The Merry Wives of Windsor Part 7

_Quick._ [_Aside to Simple_] I am glad he is so quiet: 80 if he had been throughly moved, you should have heard him so loud and so melancholy. But notwithstanding, man, I'll do you your master what good I can: and the very yea and the no is, the French doctor, my master,--I may call him my master, look you, for I keep his house; 85 and I wash, wring, brew, bake, scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and do all myself,--

_Sim._ [_Aside to Quickly_] 'Tis a great charge to come under one body's hand.

_Quick._ [_Aside to Simple_] Are you avised o' that? you 90 shall find it a great charge: and to be up early and down late;--but notwithstanding,--to tell you in your ear; I would have no words of it,--my master himself is in love with Mistress Anne Page: but notwithstanding that, I know Anne's mind,--that's neither here nor there. 95

_Caius._ You jack'nape, give-a this letter to Sir Hugh; by gar, it is a shallenge: I will cut his troat in de park; and I will teach a scurvy jack-a-nape priest to meddle or make. You may be gone; it is not good you tarry here. --By gar, I will cut all his two stones; by gar, he shall not 100 have a stone to throw at his dog. [_Exit Simple._

_Quick._ Alas, he speaks but for his friend.

_Caius._ It is no matter-a ver dat:--do not you tell-a me dat I shall have Anne Page for myself?--By gar, I vill kill de Jack priest; and I have appointed mine host of de 105 Jarteer to measure our weapon:--By gar, I will myself have Anne Page.

_Quick._ Sir, the maid loves you, and all shall be well.

We must give folks leave to prate: what, the good-jer!

_Caius._ Rugby, come to the court with me. By gar, if 110 I have not Anne Page, I shall turn your head out of my door. Follow my heels, Rugby. [_Exeunt Caius and Rugby._

_Quick._ You shall have An fool's-head of your own.

No, I know Anne's mind for that: never a woman in Windsor knows more of Anne's mind than I do; nor can 115 do more than I do with her, I thank heaven.

_Fent._ [_Within_] Who's within there? ho!

_Quick._ Who's there, I trow? Come near the house, I pray you.

_Enter FENTON._

_Fent._ How now, good woman! how dost thou? 120

_Quick._ The better that it pleases your good wors.h.i.+p to ask.

_Fen._ What news? how does pretty Mistress Anne?

_Quick._ In truth, sir, and she is pretty, and honest, and gentle; and one that is your friend, I can tell you that by 125 the way; I praise heaven for it.

_Fent._ Shall I do any good, thinkest thou? shall I not lose my suit?

_Quick._ Troth, sir, all is in his hands above: but notwithstanding, Master Fenton, I'll be sworn on a book, she 130 loves you. Have not your wors.h.i.+p a wart above your eye?

_Fent._ Yes, marry, have I; what of that?

_Quick._ Well, thereby hangs a tale:--good faith, it is such another Nan; but, I detest, an honest maid as ever broke bread:--we had an hour's talk of that wart. --I shall 135 never laugh but in that maid's company!--But, indeed, she is given too much to allicholy and musing: but for you--well, go to.

_Fent._ Well, I shall see her to-day. Hold, there's money for thee; let me have thy voice in my behalf: 140 if thou seest her before me, commend me.

_Quick._ Will I? i' faith, that we will; and I will tell your wors.h.i.+p more of the wart the next time we have confidence; and of other wooers.

_Fent._ Well, farewell; I am in great haste now. 145

_Quick._ Farewell to your wors.h.i.+p. [_Exit Fenton._] Truly, an honest gentleman: but Anne loves him not; for I know Anne's mind as well as another does. --Out upon't! what have I forgot? [_Exit._

NOTES: I, 4

SCENE IV.] SCENE IX. Pope.

4: _an_] om. Pope.

19: _wee_] _whey_ Capell.

20: _Cain_] F3 F4. _Kane_ (Q1 Q2). _Caine_ F1 Q3 F2. _cane_ Pope.

31: [Exit. Grant White.

34: [Shuts S. in the closet] Rowe.

38: SCENE X. Pope.

_des toys_] F3 F4. _des-toyes_ F1 Q3 F2. _dese toys_ Theobald.

39: _un boitier_] Rowe. _unboyteene_ F1 F2 Q3. _unboyteen_ F3 F4.

44, 45: _ma foi ... affaire_] Rowe. _mai_ (_moi_ F2 F3 F4) _foy, il fait for chando, Ie man voi a le Court la grand affaires._ Ff Q3.

47: _depeche_] _de-peech_ Ff Q3.

51: _Jack Rugby_] _Jack Rogoby_ Halliwell.

52: _take-a_] _take_ Q3.

56: _vill_] _will_ F2 F3 F4.

60: _villain_] Q3. _villainie_ Ff.

61: _larron_] _La-roone_ Ff Q3.

[Pulling S. out] Theobald.

63, 66: _shall_] F1 Q3. _should_ F2 F3 F4.

78: _baille_] _ballow_ Ff Q3. _baillez_ Theobald.

83: _you_] _yoe_ F1 Q3. _for_ F2 F3 F4. om. Capell.

84: _the French_] Ff. _that French_ Q3.

86: _wring_] _ring_ Ff Q3.

96: _give-a_] F1 Q3. _givie-a_ F2 F3 F4.

97, 98, 100: _will_] _vill_ Pope.

101: _throw_] F1 Q3. _trow_ F2 F3 F4.

103: _ver_] Ff Q3. _for_ Capell.

106: _Jarteer_] F1 Q3 F2 F3. _Garter_ F4.

109: _good-jer_] _goujeres_ Hanmer. _goujere_ Johnson.

_good year_ Capell.

120: SCENE XI. Pope.

131: _above_] _about_ Steevens.

132: _what of that_?] _and what of that_? Pope.

142: _we will_] _I will_ Halliwell MS.

ACT II.

SCENE I. _Before PAGE'S house._

_Enter MISTRESS PAGE, with a letter._

[Transcriber's Note: In order to preserve the marked line breaks without losing readability, each line of the quoted letter has been split into two equal halves.]

_Mrs Page._ What, have I scaped love-letters in the holiday-time of my beauty, and am I now a subject for them? Let me see. [_Reads:_