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- Edition: The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Merry Wives of Windsor (Modern, Quarto)
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Master Slender is your master's name, say you?
Ay, indeed, that is his name.
How say you? I take it he is somewhat a416.2242 weakly man,417243 and he has, as it were, a whey-colored beard.
Indeed, my master's beard is cane-colored.
Cane-color, you say well.420.2246 And is this letter from sir yon about Mistress Anne,420.3247 is it not?
Ay, indeed, is it.
So. And your master would have me as420.6250 it were to speak to Mistress Anne concerning him.420.7251 I promise you my master hath a great-affectioned mind420.8252 to Mistress Anne himself. And if he should know420.9253 that I should, as they say, give my verdict for anyone420.10254 but himself, I should hear of it thoroughly. For429255 I tell you, friend, he puts all his privities in me.
Ay, by my faith, you are a good stay to him.
Am I? Ay, an you knew all, you'd say so!485258 Washing, brewing, baking, all goes through my hands,485.1259 or else it would be but a woe house.
Are you avised of that? Ay, I warrant you,402264 and he is such a honest man, an he should chance403265 To come home and find a man here, we should403.1266 have no "who?" with him. He is a parlous man.
Is he indeed?
"Is he," quoth you? God keep him abroad -- [Knocking at the door] 403.4269 Lord bless me, who knocks there?433270 For God's sake, step into the counting-house,433.1271 while I go see who's at door.
Ay, begar, I be forget my ointment. Where be John Rugby?
Here, sir, do you call?
Ay, you be John Rugby, and you be Jack Rugby!452281 Go run up vit your heels and bring away452.1282 de ointment in de vindow present.455283 Make haste, John Rugby. Oh, I am almost forget456284 my simples in a box in de counting-house -- [He opens the door to the counting-house.]459285 O Jeshu, vat be here, a devil-la, a devil-la?460286 My rapier, John Rugby. -- [To Simple] Vat be you, vat make458287 you in my counting-house?458.1288 I tink you be a tief.
Jesu bless me, we are all undone.
O Lord, sir, no! I am no thief.458.4291 I am a servingman.458.5292 My name is John Simple. I brought a letter, sir,474293 from my Master Slender about Mistress Anne Page,474.1294 sir. Indeed, that is my coming.
Ay, begar, is dat all? -- John Rugby, give-a moi pen478296 an' ink. -- [To Simple] Tarde un petit peu, tarde a little.
O God, what a furious man is this?
Here give dat same to Sir Hugh: it bear ze challenge.497302 Begar, tell him I will cut his nase, will you?
Ay, sir, I'll tell him so.
Dat be vell. -- My rapier, John Rugby. Follow moi .
Well, my friend, I cannot tarry. Tell your512.3307 master I'll do what I can for him,512.4308 and so farewell.
Marry, will I. -- [Aside] I am glad I am got hence.