Page 2458 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

SLENDER

I am not a-hungry, I thank you, forsooth. [245] [To Simple.] Go, sirrah, for all
you are my man, go wait upon my cousin Shallow. [Exit Simple.] A Justice of
Peace sometime may be beholding to his friend for a man. I keep but three

men and a boy yet, till my mother be dead; but what though, yet I live like a
poor gentleman [250] born.

ANNE
I may not go in without your worship; they will not sit till you come.

SLENDER
I’ faith, I’ll eat nothing; I thank you as much as though I did. [255]

ANNE
I pray you, sir, walk in.

SLENDER
I had rather walk here, I thank you. I bruised my shin th’ other day with
playing at sword and dagger with a master of fence − three veneys for a dish

of stewed prunes − and, by my troth, I cannot abide the smell of hot [260]
meat since. Why do your dogs bark so? Be there bears i’ th’ town?

ANNE
I think there are, sir; I heard them talked of.

SLENDER
I love the sport well, but I shall as soon quarrel at it as any man in England.

You are afraid if you see the bear [265] loose, are you not?

ANNE

Ay, indeed, sir.

SLENDER
That’s meat and drink to me, now. I have seen Sackerson loose twenty times,
and have taken him by the chain; but, I warrant you, the women have so
cried and [270] shrieked at it that it passed: but women, indeed, cannot
abide ’em; they are very ill-favoured rough things.