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- Edition: The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Merry Wives of Windsor (Modern, Quarto)
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Do you hear? When your master comes,1899.21140 take up this basket as you did before, and if your master1899.31141 bid you set it down, obey him.
I will, forsooth. [Exeunt both Manservants.]
Sir John, welcome.
What, are you sure of your husband now?
13.6.1 Enter Mistress Page.
Mistress Ford, why, woman, your husband1153 is in his old vein again. He's coming to search19241154 for your sweetheart, but I am glad he is not here.
[Falstaff emerges from behind the arras.]
There they use to discharge their fowling pieces.
Why, then I'll go out of doors.
Then you're undone. You're but a dead man.
Alas, I know not what means to make.19601169 If there were any woman's apparel would fit him,19621170 he might put on a gown and a muffler,1171 and so escape.
And she is altogether as fat as he.
Ay, that will serve him, of my word!
Come, go with me, Sir John. I'll help to1177 dress you.
Come, for God sake, anything!
Come along, I pray, you shall know the cause --
[To Ford] What is the reason that you use me thus?
[To the Servants] Come hither, set down the basket!--
Ay, God's my record, do you, an if1193 you mistrust me in any ill sort!
Well said, brazen-face, hold it out! --
[Ford tosses out the clothes.]
Jeshu pless me, will you pull up your wife's clothes?
Master Page, as I am an honest man, Master Page,1203 there was one conveyed out of my house here ye20311204sterday, out of this basket. Why may he not be here20321205 now?
[Calling up] Come, Mistress Page, bring the old woman down.
Old woman? What old woman?
Why, my maiden's aunt, Gillian of Brainford.
Ford.
13.5020551209 A witch? Have I not forewarned her my house?20571210 Alas, we are simple, we, we know not what20581211 is brought to pass under the color of fortune-1212telling. -- [Calling up] Come down, you witch, come down!
13.53.12058.11213 Enter Falstaff disguised like an old woman, and2058.21214 Mistress Page with him. Ford beats him, and he2058.31215 runs away.
[To his guests] Pray, come help me to search, pray now!
[To the other guests] Come, we'll go for his mind's sake.
By my troth, he beat him most extremely.
No, faith. Now, if you will, let us tell our2095.11226 husbands of it. For mine I am sure hath almost2095.21227 fretted himself to death.
13.62.1 Exeunt both.