; and yet you, rogue, will esconce your rags, your cata-mountain looks, your red-lattice phrases, and your bold-beating oaths, under the shelter of your bonour! You will not do it, you? [man? Pist. I do relent; What would'st thou more of Enter ROBIN.

Quick. Ay, forsooth; and then you may come and see the picture, she says, that you wot of ;master Ford, her husband, will be from home. Alas! the sweet woman leads an ill life with him; he's a very jealousy man: she leads a very frampold life with him, good heart.

Fal. Ten and eleven: Woman, commend me to her; I will not fail her.

Quick. Why, you say well: But I have another messenger to your worship: Mistress Page hath her hearty commendations to you too;-and let me tell you in your ear, she's as fartuous a civil modest wife, and one (I tell you) that will not miss you morning nor evening prayer, as any is in Windsor, whoe'er be the other: and she bade me tell your worship, that her husband is seldom from home; but, she hopes, there will come a time. I never knew a woman so dote upon a man; surely, I think you have charms, la; yes, in truth.

Fal. Not I, I assure thee; setting the attraction of my good parts aside, I have no other charms. Quick. Blessing on your heart for't!

Fal. But, I pray thee, tell me this: has Ford's they love me?

Rob. Sir, here's a woman would speak with you. wife, and Page's wife, acquainted each other how

Fal. Let her approach.

Enter Mistress QUICKLY.

Quick. Give your worship good-morrow.
Fal. Good-morrow, good wife.

Quick. Not so, an't please your worship.
Pal. Good maid, then.

Quick. I'll be sworn; as my mother was, the first hour I was born.

Fal. I do believe the swearer: What with me? Quick. Shall I vouchsafe your worship a word

or two?

Fal. Two thousand, fair woman; and I'll vouchsafe thee the hearing.

Quick. There is one mistress Ford, sir ;-I pray, come a little nearer this ways:-I myself dwell with master doctor Caius.

Fal. Well, on: Mistress Ford, you say, Quick. Your worship says very true: I pray your worship, come a little nearer this ways.

Fal. I warrant thee, nobody hears;-mine own people, mire own people.

Quick. Are they so? Heaven bless them, and make them his servants!

Fal. Well: Mistress Ford;-what of her? Quick. Why, sir, she's a good creature. Lord, lord! your worship's a wanton: Well, heaven forgive you, and all of us, I pray!

Fal. Mistress Ford; come, mistress Ford,Quick. Marry, this is the short and the long of it; you have brought her into such a canaries, as 'tis wonderful. The best courtier of them all, when the court lay at Windsor, could never have brought her to such a canary. Yet there has been knights, and lords, and gentlemen, with their coaches; I warrant you, coach after coach, letter after letter, gift after gift; smelling so sweetly, (all musk) and so rushling, I warrant you, in silk and gold; and in such alligant terms; and in such wine and sugar of the best, and the fairest, that would have won any woman's heart; and, I warrant you, they could never get an eye-wink of her.-I had myself twenty angels given me this morning: but I defy all angels, (in any such sort, as they say,) but in the way of honesty and, I warrant you, they could never get her so much as sip on a cup with the proudest of them all and yet there has been earls, nay, which is more, pensioners; but, I warrant you, all is one with her. [good she Mercury.

Fal. But what says she to me? be brief, my Quick. Marry, she hath received your letter; for the which she thanks you a thousand times: and she gives you to notify, that her husband will be absence from his house between ten and eleven. Fal. Ten and eleven?

Quick. That were a jest, indeed!-they have not so little grace, I hope:-that were a trick, indeed! But mistress Page would desire you to send her your little page, of all loves; her husband has a marvellous infection to the little page: and, truly, master Page is an honest man. Never a wife in Windsor leads a better life than she does; do what she will, say what she will, take all, pay all, go to bed when she list, rise when she list, all is as she will; and, truly, she deserves it: for if there be a kind woman in Windsor, she is one. You must send her your page; no remedy.

Fal. Why, I will.

Quick. Nay, but do so then: and look you, he may come and go between you both; and, in any case, have a nay-word, that you may know one another's mind, and the boy never need to understand any thing; for 'tis not good that children should know any wickedness: old folks, you know, have discretion, as they say, and know the world.

Fal. Fare thee well: commend me to them both: there's my purse; I am yet thy debtor.-Boy, go along with this woman.- -This news distracts me! [Exeunt Quickly and Robin.

Pist. This punk is one of Cupid's carriers:Clap on more sails; pursue, up with your fights; Give fire; she is my prize, or ocean whelm them all! [Exit Pistol.

Fal. Say'st thou so, old Jack? go thy ways; I'll make more of thy old body than I have done. Will they yet look after thee? Wilt thou, after the expence of so much money, be now a gainer? Good body, I thank thee: Let them say, 'tis grossly done; so it be fairly done, no matter.

Enter BARDOLPH.

would fain speak with you, and be acquainted with Bard. Sir John, there's one master Brook below you; and hath sent your worship a morning's Fal. Brook, is his name? [draught of sack. Bard. Ay, sir.

Fal. Call him in. [Exit Bardolph.] Such Brooks ha! mistress Ford and mistress Page, have I enare welcome to me, that o'erflow such liquor. Ah! compassed you? go to; via!

Re-enter BARDOLPH, with FORD disguised. Ford. Bless you, sir.

Fal. And you, sir: Would you speak with me? Ford. I make bold to press with so little preparation upon you.

Fal. You're welcome: What's your will?-Give us leave, drawer. [Exit Bardolph. Ford. Sir, I am a gentleman that have spent much; my name is Brook.

« PředchozíPokračovat »