$Unique_ID{SSP02861} $Title{The Merry Wives of Windsor: Act III, Scene IV} $Author{Shakespeare, William} $Subject{} $Log{Dramatis Personae*02850.txt} Portions copyright (c) CMC ReSearch, Inc., 1989 The Complete Works of William Shakespeare THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR ACT III ................................................................................ SCENE IV: A room in PAGE'S house. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . {Enter FENTON and ANNE PAGE.} FENTON: I see I cannot get thy father's love; Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan. ANNE PAGE: Alas, how then? FENTON: Why, thou must be thyself. He doth object I am too great of birth--, And that, my state being gall'd with my expense, I seek to heal it only by his wealth: Besides these, other bars he lays before me, My riots past, my wild societies; And tells me 'tis a thing impossible I should love thee but as a property. 10 ANNE PAGE: May be he tells you true. FENTON: No, heaven so speed me in my time to come! Albeit I will confess thy father's wealth Was the first motive that I woo'd thee, Anne: Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value Than stamps in gold or sums in sealed bags; And 'tis the very riches of thyself That now I aim at. ANNE PAGE: Gentle Master Fenton, Yet seek my father's love; still seek it, sir: If opportunity and humblest suit 20 Cannot attain it, why, then,--hark you hither! [They converse apart.] {Enter SHALLOW, SLENDER, and MISTRESS QUICKLY.} SHALLOW: Break their talk, Mistress Quickly: my kinsman shall speak for himself. SLENDER: I'll make a shaft or a bolt on't: 'slid, 'tis but venturing. SHALLOW: Be not dismayed. SLENDER: No, she shall not dismay me: I care not for that, but that I am afeard. MISTRESS QUICKLY: Hark ye; Master Slender would speak a word with you. ANNE PAGE: I come to him. [Aside.] This is my father's choice. 30 O, what a world of vile ill-favor'd faults Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a-year! MISTRESS QUICKLY: And how does good Master Fenton? Pray you, a word with you. SHALLOW: She's coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou hadst a father! SLENDER: I had a father, Mistress Anne; my uncle can tell you good jests of him. Pray you, uncle, tell Mistress Anne the jest, how my father stole two geese out of a pen, good uncle. 40 SHALLOW: Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you. SLENDER: Ay, that I do; as well as I love any woman in Gloucestershire. SHALLOW: He will maintain you like a gentlewoman. SLENDER: Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail, under the degree of a squire. SHALLOW: He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure. ANNE PAGE: Good Master Shallow, let him woo for himself. SHALLOW: Marry, I thank you for it; I thank you for that good 50 comfort. She calls you, coz: I'll leave you. ANNE PAGE: Now, Master Slender,-- SLENDER: Now, good Mistress Anne,-- ANNE PAGE: What is your will? SLENDER: My will! 'od's heartlings, that's a pretty jest indeed! I ne'er made my will yet, I thank heaven; I am not such a sickly creature, I give heaven praise. ANNE PAGE: I mean, Master Slender, what would you with me? SLENDER: Truly, for mine own part, I would little or nothing with you. Your father and my uncle hath made 60 motions: if it be my luck, so; if not, happy man be his dole! They can tell you how things go better than I can: you may ask your father; here he comes. {Enter PAGE and MISTRESS PAGE.} PAGE: Now, Master Slender: love him, daughter Anne. Why, how now! what does Master Fenton here? You wrong me, sir, thus still to haunt my house: I told you, sir, my daughter is disposed of. FENTON: Nay, Master Page, be not impatient. MISTRESS PAGE: Good Master Fenton, come not to my child. PAGE: She is no match for you. 70 FENTON: Sir, will you hear me? PAGE: No, good Master Fenton. Come, Master Shallow; come, son Slender, in. Knowing my mind, you wrong me, Master Fenton. [Exeunt PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER.] MISTRESS QUICKLY: Speak to Mistress Page. FENTON: Good Mistress Page, for that I love your daughter In such a righteous fashion as I do, Perforce, against all cheques, rebukes and manners, I must advance the colours of my love And not retire: let me have your good will. ANNE PAGE: Good mother, do not marry me to yond fool. 80 MISTRESS PAGE: I mean it not; I seek you a better husband. MISTRESS QUICKLY: That's my master, master doctor. ANNE PAGE: Alas, I had rather be set quick i' the earth And bowl'd to death with turnips! MISTRESS PAGE: Come, trouble not yourself. Good Master Fenton, I will not be your friend nor enemy: My daughter will I question how she loves you, And as I find her, so am I affected. Till then farewell, sir: she must needs go in; Her father will be angry. 90 FENTON: Farewell, gentle mistress: farewell, Nan. [Exeunt MISTRESS PAGE and ANNE PAGE.] MISTRESS QUICKLY: This is my doing, now: 'Nay,' said I, 'will you cast away your child on a fool, and a physician? Look on Master Fenton:' this is my doing. FENTON: I thank thee; and I pray thee, once to-night Give my sweet Nan this ring: there's for thy pains. MISTRESS QUICKLY: Now heaven send thee good fortune! [Exit FENTON.] A kind heart he hath: a woman would run through fire and water for such a kind heart. But yet I would my master had Mistress Anne; or I would 100 Master Slender had her; or, in sooth, I would Master Fenton had her; I will do what I can for them all three; for so I have promised, and I'll be as good as my word; but speciously for Master Fenton. Well, I must of another errand to Sir John Falstaff from my two mistresses: what a beast am I to slack it! [Exit.] ÿ