SCENE IV. A room in Page’s house

ACT III

SCENE IV. 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

Alas, how then?

FENTON

Why, thou must be thyself.

He doth object I am too great of birth,

And that my state being galled 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

Maybe 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 wooed 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

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 talk 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

I come to him.

[Aside.] This is my father’s choice.

O, what a world of vile ill-favoured faults

Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a year!

MISTRESS QUICKLY

And how does good Master Fenton? Pray you, a word with you.

[They talk aside.]

SHALLOW

[To Slender.] 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

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

Now, Master Slender.

SLENDER

Now, good Mistress Anne.

ANNE

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

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 checks, rebukes, and manners,

I must advance the colours of my love

And not retire. Let me have your good will.

ANNE

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

Alas, I had rather be set quick i’ th’ earth,

And bowled 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.]

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 tonight

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!

[Exit.]