mistook in you! MISTRESS FORD Why, alas, what's the matter? MISTRESS PAGE Your husband's coming hither, woman, with all the officers in Windsor, to search for a gentleman that he says is here now in the house by your consent, to take an ill advantage of his assence: you are undone. MISTRESS FORD 'Tis not so, I hope. MISTRESS PAGE Pray heaven it be not so, that you have such a man here! but 'tis most certain your husband's coming, with half Windsor at his heels, to search for such a one. I come before to tell you. If you know yourself clear, why, I am glad of it; but if you have a friend here convey, convey him out. Be not amazed; call all your senses to you; defend your reputation, or bid farewell to your good life for ever. MISTRESS FORD What shall I do? There is a gentleman my dear friend; and I fear not mine own shame so much as his peril: I had rather than a thousand pound he were out of the house. MISTRESS PAGE For shame! never stand 'you had rather'
and 'you had rather:' your husband's here at hand, bethink you of some conveyance: in the house you cannot hide him. O, how have you deceived me! Look, here is a basket: if he be of any reasonable stature, he may creep in here; and throw foul linen upon him, as if it were going to bucking: or--it is whiting-time --send him by your two men to Datchet-mead. MISTRESS FORD He's too big to go in there. What shall I do? FALSTAFF [Coming forward] Let me see't, let me see't, O, let me see't! I'll in, I'll in. Follow your friend's counsel. I'll in. MISTRESS PAGE What, Sir John Falstaff! Are these your letters, knight? FALSTAFF I love thee. Help me away. Let me creep in here.
I'll never--
Gets into the basket; they cover him with foul linen MISTRESS PAGE Help to cover your master, boy. Call your men, Mistress Ford. You dissembling knight! MISTRESS FORD What, John! Robert! John!
Exit ROBIN
Re-enter Servants Go take up these clothes here quickly. Where's the cowl-staff? look, how you drumble! Carry them to the laundress in Datchet-meat; quickly, come.
Enter FORD, PAGE, DOCTOR CAIUS, and SIR HUGH EVANS FORD Pray you, come near: if I suspect without cause, why then make sport at me; then let me be your jest;I deserve it. How now! whither bear you this? Servant To the laundress, forsooth. MISTRESS FORD Why, what have you to do whither they bear it? You were best meddle with buck-washing. FORD Buck! I would I could wash myself of the buck!
Buck, buck, buck! Ay, buck; I warrant you, buck;and of the season too, it shall appear.
Exeunt Servants with the basket Gentlemen, I have dreamed to-night; I'll tell you my dream. Here, here, here be my keys: ascend my chambers; search, seek, find out: I'll warrant we'll unkennel the fox. Let me stop this way first.
Locking the door So, now uncape. PAGE Good Master Ford, be contented: you wrong yourself too much. FORD True, Master Page. Up, gentlemen: you shall see sport anon: follow me, gentlemen.
Exit SIR HUGH EVANS This is fery fantastical humours and jealousies. DOCTOR CAIUS By gar, 'tis no the fashion of France;it is not jealous in France. PAGE Nay, follow him, gentlemen; see the issue of his search.
Exeunt PAGE, DOCTOR CAIUS, and SIR HUGH EVANS MISTRESS PAGE Is there not a double excellency in this? MISTRESS FORD I know not which pleases me better, that my husband is deceived, or Sir John. MISTRESS PAGE What a taking was he in when your husband asked who was in the basket! MISTRESS FORD I am half afraid he will have need of washing; so throwing him into the water will do him a benefit. MISTRESS PAGE Hang him, dishonest rascal! I would all of the same strain were in the same distress. MISTRESS FORD I think my husband hath some special suspicion of Falstaff's being here; for I never saw him so gross in his jealousy till now. MISTRESS PAGE I will lay a plot to try that; and we will yet have more tricks with Falstaff: his dissolute disease will scarce obey this medicine. MISTRESS FORD Shall we send that foolish carrion, Mistress Quickly, to him, and excuse his throwing into the water; and give him another hope, to betray him to another punishment? MISTRESS PAGE We will do it: let him be sent for to-morrow, eight o'clock, to have amends.
Re-enter FORD, PAGE, DOCTOR CAIUS, and SIR HUGH EVANS FORD I cannot find him: may be the knave bragged of that he could not compass. MISTRESS PAGE [Aside to MISTRESS FORD] Heard you that? MISTRESS FORD You use me well, Master Ford, do you? FORD Ay, I do so. MISTRESS FORD Heaven make you better than your thoughts! FORD Amen! MISTRESS PAGE You do yourself mighty wrong, Master Ford. FORD Ay, ay; I must bear it. SIR HUGH EVANS If there be any pody in the house, and in the chambers, and in the coffers, and in the presses, heaven forgive my sins at the day of judgment! DOCTOR CAIUS By gar, nor I too: there is no bodies. PAGE Fie, fie, Master Ford! are you not ashamed?
What spirit, what devil suggests this imagination?
I
would not ha' your distemper in this kind for the wealth of Windsor Castle. FORD 'Tis my fault, Master Page: I suffer for it. SIR HUGH EVANS You suffer for a pad conscience: your wife is as honest a 'omans as I will desires among five thousand, and five hundred too. DOCTOR CAIUS By gar, I see 'tis an honest woman. FORD Well, I promised you a dinner. Come, come, walk in the Park: I pray you, pardon me; I will hereafter make known to you why I have done this. Come, wife; come, Mistress Page. I pray you, pardon me;pray heartily, pardon me. PAGE Let's go in, gentlemen; but, trust me, we'll mock him. I do invite you to-morrow morning to my house to breakfast: after, we'll a-birding together;I
have a fine hawk for the bush. Shall it be so? FORD Any thing. SIR HUGH EVANS If there is one, I shall make two in the company. DOCTOR CAIUS If dere be one or two, I shall make-a the turd. FORD Pray you, go, Master Page. SIR HUGH EVANS I pray you now, remembrance tomorrow on the lousy knave, mine host. DOCTOR CAIUS Dat is good; by gar, with all my heart! SIR HUGH EVANS A lousy knave, to have his gibes and his mockeries!
