A room in DOCTOR CAIUS' house. Enter MISTRESS QUICKLY, SIMPLE, and RUGBY MISTRESS QUICKLY What, John 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 any body in the house, here will be an old abusing of God's patience and the king's English. RUGBY I'll go watch. MISTRESS 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. MISTRESS QUICKLY And Master Slender's your master? SIMPLE Ay, forsooth. MISTRESS QUICKLY Does he not wear a great round beard, like a glover's paring-knife? SIMPLE No, forsooth: he hath but a little wee face, with a little yellow beard, a Cain-coloured beard. MISTRESS 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. MISTRESS 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. MISTRESS 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. MISTRESS QUICKLY We shall all be shent. Run in here, good young man;go into this closet: he will not stay long.
Shuts SIMPLE in the closet 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.
Singing And down, down, adown-a, & c.
Enter DOCTOR CAIUS DOCTOR CAIUS Vat is you sing? I do not like des toys.
Pray you, go and vetch me in my closet un boitier vert, a box, a green-a box: do intend vat I speak? a green-a box. MISTRESS 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. DOCTOR CAIUS Fe, fe, fe, fe! ma foi, il fait fort chaud.
Je m'en vais a la cour--la grande affaire. MISTRESS QUICKLY Is it this, sir? DOCTOR CAIUS Oui; mette le au mon pocket: depeche, quickly. Vere is dat knave Rugby? MISTRESS QUICKLY What, John Rugby! John! RUGBY Here, sir! DOCTOR CAIUS You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby.
Come, take-a your rapier, and come after my heel to the court. RUGBY 'Tis ready, sir, here in the porch. DOCTOR CAIUS By my trot, I tarry too long. Od's me!
Qu'ai-j'oublie! dere is some simples in my closet, dat I vill not for the varld I shall leave behind. MISTRESS QUICKLY Ay me, he'll find the young man here, and be mad! DOCTOR CAIUS O diable, diable! vat is in my closet?
Villain! larron!
Pulling SIMPLE out Rugby, my rapier! MISTRESS QUICKLY Good master, be content. DOCTOR CAIUS Wherefore shall I be content-a? MISTRESS QUICKLY The young man is an honest man. DOCTOR CAIUS What shall de honest man do in my closet?
