Mrs. Ford.

What, John! what, Robert!

Mrs. Page.

Quickly, quickly; is the buck-basket—

Mrs. Ford.

I warrant:—What, Robin, I say.

Mrs. Page.

Come, come, come.

Mrs. Ford.

Here, set it down.

Mrs. Page.

Give your men the charge; we must be brief.

Mrs. Ford.

Marry, as I told you before, John, and Robert, be ready here hard by in the brew-house; and when I suddenly call on you, come forth, and (without any pause, or staggering) take this basket on your shoulders^{6 note}

Mrs. Page.

You will do it?

Mrs. Ford.

I have told them over and over; they lack no direction: Be gone, and come when you are call'd.

Mrs. Page.

Here comes little Robin.

Mrs. Ford.

^{7 note}

Rob.

My master sir John is come in at your backdoor, mistress Ford; and requests your company.

Mrs. Page.

You little Jack-a-lent^{8 note}

Rob.

Ay, I'll be sworn: My master knows not of your being here; and hath threaten'd to put me into everlasting liberty, if I tell you of it; for, he swears, he'll turn me away.

Mrs. Page.

Thou'rt a good boy; this secrecy of thine shall be a tailor to thee, and shall make thee a new doublet and hose.—I'll go hide me.

Mrs. Ford.

Do so:—Go tell thy master, I am alone. Mistress Page, remember you your cue.

Mrs. Page.

I warrant thee; if I do not act it, hiss me.

Mrs. Ford.

Go to then;—we'll use this unwholsome humidity, this gross watry pumpion;—we'll teach him to know turtles from jays^{9 note}

.

Fal.

Have I caught thee, my heavenly jewel^{1 note}? Why, now let me die, for I have liv'd long enough^{2 note}; this is the period of my ambition: O this blessed hour!

Mrs. Ford.

O sweet sir John!

Fal.

Mistress Ford, I cannot cog, I cannot prate, mistress Ford. Now shall I sin in my wish: I would thy husband were dead; I'll speak it before the best lord, I would make thee my lady.

Mrs. Ford.

I your lady, sir John! alas, I should be a pitiful lady.

Fal.

Let the court of France shew me such another; I see how thine eye would emulate the diamond: Thou hast the right arched bent^{3 note} of the brow, ^{4 note}

Mrs. Ford.

A plain kerchief, sir John: my brows become nothing else; nor that well neither.

Fal.

Thou art a traitor^{5 note} to say so9Q0134: thou would'st make an absolute courtier; and the firm fixture of thy foot would give an excellent motion to thy gait, in a semi-circled farthingale. I see what thou wert, if fortune thy foe were not9Q01359Q0136; nature is thy friend: Come, thou canst not hide it.

Mrs. Ford.

Believe me, there's no such thing in me.

Fal.

What made me love thee? let that persuade thee, there's something extraordinary in thee. Come, I cannot cog, and say, thou art this and that, like a many of these lisping haw-thorn buds, that come like women in men's apparel, and smell like Bucklers-bury^{6 note} in simple-time9Q0137; I cannot: but I love thee; none but thee; and thou deservest it.

Mrs. Ford.

Do not betray me, sir; I fear, you love mistress Page.

Fal.

Thou might'st as well say, I love to walk by the Counter-gate; which is as hateful to me as the reek of a lime-kiln.

Mrs. Ford.

Well, heaven knows how I love you; and you shall one day find it.

Fal.

Keep in that mind; I'll deserve it.

Mrs. Ford.

Nay, I must tell you, so you do; or else I could not be in that mind.

Rob. [Within.]

Mistress Ford, mistress Ford! here's mistress Page at the door, sweating, and blowing, and looking wildly, and would needs speak with you presently.

Fal.

She shall not see me; I will ensconce me behind the arras.

Mrs. Ford.

Pray you, do so; she's a very tattling woman.—

What's the matter? how now?

Mrs. Page.

O mistress Ford, what have you done? you're sham'd, you are overthrown, you are undone for ever.

Mrs. Ford.

What's the matter, good mistress Page?

Mrs. Page.

O well-a-day, mistress Ford! having an honest man to your husband, to give him such cause of suspicion!

Mrs. Ford.

What cause of suspicion?

Mrs. Page.

What cause of suspicion?—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 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.

Mrs. Ford.

Speak louder^{7 note}.—[Aside.] 'Tis not so, I hope.

Mrs. 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 amaz'd; call all your senses to you; defend your reputation, or bid farewell to your good life for ever.

Mrs. 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.

Mrs. 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.—Oh, 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.

Mrs. Ford.

He's too big to go in there: What shall I do?

Fal.

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.

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—

Mrs. Page.

Help to cover your master, boy: Call your men, mistress Ford:—You dissembling knight!

Mrs. Ford.

What, John, Robert, John! Go take up these clothes here, quickly; Where's the cowlstaff?

look, ^{8 note}