Fal. [To Robin] Hold, sirrah, bear you these letters tightly; Sail like my pinnace to these golden shores. age, Rogues, hence, avaunt! vanish like hailstones, go; Trudge, plod away o' the hoof; seek shelter, pack! Falstaff will learn the humour of the French thrift, you rogues; myself and skirted page. 90 [Exeunt Falstaff and Robin. Pist. Let vultures gripe thy guts! for gourd and fullam holds, And high and low beguiles the rich and poor: Nym. I have operations which be humours of 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 mine is dangerous: that is my true humour. Pist. Thou art the Mars of malecontents: I second thee; troop on. 100 ΙΙΟ [Exeunt. Scene IV. A room in Doctor Caius's 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 anybody in the house, here will be an old abusing of God's patience and the king's English. Rug. I'll go watch. Quick. Go; and we'll have a posset for 't soon at night, in faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal fire. [Exit Rugby.] 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 ΙΟ 20 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. 30 Quick. We shall all be shent. Run in here, good young man; go into this closet: he will not stay long. [Shuts Simple in the closet.] What, 40 John Rugby! John! what, John, I say! Go, John, go inquire for my master; I doubt he be not well, that he comes not home. [Singing] And down, down, adown-a, &c. Caius. Vat is you Pray you, go Enter Doctor Caius. sing? I do not like des toys. boitier vert, a box, a green-a box: do intend vat I speak? a green-a box. Quick. Ay, forsooth; I'll fetch it you. [Aside] I am glad he went not in himself: if he had 50 Caius. Fe, fe, fe, fe! ma foi, il fait fort chaud. Je Quick. Is it this, sir? Caius. Oui; mette le au mon pocket: dépêche, quickly. Vere is dat knave Rugby? Quick. What, John Rugby! John! Caius. You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rug. 'Tis ready, sir, here in the porch. Caius. By my trot, I tarry too long. Od's me! Qu'ai-j'oublié! dere is some simples in my closet, dat I vill not for the varld I shall leave behind. Quick. Ay me, he'll find the young man there, and be mad! 60 Caius. O diable, diable! vat is in my closet? Villain! larron! [Pulling Simple out.] Rugby, 70 my rapier! Quick. Good master, be content. Caius. Wherefore shall I be content-a? Quick. The young man is an honest man. Caius. What 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 Parson Hugh. Caius. Vell. Sim. Ay, forsooth; to desire her to— Quick. Peace, I pray you. Caius. Peace-a your tongue. Speak-a your tale. Quick. This is all, indeed, la! but I'll ne'er put my 80 Caius. Sir Hugh send-a you ? Rugby, baille me 90 some paper. Tarry you a little-a while. [Writes. Quick. [Aside to Simple] 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 you your master what good I can and the very yea and the no is, 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,Sim. [Aside to Quickly] 'Tis a great charge to come under one body's hand. Quick. [Aside to Simple] Are you avised 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 notwithstanding that, I know Anne's mind, that's neither here nor there. 100 Caius. You jack'nape, give-a this letter to Sir Hugh; 110 Quick. Alas, he speaks but for his friend. me dat I shall have Anne Page for myself?— |