Then did the sun on dunghill shine.NYM
I thank thee for that humour.
FALSTAFF
O! she did so course o'er my exteriors with such a greedy intention that the appetite of her eye did seem to scorch me up like a burning-glass. Here's another letter to her: she bears the purse too; she is a region in Guiana, all gold and bounty. I will be cheator to them both, and they shall be exchequers to me; they shall be my East and West Indies, and I will trade to them both. Go, bear thou this letter to Mistress Page; and thou this to Mistress Ford. We will thrive, lads, we will thrive.
PISTOL
Shall I Sir Pandarus of Troy become,
And by my side wear steel? then Lucifer take all!
NYM
I will run no base humour. Here, take the humour-letter; I will keep the haviour of reputation.
FALSTAFF
[To ROBIN] Hold, sirrah; bear you these letters tightly; Sail like my pinnace to these golden shores. Rogues, hence, avaunt! vanish like hailstones, go; Trudge, plod away o' hoof; seek shelter, pack! Falstaff will learn the humour of this age; French thrift, you rogues; myself, and skirted page.
[Exeunt FALSTAFF and ROBIN.]
PISTOL
Let vultures gripe thy guts! for gourd and fullam holds,
And high and low beguile the rich and poor;
Tester I'll have in pouch when thou shalt lack,
Base Phrygian Turk!
NYM
I have operations in my head which be humours of revenge.
PISTOL
Wilt thou revenge?
NYM
By welkin and her star!
PISTOL
With wit or steel?
NYM
With both the humours, I:
I will discuss the humour of this love to Page.
PISTOL
And I to Ford shall eke unfold
How Falstaff, varlet vile,
His dove will prove, his gold will hold,
And his soft couch defile.
NYM
My humour shall not cool: I will incense Page to deal with poison; I will possess him with yellowness, for the revolt of mine is dangerous: that is my true humour.
PISTOL
Thou art the Mars of malcontents; I second thee; troop on.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE IV. A room in Doctor Caius's house
[Enter MISTRESS QUICKLY, and SIMPLE.]
QUICKLY
What, John Rugby!
[Enter RUGBY.]
I pray thee go to the casement, and see if you can see my master, Master Doctor Caius, coming: if he do, i' faith, and find anybody in the house, here will be an old abusing of God's patience and the King's English.
RUGBY
I'll go watch.
QUICKLY
Go; and we'll have a posset for't soon at night, in faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal fire.
[Exit RUGBY.]
An honest, willing, kind fellow, as ever servant shall come in house withal; and, I warrant you, no tell-tale nor no breed-bate; his worst fault is that he is given to prayer; he is something peevish that way; but nobody but has his fault; but let that pass. Peter Simple you say your name is?
SIMPLE
Ay, for fault of a better.
QUICKLY
And Master Slender's your master?
SIMPLE
Ay, forsooth.
QUICKLY
Does he not wear a great round beard, like a glover's paring-knife?
SIMPLE
No, forsooth; he hath but a little whey face, with a little yellow beard—a cane-coloured beard.
QUICKLY
A softly-sprighted man, is he not?
SIMPLE
Ay, forsooth; but he is as tall a man of his hands as any is between this and his head; he hath fought with a warrener.
QUICKLY
How say you?—O! I should remember him. Does he not hold up his head, as it were, and strut in his gait?
SIMPLE
Yes, indeed, does he.
QUICKLY
Well, heaven send Anne Page no worse fortune! Tell Master Parson Evans I will do what I can for your master: Anne is a good girl, and I wish—
[Re-enter RUGBY.]
RUGBY
Out, alas! here comes my master.
QUICKLY
We shall all be shent. Run in here, good young man; go into this closet.
[Shuts SIMPLE in the closet.]
He will not stay long. What, John Rugby! John! what, John, I say! Go, John, go 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
