What, John Rugby!

I pray thee go to the case401ment and see if you can see my master, Master Doctor 402Caius, coming. If he do, i'faith, and find anybody 403in the house, here will be an old abusing of God's pati404ence and the king's English.

I'll go watch.

Go, and we'll have a posset for't soon at night, 407in faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal fire.

An honest, 408willing, kind fellow as ever servant shall come in house 409withal; and, I warrant you, no tell-tale, nor no breed-410bate. His worst fault is that he is given to prayer; he is 411something peevish that way. But nobody but has his 412fault. But let that pass. Peter Simple, you say your 413name is?

Ay, for fault of a better.

And Master Slender's your master?

Ay, forsooth.

Does he not wear a great round beard, like a 418glover's paring-knife?

No, forsooth. He hath but a little wee face with 420a little yellow beard, a cane-coloured beard.

A softly-sprighted man, is he not?

Ay, forsooth, but he is as tall a man of his hands as 423any is between this and his head. He hath fought with 424a warrener.

How say you? Oh, I should remember him. Does 426he not hold up his head, as it were, and strut in his gait?

Yes, indeed, does he!

Well, heaven send Anne Page no worse fortune. 429Tell Master Parson Evans I will do what I can for your 430master. Anne is a good girl, and I wish ---

Out, alas! Here comes my master.

We shall all be shent! Run in here, good young 433man, go into this closet. He will not stay long. – What, 434John Rugby? John! What, John, I say!

Go, John, go in435quire for my master. I doubt he be not well, that he 436comes not home. [Singing]

Vat is you sing? I do not like dese toys. Pray 438you go and vetch me in my closet une boȋte verte : 439a box, a green-a box: tu entends vat I speak? A green-440a box.

Ay, forsooth, I'll fetch it you. [Aside]

442I am glad he went not in himself. If he had found the 443young man, he would have been horn-mad.

Fi, fi, fi, fi! Ma foi, il fait fort [lourdaud or élourdi]! Je m'en vais à la 445cour – la grande affaire.

[Showing a box] Is it this, sir?

Oui, mets-la à ma pochette, dépêche, quickly! 448Vere is dat knave Rugby?

[Calling] What, John Rugby! John?

Here, sir.

You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby! 452Come, take-a your rapier, and come after my heel to 453the court.

'Tis ready, sir, here in the porch.

By my trot! I tarry too long, 'od's-me, qu'ai-je 456oublié? Dere is some simples in my closet dat I vill not 457for the varld I shall leave behind.

[Aside] Ay me, he'll find the young man there, and be mad.

Oh, diable, diable, vat is in my closet?

460Vilenie, larron! Rugby, my rapier.

Good master, be content.

Wherefore shall I be content-a?

The young man is an honest man.

What shall de honest man do in my closet? Dere 465is no honest man dat shall come in my closet.

I beseech you be not so phlegmatic! Hear the 467truth of it. He came of an errand to me from Parson 468Hugh.

Vell.

Ay, forsooth, to desire her to –

[To Simple] Peace, I pray you.

[To Quickly] Peace-a your tongue! [To Simple] Speak-a your tale.

To desire this honest gentlewoman, your maid, 474to speak a good word to Mistress Anne Page for my ma475 ster in the way of marriage.

This is all, indeed-la! But I'll ne'er put my finger 477in the fire, an't need not.

Sir Hugh send-a you? – Rugby, baille me some 479paper. [To Simple] Tarry you a little-a while.

I am glad he is so quiet. If he had been through481ly moved, you should have heard him so loud, and so me482lancholy, but notwithstanding, man, I'll do you your 483master what good I can, and the very yea and the no is, the 484French Doctor, my master – I may call him my master, 485look you, for I keep his house, and I wash, ring, brew, 486bake, scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and 487do all myself –

'Tis a great charge to come under one body's 489hand.

Are you avised o'that? You shall find it a great 491charge – and to be up early and down late, but notwith492standing, to tell you in your ear, I would have no words 493of it – my master himself is in love with Mistress Anne 494Page – but, notwithstanding that, I know Anne's mind. That's 495neither here nor there.

[To Simple] You, jack'nape', give-a this letter to Sir 497Hugh. By gar, it is a shallenge. I will cut his troat in de 498Park, and I will teach a scurvy jackanape' priest to 499meddle or make – you may be gone. It is not good 500you tarry here. By gar I will cut all his two stones! By 501gar, he shall not have a stone to throw at his dog!

Alas: he speaks but for his friend.

It is no matter-a ver dat. Do not you tell-a me 504dat I shall have Anne Page for myself? By gar, I vill 505kill de jack-priest, and I have appointed mine host of 506de Jarteer to measure our weapon. By gar, I will myself 507have Anne Page.

Sir, the maid loves you, and all shall be well. 509We must give folks leave to prate. What the goodyear!

Rugby, come to the court with me. – [To Quickly] By gar, if 511I have not Anne Page, I shall turn your head out of my 512door. – Follow my heels, Rugby.

You shall have An – fool's head of your own. 514No, I know Anne's mind for that. Never a woman in Wind515sor knows more of Anne's mind than I do, nor can do 516more than I do with her, I thank heaven.

Who's within there, ho?

Who's there, I trow? Come near the house, I 519pray you.

How now, good woman, how dost thou?

The better that it pleases your good worship 522to ask!

What news? How does pretty Mistress Anne?

In truth, sir, and she is pretty, and honest, and 525gentle, and one that is your friend, I can tell you that by 526the way, I praise heaven for it.

Shall I do any good, thinkst thou? Shall I not 528lose my suit?

Troth, sir, all is in his hands above. But not530withstanding, Master Fenton, I'll be sworn on a book 531she loves you. Have not your worship a wart above 532your eye?

Yes, marry, have I. What of that?

Well, thereby hangs a tale. Good faith, it is such 535another Nan – but, I detest, an honest maid as ever 536broke bread – we had an hour's talk of that wart. I 537shall never laugh but in that maid's company! But in538deed she is given too much to allicholy and musing. 539But for you – well – go to --

Well: I shall see her today. Hold, there's mo541ney for thee. Let me have thy voice in my behalf. If 542thou seest her before me, commend me ---

Will I? I'faith, that we will. And I will tell 544your worship more of the wart the next time we have 545confidence, and of other wooers.

Well, farewell, I am in great haste now.

Farewell to your worship.

Truly an honest 548gentleman, but Anne loves hiim not, for I know Anne's 549mind as well as another does. Out upon't, what have I 550forgot? Exit.