Page 2538 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

[Enter John and Robert.]

MISTRESS FORD
Go, sirs, take the basket again on your shoulders. Your master is hard at
door; if he bid you set it down, obey him. Quickly, dispatch.
[Exit.]

JOHN
Come, come, take it up. [100]

ROBERT
Pray heaven it be not full of knight again.

JOHN
I hope not; I had as lief bear so much lead.

[Enter Ford, Page, Shallow, Caius, and Evans.]

FORD
Ay, but if it prove true, Master Page, have you any way then to unfool me
again? − Set down the basket, villain! Somebody call my wife. Youth in a
basket! O you [105] pandarly rascals, there’s a knot, a ging, a pack, a

conspiracy against me. Now shall the devil be shamed. − What, wife, I say!
Come, come forth: behold what honest clothes you send forth to bleaching!

PAGE
Why, this passes, Master Ford; you are not to go [110] loose any longer, you
must be pinioned.

EVANS
Why, this is lunatics; this is mad as a mad dog.

SHALLOW

Indeed, Master Ford, this is not well, indeed.

FORD

So say I too, sir.