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- Edition: The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Merry Wives of Windsor (Modern, Quarto)
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Sirrah, if your master ask you whither1362.1829 you carry this basket, say "to the launderers."1362.2830 I hope you know how to bestow it?
I warrant you, mistress.
10.2.1 Exeunt servants.
Go, get you in. -- Well Sir John, 1362.5833 I believe I shall serve you such a trick,1362.6834 You shall have little mind to come again.
Have I caught my heavenly jewel?837 Why, now let me die. I haue lived long enough.1388838 This is the happy hour I have desired to see!1392839 Now shall I sin in my wish?1393840 I would thy husband were dead.
Why, how then, Sir John?
By the Lord, I'd make thee my lady.
Go to, I see how thy eye doth emulate846 the diamond,1399847 and how the arched bent of thy brow848 would become the ship-tire, the tire velvet,1400849 or any Venetian attire, I see it.
A plain kercher, Sir John, would fit me better.
By the Lord, thou art a traitor to say so!1411852 What made me love thee? Let that persuade thee1412853 there's somewhat extraordinary in thee. Go to,1412.1854 I love thee.1413855 Mistress Ford, I cannot cog, I cannot prate, like one1414856 of these fellows that smells like Bucklersbury1415857 in simple time, but I love thee,1416858 and none but thee.
Sir John, I am afraid you love Mistress Page.
I? Thou mightest as well say861 I love to walk by the Counter gate,1420862 which is as hateful to me863 as the reek of a lime-kiln.
[Voice off-stage] Mistress Ford, Mistress Ford, where are you?
[To Falstaff]
Falstaff stands behind the arras.
[Enter Mistress Page.]
Why, your husband, woman, is coming,1451870 with half Windsor at his heels,1444871 to look for a gentleman that he says1445872 is hid in his house: his wife's sweetheart.
'Tis too true, woman. Therefore, if you1446876 have any here, away with him, or you're undone for1446.1877ever.
Alas, Mistress Page, what shall I do?879 Here is a gentleman, my friend -- how shall I do?
God body, woman, do not stand "what1461.1881 shall I do?" and "what shall I do?" Better any shift, rather1461.2882 than you shamed. Look here, here's a buck-1464883basket. If he be a man of any reasonable size, he'll in1465884 here.
Alas, I fear he is too big.
> [Leaping out from behind the arras] Let me see, let me see, I'll in, I'll in.1471887 Follow your friend's counsel.
Aside [to Falstaff] Fie, Sir John, is this your love? Go to.
[Aside to Mistress Page] I love thee, and none but thee!1474.1890 Help me to convey me hence,1475891 I'll never come here more.
1475.2893 [Enter] the two men [who] carry it away. [Enter] Ford, [who] meets it, and [enter] all1475.3894 the rest: Page, Doctor, Priest, Slender, Shallow.
[Ushering in his neighbours] Come pray along, you shall see all.1484896 [To the menservants] How now, who goes here? Whither goes this?897 [To Mistress Ford] Whither goes it? [To menservants] Set it down.
[Exeunt menservants with the buck-basket.]
Buck, good buck! -- [To the neighbors] Pray come along,1492901 Master Page, take my keys: help to search. Good1493902 Sir Hugh, pray come along, help a little, a little --1494903 I'll show you all.
By Jeshu, these are jealousies and distempers.
He is in a pitiful taking.
Hang him, dishonest slave, we cannot use
Alas, poor soul, it grieves me at the heart,
Nay, we will send to Falstaff once again.
10.38 Wives may be merry, and yet honest too!
Shall we be condemned because we laugh?
Here comes your husband. Stand aside. [They retire to one side.]
[To the other men.] I can find nobody within. It may be he lied.
[Aside to Mistress Ford.] Did you hear that?
924 Mistress Ford
[Aside to Mistress Page.] Ay, ay, peace.
Well, I'll not let it go so, yet I'll try further.
By Jeshu, if there be anybody in the kitchen1538927 or the cupboards, or the press, or the buttery,928 I am an arrant Jew. Now God pless me!
[The women come forward.]
[To Master Ford.] You serve me well, do you not?
Fie, Master Ford, you are to blame.
No, by my trot, it be no vell.
You suffer for a bad conscience, look you now.
Well, I pray, no more. Another time I'll tell1550.1938 you all.1549939 The mean time, go dine with me. [To Mistress Ford] Pardon me, wife,940 I am sorry. -- Master Page, pray go in to dinner.941 [To the rest] Another time I'll tell you all.
Well, let it be so, and tomorrow I invite you all1554943 to my house to dinner, and in the morning we'll1555944 a-birding. I have an excellent hawk for the bush.