The Merry Wives of Windsor Part 6

93: _Page_] Steevens. _Ford_ Ff Q3.

94: _yellowness_] _jealousies_ Pope.

95: _the_] _this_ Pope.

95: _mine_] _mien_ Theobald. _mind_ Jackson conj. _meisne_ or _men_ Anon. conj. See note (IV).

SCENE IV. _A room in DOCTOR CAIUS'S house._

_Enter MISTRESS QUICKLY, SIMPLE, and RUGBY._

_Quick._ What, John Rugby! I pray thee, go to the cas.e.m.e.nt, and see if you can see my master, Master Doctor Caius, coming. If he do, i' faith, and find any body in the house, here will be an old abusing of G.o.d's patience and the king's English. 5

_Rug._ I'll go watch.

_Quick._ Go; and we'll have a posset for't soon at night, in faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal fire. [_Exit Rugby._]

An honest, willing, kind fellow, as ever servant shall come in house withal; and, I warrant you, no tell-tale nor no 10 breed-bate: his worst fault is, that he is given to prayer; he is something peevish that way: but n.o.body but has his fault; but let that pa.s.s. Peter Simple, you say your name is?

_Sim._ Ay, for fault of a better.

_Quick._ And Master Slender's your master? 15

_Sim._ Ay, forsooth.

_Quick._ Does he not wear a great round beard, like a glover's paring-knife?

_Sim._ No, forsooth: he hath but a little wee face, with a little yellow beard,--a Cain-coloured beard. 20

_Quick._ A softly-sprighted man, is he not?

_Sim._ Ay, forsooth: but he is as tall a man of his hands as any is between this and his head; he hath fought with a warrener.

_Quick._ How say you?--O, I should remember him: 25 does he not hold up his head, as it were, and strut in his gait?

_Sim._ Yes, indeed, does he.

_Quick._ Well, heaven send Anne Page no worse fortune!

Tell Master Parson Evans I will do what I can for your master: Anne is a good girl, and I wish-- 30

_Re-enter RUGBY._

_Rug._ Out, alas! here comes my master.

_Quick._ We shall all be shent. Run in here, good young man; go into this closet: he will not stay long.

[_Shuts Simple in the closet._] What, John Rugby! John!

what, John, I say! Go, John, go inquire for my master; 35 I doubt he be not well, that he comes not home.

[_Singing_] And down, down, adown-a, &c.

_Enter DOCTOR CAIUS._

_Caius._ Vat is you sing? I do not like des toys. Pray you, go and vetch me in my closet un boitier vert,--a box, a green-a box: do intend vat I speak? a green-a box. 40

_Quick._ Ay, forsooth; I'll fetch it you. [_Aside_] I am glad he went not in himself: if he had found the young man, he would have been horn-mad.

_Caius._ Fe, fe, fe, fe! ma foi, il fait fort chaud. Je m'en vais a la cour,--la grande affaire. 45

_Quick._ Is it this, sir?

_Caius._ Oui; mette le au mon pocket: depeche, quickly.

Vere is dat knave Rugby?

_Quick._ What, John Rugby! John!

_Rug._ Here, sir! 50

_Caius._ You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby.

Come, take-a your rapier, and come after my heel to the court.

_Rug._ 'Tis ready, sir, here in the porch.

_Caius._ By my trot, I tarry too long. --Od's me! 55 Qu'ai-j'oublie! dere is some simples in my closet, dat I vill not for the varld I shall leave behind.

_Quick._ Ay me, he'll find the young man there, and be mad!

_Caius._ O diable, diable! vat is in my closet? Villain! 60 larron! [_Pulling Simple out._] Rugby, my rapier!

_Quick._ Good master, be content.

_Caius._ Wherefore shall I be content-a?

_Quick._ The young man is an honest man.

_Caius._ What shall de honest man do in my closet? 65 dere is no honest man dat shall come in my closet.

_Quick._ I beseech you, be not so phlegmatic. Hear the truth of it: he came of an errand to me from Parson Hugh.

_Caius._ Vell.

_Sim._ Ay, forsooth; to desire her to-- 70

_Quick._ Peace, I pray you.

_Caius._ Peace-a your tongue. Speak-a your tale.

_Sim._ To desire this honest gentlewoman, your maid, to speak a good word to Mistress Anne Page for my master in the way of marriage. 75

_Quick._ This is all, indeed, la! but I'll ne'er put my finger in the fire, and need not.

_Caius._ Sir Hugh send-a you? Rugby, baille me some paper. Tarry you a little-a while. [_Writes._