Mrs. Ford A plain kerchief, Sir John: my brows become nothing elfe, nor that well neither. Fal. Thou art a traitor to fay fo; thou would'st make an abfolute courtier; and the firm fixure of thy foot would give an excellent motion to thy gate, in a femi-circled farthingale. I fee what thou wert; if fortune thy foe were not, nature is thy friend. come, thou can't not hide it. Mrs. Ford. Believe me, there's no fuch thing in me. Fal. What made me love thee? let that perfuade thee, there's fomething extraordinary in thee. Come, I cannot cog, and fay, thou art this and that, like amany of thefe lifping hawthorn-buds, that come like women in mens apparel, and smell like Bucklers-bury in fimpling time; I cannot: but I love thee, none but thee; and thou deferveft it. Mrs. Ford. Do not betray me, Sir; I fear you love Mitrefs Page. Fal. Thou might'ft as well fay, I love to walk by the Counter-gate, which is as hateful to me as the reek of a lime-kiln. Mrs. Ford. Well, heav'n knows how I love you, and you fhall one day find it Fal. Keep in that mind; I'll deferve it. Mrs. Ford. Nay, I must tell you, so you do; or else I could not be in that mind. Rob. [within.] Miftrefs Ford, Mistress Ford, here's Miftrefs Page at the door, fweating, and blowing, and looking wildly, and would needs speak with you prefently. Fal. She fhall not fee me; I will enfconce me behind the arras. Mrs. Ford. Pray you, do fo; fhe's a very tattling woman. SCENE IX. [Falstaff hides himself. Enter Miftrefs Page. What's the matter? how now? Mrs. Page. O Mistress Ford, what have you done? pending from behind; the tire wailant, a clofe one, in which the head and breaft were covered as with a vil.-Venetian admittance, i. e. any head-drefs worth adorning with Venetian point, or which will admit to be adorned. you're fham'd, y'are overthrown, you are undone for ever. Mrs. Ford. What's the matter, good Mistress Page? Mrs. Page. O well-a-day, Miftrefs Ford, having an honeft man to your husband, to give him fuch caufe of fufpicion ? Mrs. Ford. What cause of fufpicion? Mrs. Page. What caufe of fufpicion? out upon you! how am I mistook in you? Mrs. Ford. Why, alas! what's the matter? Mrs. Page. Your husband's coming hither, woman, with all the officers in Windfor, to fearch for a gentleman, that, he fays, is here now in the house, by your confent, to take an ill advantage of his abfence. You are undone. Mrs. Ford. Speak louder―[ Afide.] 'Tis not fo, I hope. Mrs. Page. Pray heav'n it be not so, that you have fuch a man here; but 'tis moft certain, your husband's coming with half Wind for at his heels, to fearch for fuch 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 amaz'd, call all your fenfes to you, defend your reputation, or bid farewel to your good life for ever. Mrs. Ford. What fhall I do there is a gentleman, my dear friend; and I fear not mine own fhame, fo much as his peril, I had rather than a thousand pound, he were out of the house. be Mrs Page. For fhame, never stand you had rather, and you had rather; your husband's here at hand; think you of fome conveyance, in the house you cannot hide him. Oh, how have you deceiv'd me? look, here is a basket, if he be of any reasonable ftature, 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. Mrs. Ford. He's too big to go in there: what shall I do? Re-enter Falstaff Fal. Let me fee't, let me fee't, O let me fee't; I'll in, I'll in; follow your friend's counfel; I'll in. Mrs. Mrs. Page. What! Sir John Falstaff? are these your letters, Knight? Fal. I love thee, help me away; let me creep in here I'll never [He goes into the basket, they cover him with foul linen. Mrs. Page. Help to cover your mafter, boy: call your men, Mistress Ford. You diffembling Kaight! up Mrs. Ford What, John, Robert, John, go take thefe cloaths here, quickly. Where's the cowl-staff? look how you drumble: carry them to the landrefs in Datchet-mead; quickly, come. SCENE X. Enter Ford, Page, Caius, and