The Merry Wives of Windsor William Shakespeare (top novels of all time TXT) š
Download in Format:
- Author: William Shakespeare
Book online Ā«The Merry Wives of Windsor William Shakespeare (top novels of all time TXT) šĀ». Author William Shakespeare
foot would give an excellent motion to thy gait in a semi-circled farthingale. I see what thou wert, if Fortune thy foe were not, Nature thy friend. Come, thou canst not hide it.
Mistress Ford
Believe me, thereās no such thing in me.
Falstaff
What made me love thee? Let that persuade thee thereās something extraordinary in thee. Come, I cannot cog and say thou art this and that, like a many of these lisping hawthorn-buds that come like women in menās apparel, and smell like Bucklersbury in simple-time; I cannot; but I love thee, none but thee; and thou deservest it.
Mistress Ford
Do not betray me, sir; I fear you love Mistress Page.
Falstaff
Thou mightst as well say I love to walk by the Counter-gate, which is as hateful to me as the reek of a limekiln.
Mistress Ford
Well, heaven knows how I love you; with meaning and you shall one day find it.
Falstaff
Keep in that mind; Iāll deserve it.
Mistress Ford
Nay, I must tell you, so you do; with meaning or else I could not be in that mind.
Robin
Within. Mistress Ford! Mistress Ford! hereās Mistress Page at the door, sweating and blowing and looking wildly, and would needs speak with you presently.
Falstaff
She shall not see me; I will ensconce me behind the arras.
Mistress Ford
Pray you, do so; sheās a very tattling woman.
Falstaff hides himself.
Re-enter Mistress Page and Robin.
Whatās the matter? How now!
Mistress Page
Seeming breathless. O Mistress Ford, what have you done? Youāre shamed, you are overthrown, you are undone forever!
Mistress Ford
Whatās the matter, good Mistress Page?
Mistress Page
O well-a-day, Mistress Ford! having an honest man to your husband, to give him such cause of suspicion!
Mistress Ford
What cause of suspicion?
Mistress Page
What cause of suspicion? Out upon you! how am I mistook in you!
Mistress Ford
Why, alas, whatās the matter?
Mistress Page
Your husbandās 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 absence: you are undone.
Mistress Ford
Aside. Speak louder. āTis not so, I hope.
Mistress Page
Pray heaven it be not so that you have such a man here! but ātis most certain your husbandās 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 forever.
Mistress Ford
What shall I do?ā āThere is a gentleman, my dear friend; and I fear not mine own shame as much as his peril: I had rather than a thousand pound he were out of the house.
Mistress Page
For shame! never stand āyou had ratherā and āyou had ratherā: your husbandās 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: orā āit is whiting-timeā āsend him by your two men to Datchet-Mead.
Mistress Ford
Heās too big to go in there. What shall I do?
Falstaff
Coming forward. Let me seeāt, let me seeāt. O, let me seeāt! Iāll in, Iāll in; follow your friendās counsel; Iāll in.
Mistress Page
What, Sir John Falstaff! In his ear. Are these your letters, knight?
Falstaff
I love thee and none but thee; help me away: let me creep in here. Iāll neverā ā
Voices heard in the street without. He 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
Calling. What, John! Robert! John!
Robin hastily thrusts the remainder of the linen into the basket and runs off.
Re-enter Servants.
Go, take up these clothes here, quickly; whereās the cowl-staff? Look how you drumble! They pass a pole through the handle of the basket. Carry them to the laundress in Datchet-Mead; they hoist the basket, staggering 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 tonight; Iāll tell you my dream. Here, here, here be my keys: ascend my chambers; search, seek, find out. Iāll warrant weāll unkennel the fox. Goes to outer door. 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 anonā āā ā¦ Mounts the stairs. Follow me, gentlemen.
They hesitate. Exit Ford.
Sir Hugh Evans
This is fery fantastical humours and jealousies.
Doctor Caius
By gar, ātis no the fashion of France; it is not jealous in France.
Page
Nay, follow him, gentlemen; see the issue of his search.
Exeunt Sir Hugh Evans, Page, and Doctor Caius.
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
Free ebook Ā«The Merry Wives of Windsor William Shakespeare (top novels of all time TXT) šĀ» - read online now
Similar e-books:
Comments (0)