William Shakespeare: The Merry Wives of Windsor

ACT III SCENE 3. A room in FORD'S house. (continued)

MRS. PAGE.
Help to cover your master, boy. Call your men,
Mistress Ford. You dissembling knight!

MRS. FORD.
What, John! Robert! John!

[Exit ROBIN.]

[Re-enter SERVANTS.]

Go, take up these clothes here, quickly; where's the
cowl-staff? Look how you drumble! Carry them to the laundress
in Datchet-Mead; quickly, come.

[Enter FORD, PAGE, CAIUS, and SIR HUGH EVANS.]

FORD.
Pray you come near. If I suspect without cause, why
then make sport at me, then let me be your jest; I deserve
it. How now, whither bear you this?

SERVANT. To the laundress, forsooth.

MRS. FORD.
Why, what have you to do whither they bear it?
You were best meddle with buck-washing.

FORD.
Buck! I would I could wash myself of the buck!
Buck, buck, buck! ay, buck; I warrant you, buck; and of
the season too, it shall appear.

[Exeunt SERVANTS with the basket.]

 Gentlemen, I have dreamed to-night; I'll tell you my
dream. Here, here, here be my keys: ascend my chambers;
search, seek, find out. I'll warrant we'll unkennel the fox.
Let me stop this way first. [Locking the door.] So, now
uncape.

PAGE.
Good Master Ford, be contented: you wrong yourself
too much.

FORD.
True, Master Page. Up, gentlemen, you shall see sport
anon; follow me, gentlemen. [Exit.]

EVANS.
This is fery fantastical humours and jealousies.

CAIUS.
By gar, 'tis no the fashion of France; it is not jealous
in France.

PAGE.
Nay, follow him, gentlemen; see the issue of his
search.

[Exeunt EVANS, PAGE, and CAIUS.]

MRS. PAGE.
Is there not a double excellency in this?

MRS. FORD.
I know not which pleases me better, that my
husband is deceived, or Sir John.