Evans. Ford. Pray you come near; if I fufpect without caufe, why then make fport at me, then let me be your jeft, I deserve it. How now? whither bear you this? Serv. To the landrefs, forfooth. Mrs. Ford. Why, what have you to do whither they bear it? You were belt meddle with buck-wathing. Ford. Buck? I would I could wash myself of the buck buck, buck, buck? ay, buck: I warrant you, buck, and of the feafon too, it fhall appear. [Exeunt jervants with the basket.] Gentlemen, I have dream'd to-night, I'll tell you my dream here, here, here be my keys; afcend my chambers, search, feek, find out. I'll warrant, we'll unkennel the fox. Let me ftop this way firit. So, now uncape. : Page. Good Mafter Ford, be contented: you wrong yourfelf too much. Ford. True, Mafter Page. Up, gentlemen, you fhall fee fport anon; follow me, gentlemen. Eva. This is ferry fantastical humours and jealoufies. Caius. By gar, 'tis no de fashion of France; it is not jealous in France- Page. Nay, follow him, gentlemen, fee the iffue of Exeunt. his fearch.. Manent Miftrefs Page and Mistress Ford. Mrs. Page. Is there not a double excellency in this? Mrs. Mrs. Ford. I know not which pleafes me better, that my husband is deceiv'd, or Sir John. Mrs. Page. What a taking was he in when your hufband afk'd who was in the basket! Mrs. Ford I am half afraid he will have need of washing; fo throwing him into the water will do him a benefit. Mrs. Page. Hang him, dishonest rafcal; I would all of the fame ftrain were in the fame diflrefs. Mrs. ord. I think my husband hath fome fpecial fufpicion of Falstaff's being here! I never faw him fo grofs in his jealoufy till now. Mrs. Page I will lay a plot to try that, and we will yet have more tricks with Falitaff: his diffolute difcafe will scarce obey this medicine. Mrs. Ford. shall we fend that foolish carrion, Miftrefs Quickly, to him, and xcute his throwing into the water, and give him another hope, to betray him to another punithment? Mrs. Page. We'll do it; let him be fent for tomorrow by eight o'clock, to have amends. Re-enter Ford, Page, &c. Ford. I cannot find him; may be the knave bragg'd of that he could not compafs. Mrs. Page. Heard you that' Mrs Ford. I, I; peace. fter Ford, do you ? Ford. Ay, ay, I do fo. You ufe me well, Ma Mrs Ford. Heav'n make you better than your thoughts! Ford. Amen. Mrs. Page. You do yourfelf mighty wrong, Mr. Ford. Ford. Ay, ay; I must bear it Eva. If there be any pody in the houfe, and in the chambers, and in the coffers, and in the preffes, Heav'n forgive my fins! Caius. By gar, nor I too; dere is no bodies. Page. Fie, fie, Mr. Ford, are you not afham'd? what fpirit, what devil fuggefts this imagination? I would not ha' your diftemper in this kind for the wealth of Windfor caltle. Ford. Ford. 'Tis my fault, Mr. Page: I fuffer for it. Eva. You fuffer for a pad confcience; your wife is as honeft a omans as I will defires among five thoufand, and five hundred too. Laius By gar, I fee, 'tis an honest woman. Ford. Well, I promis'd 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, Miftrefs Page; I pray you pardon me pray heartily, paron me. Page. Let's go in, gentlemen; but truft me, we'll mock him. I do invite you to morrow morning to my houfe to breakfaft; after, we'll a birding together; I have a fine hawk for the bufh. shall it be fo? Ford. Any thing. Eva. If there is one, I fhall make two in the company. Caius. If dere be one or two, I fhall make-a de turd Eva. In your teeth, for fhame. Ford. Pray you go, Mr. Page. Eva. I pray you now, remembrance to-morrow on the loufy knave, mine Hoft Caius. Dat is good, by gar, vith all my heart. Eva. A loufy knave, to have his gibes and his mockeries. [Exeunt. SCENE XII. Changes to Page's house.. Enter Fenton, and Mistress Anne Page. Fent. I fee I cannot get thy father's love; Fent. Why, thou must be thyfelf. And that my state being gall'd with my expence, Befides thefe, other bars he lays before me, Fen. |