William Shakespeare: The Merry Wives of Windsor

ACT IV. SCENE 2. A room in FORD'S house. (continued)

EVANS.
'Tis unreasonable. Will you take up your wife's
clothes? Come away.

FORD.
Empty the basket, I say!

MRS. FORD.
Why, man, why?

FORD.
Master Page, as I am a man, there was one conveyed
out of my house yesterday in this basket: why may not
he be there again? In my house I am sure he is; my
intelligence is true; my jealousy is reasonable.
Pluck me out all the linen.

MRS. FORD.
If you find a man there, he shall die a flea's death.

PAGE.
Here's no man.

SHALLOW.
By my fidelity, this is not well, Master Ford; this
wrongs you.

EVANS.
Master Ford, you must pray, and not follow the
imaginations of your own heart; this is jealousies.

FORD.
Well, he's not here I seek for.

PAGE.
No, nor nowhere else but in your brain.

[Servants carry away the basket.]

FORD.
Help to search my house this one time. If I find not
what I seek, show no colour for my extremity; let me for
ever be your table-sport; let them say of me 'As jealous as
Ford, that searched a hollow walnut for his wife's leman.'
Satisfy me once more; once more search with me.

MRS. FORD.
What, hoa, Mistress Page! Come you and the old
woman down; my husband will come into the chamber.

FORD.
Old woman? what old woman's that?

MRS. FORD.
Why, it is my maid's aunt of Brainford.