3.4 A room in PAGE’S house.
[Enter FENTON and ANNE PAGE]
FENTON I see I cannot get thy father’s love;
Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.
ANNE PAGE Alas, how then?
FENTON Why, thou must be thyself.
He doth object I am too great of birth–,
And that, my state being gall’d with my expense,
I seek to heal it only by his wealth:
Besides these, other bars he lays before me,
My riots past, my wild societies;
And tells me ’tis a thing impossible
I should love thee but as a property.
ANNE PAGE May be he tells you true.
FENTON No, heaven so speed me in my time to come!
Albeit I will confess thy father’s wealth
Was the first motive that I woo’d thee, Anne:
Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than stamps in gold or sums in sealed bags;
And ’tis the very riches of thyself
That now I aim at.
ANNE PAGE Gentle Master Fenton,
Yet seek my father’s love; still seek it, sir:
If opportunity and humblest suit
Cannot attain it, why, then,–hark you hither!
[They converse apart]
[Enter SHALLOW, SLENDER,
and MISTRESS QUICKLY]
SHALLOW Break their talk, Mistress Quickly:
my kinsman shall speak for himself.
SLENDER I’ll make a shaft or a bolt on’t: ‘slid, ’tis but
venturing.
SHALLOW Be not dismayed.
SLENDER No, she shall not dismay me: I care not for that,
but that I am afeard.
MISTRESS QUICKLY Hark ye;
Master Slender would speak a word with you.
ANNE PAGE I come to him.
[Aside]
This is my father’s choice.
O, what a world of vile ill-favor’d faults
Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a-year!
MISTRESS QUICKLY And how does good Master Fenton?
Pray you, a word with you.
SHALLOW She’s coming;
to her, coz. O boy, thou hadst a father!
SLENDER I had a father, Mistress Anne; my uncle can
tell you good jests of him. Pray you, uncle, tell Mistress
Anne the jest, how my father stole two geese out of
a pen, good uncle.
SHALLOW Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.
SLENDER Ay, that I do; as well as I love any
woman in Gloucestershire.
SHALLOW He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
SLENDER Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail,
under the degree of a squire.
SHALLOW He will make you a hundred
and fifty pounds jointure.
ANNE PAGE Good Master Shallow,
let him woo for himself.
SHALLOW Marry, I thank you for it;
I thank you for that good comfort.
She calls you, coz: I’ll leave you.
ANNE PAGE Now, Master Slender,–
SLENDER Now, good Mistress Anne,–
ANNE PAGE What is your will?
SLENDER My will! ‘od’s heartlings, that’s a pretty jest
indeed! I ne’er made my will yet, I thank heaven; I
am not such a sickly creature, I give heaven praise.
ANNE PAGE I mean, Master Slender,
what would you with me?
SLENDER Truly, for mine own part, I would little
or nothing with you. Your father and my uncle hath
made motions: if it be my luck, so; if not, happy man be
his dole! They can tell you how things go better
than I can: you may ask your father; here he comes.
[Enter PAGE and MISTRESS PAGE]
PAGE Now, Master Slender: love him, daughter Anne.
Why, how now! what does Master Fenton here?
You wrong me, sir, thus still to haunt my house:
I told you, sir, my daughter is disposed of.
FENTON Nay, Master Page, be not impatient.
MISTRESS PAGE
Good Master Fenton, come not to my child.
PAGE She is no match for you.
FENTON Sir, will you hear me?
PAGE No, good Master Fenton.
Come, Master Shallow; come, son Slender, in.
Knowing my mind, you wrong me, Master Fenton.
[Exeunt PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER]
MISTRESS QUICKLY Speak to Mistress Page.
FENTON
Good Mistress Page, for that I love your daughter
In such a righteous fashion as I do,
Perforce, against all cheques, rebukes and manners,
I must advance the colours of my love
And not retire: let me have your good will.
ANNE PAGE
Good mother, do not marry me to yond fool.
MISTRESS PAGE
I mean it not; I seek you a better husband.
MISTRESS QUICKLY That’s my master, master doctor.
ANNE PAGE Alas, I had rather be set quick i’ the earth
And bowl’d to death with turnips!
MISTRESS PAGE
Come, trouble not yourself. Good Master Fenton,
I will not be your friend nor enemy:
My daughter will I question how she loves you,
And as I find her, so am I affected.
Till then farewell, sir: she must needs go in;
Her father will be angry.
FENTON Farewell, gentle mistress: farewell, Nan.
[Exeunt MISTRESS PAGE and ANNE PAGE]
MISTRESS QUICKLY
This is my doing, now: ‘Nay,’ said I, ‘will you cast
away your child on a fool, and a physician? Look on
Master Fenton:’ this is my doing.
FENTON
I thank thee; and I pray thee, once to-night
Give my sweet Nan this ring: there’s for thy pains.
MISTRESS QUICKLY Now heaven send thee good fortune!
[Exit FENTON]
A kind heart he hath: a woman would run through
fire and water for such a kind heart. But yet I
would my master had Mistress Anne; or I would
Master Slender had her; or, in sooth, I would Master
Fenton had her; I will do what I can for them all
three; for so I have promised, and I’ll be as good
as my word; but speciously for Master Fenton. Well,
I must of another errand to Sir John Falstaff from
my two mistresses: what a beast am I to slack it!
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