The Merry Wives of Windsor | Page 6

inquire for
my master; I doubt he be not well that he comes not home.
[Exit Rugby.]
[Sings.] And down, down, adown-a, &c.
[Enter DOCTOR CAIUS.]
CAIUS. Vat is you sing? I do not like des toys. Pray you, go and vetch
me in my closet une boitine verde--a box, a green-a box: do intend vat I
speak? a green-a box.
QUICKLY. Ay, forsooth, I'll fetch it you. [Aside] I am glad he went
not in himself: if he had found the young man, he would have been
horn-mad.

CAIUS. Fe, fe, fe fe! ma foi, il fait fort chaud. Je m'en vais a la cour--
la grande affaire.
QUICKLY. Is it this, sir?
CAIUS. Oui; mettez le au mon pocket: depechez, quickly--Vere is dat
knave, Rugby?
QUICKLY. What, John Rugby? John!
[Re-enter Rugby.]
RUGBY. Here, sir.
CAIUS. You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby: come, take-a
your rapier, and come after my heel to de court.
RUGBY. 'Tis ready, sir, here in the porch.
CAIUS. By my trot, I tarry too long--Od's me! Qu'ay j'oublie? Dere is
some simples in my closet dat I vill not for the varld I shall leave
behind.
QUICKLY. [Aside.] Ay me, he'll find the young man there, and be
mad!
CAIUS. O diable, diable! vat is in my closet?--Villainy! larron!
[Pulling SIMPLE out.] Rugby, my rapier!
QUICKLY. Good master, be content.
CAIUS. Verefore shall I be content-a?
QUICKLY. The young man is an honest man.
CAIUS. What shall de honest man do in my closet? dere is no honest
man dat shall come in my closet.
QUICKLY. I beseech you, be not so phlegmatic. Hear the truth of it: he
came of an errand to me from Parson Hugh.
CAIUS. Vell.
SIMPLE. Ay, forsooth, to desire her to--
QUICKLY. Peace, I pray you.
CAIUS. Peace-a your tongue!--Speak-a your tale.
SIMPLE. To desire this honest gentlewoman, your maid, to speak a
good word to Mistress Anne Page for my master, in the way of
marriage.
QUICKLY. This is all, indeed, la! but I'll ne'er put my finger in the fire,
and need not.
CAIUS. Sir Hugh send-a you?--Rugby, baillez me some paper: tarry
you a little-a while. [Writes.]
QUICKLY. I am glad he is so quiet: 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; and I wash, wring, brew,
bake, scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and do all myself--
SIMPLE. 'Tis a great charge to come under one body's hand.
QUICKLY. Are you avis'd o' that? You 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.
CAIUS. You jack'nape; give-a dis 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
have a stone to throw at his dog.
[Exit SIMPLE.]
QUICKLY. 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 Jartiere to measure our weapon. By gar, I vill
myself have Anne Page.
QUICKLY. 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 vit me. By gar, if I have not Anne
Page, I shall turn your head out of my door. Follow my heels, Rugby.
[Exeunt CAIUS and RUGBY.]
QUICKLY. 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 do more than I do with her, I thank heaven.
FENTON. [Within.] Who's within there? ho!
QUICKLY. Who's there, I trow? Come near the house, I pray you.
[Enter FENTON.]
FENTON. How now, good woman! how dost thou?
QUICKLY. The better, that it pleases your good worship to ask.
FENTON. What news? how does pretty Mistress Anne?
QUICKLY. In truth, sir, and she is pretty, and honest, and gentle; and

one that is your friend, I can tell you that by