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- $Unique_ID{SSP00859}
- $Title{The Merry Wives of Windsor: Act III, Scene II}
- $Author{Shakespeare, William}
- $Subject{}
- $Log{Dramatis Personae*00850.txt}
-
- Portions copyright (c) CMC ReSearch, Inc., 1989
-
- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
-
- THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
-
-
- ACT III
- ................................................................................
-
-
- SCENE II: A street.
- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
-
- {Enter MISTRESS PAGE and ROBIN.}
-
- MISTRESS PAGE: Nay, keep your way, little gallant; you were wont to
- be a follower, but now you are a leader. Whether
- had you rather lead mine eyes, or eye your master's
- heels?
-
- ROBIN: I had rather, forsooth, go before you like a man
- than follow him like a dwarf.
-
- MISTRESS PAGE: O, you are a flattering boy: now I see you'll be a
- courtier.
-
- {Enter FORD.}
-
- FORD: Well met, Mistress Page. Whither go you?
-
- MISTRESS PAGE: Truly, sir, to see your wife. Is she at home? 10
-
- FORD: Ay; and as idle as she may hang together, for want
- of company. I think, if your husbands were dead,
- you two would marry.
-
- MISTRESS PAGE: Be sure of that,--two other husbands.
-
- FORD: Where had you this pretty weather-cock?
-
- MISTRESS PAGE: I cannot tell what the dickens his name is my
- husband had him of. What do you call your knight's
- name, sirrah?
-
- ROBIN: Sir John Falstaff.
-
- FORD: Sir John Falstaff! 20
-
- MISTRESS PAGE: He, he; I can never hit on's name. There is such a
- league between my good man and he! Is your wife at
- home indeed?
-
- FORD: Indeed she is.
-
- MISTRESS PAGE: By your leave, sir: I am sick till I see her.
-
- [Exeunt MISTRESS PAGE and ROBIN.]
-
- FORD: Has Page any brains? hath he any eyes? hath he any
- thinking? Sure, they sleep; he hath no use of them.
- Why, this boy will carry a letter twenty mile, as
- easy as a cannon will shoot point-blank twelve
- score. He pieces out his wife's inclination; he 30
- gives her folly motion and advantage: and now she's
- going to my wife, and Falstaff's boy with her. A
- man may hear this shower sing in the wind. And
- Falstaff's boy with her! Good plots, they are laid;
- and our revolted wives share damnation together.
- Well; I will take him, then torture my wife, pluck
- the borrowed veil of modesty from the so seeming
- Mistress Page, divulge Page himself for a secure and
- wilful Actaeon; and to these violent proceedings all
- my neighbors shall cry aim. 40
-
- [Clock heard.]
-
- The clock gives me my cue, and my assurance bids me
- search: there I shall find Falstaff: I shall be
- rather praised for this than mocked; for it is as
- positive as the earth is firm that Falstaff is
- there: I will go.
-
- {Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, SLENDER, Host,
- SIR HUGH EVANS, DOCTOR CAIUS, and RUGBY.}
-
-
- SHALLOW: \
- \
- PAGE: } Well met, Master Ford.
- /
- &C: /
-
-
- FORD: Trust me, a good knot: I have good cheer at home;
- and I pray you all go with me.
-
- SHALLOW: I must excuse myself, Master Ford.
-
- SLENDER: And so must I, sir: we have appointed to dine with 50
- Mistress Anne, and I would not break with her for
- more money than I'll speak of.
-
- SHALLOW: We have lingered about a match between Anne Page and
- my cousin Slender, and this day we shall have our
- answer.
-
- SLENDER: I hope I have your good will, father Page.
-
- PAGE: You have, Master Slender; I stand wholly for you:
- but my wife, master doctor, is for you altogether.
-
- DOCTOR CAIUS: Ay, be-gar; and de maid is love-a me: my nursh-a
- Quickly tell me so mush. 60
-
- Host: What say you to young Master Fenton? he capers, he
- dances, he has eyes of youth, he writes verses, he
- speaks holiday, he smells April and May: he will
- carry't, he will carry't; 'tis in his buttons; he
- will carry't.
-
- PAGE: Not by my consent, I promise you. The gentleman is
- of no having: he kept company with the wild prince
- and Poins; he is of too high a region; he knows too
- much. No, he shall not knit a knot in his fortunes
- with the finger of my substance: if he take her, 70
- let him take her simply; the wealth I have waits on
- my consent, and my consent goes not that way.
-
- FORD: I beseech you heartily, some of you go home with me
- to dinner: besides your cheer, you shall have
- sport; I will show you a monster. Master doctor,
- you shall go; so shall you, Master Page; and you,
- Sir Hugh.
-
- SHALLOW: Well, fare you well: we shall have the freer wooing
- at Master Page's.
-
- [Exeunt SHALLOW, and SLENDER.]
-
- DOCTOR CAIUS: Go home, John Rugby; I come anon. 80
-
- [Exit RUGBY.]
-
- Host: Farewell, my hearts: I will to my honest knight
- Falstaff, and drink canary with him.
-
- [Exit.]
-
- FORD: [Aside] I think I shall drink in pipe wine first
- with him; I'll make him dance. Will you go, gentles?
-
- All: Have with you to see this monster.
-
- [Exeunt.]
-