Page 742 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

and Dives that lived in purple; for there he is in his robes, burning, burning. If
thou wert any way given to virtue, I would swear by thy face; my oath should
be ‘By this fire, that’s God’s angel’. But thou art altogether given over, and
[35] wert indeed, but for the light in thy face, the son of utter darkness.

When thou ran’st up Gad’s Hill in the night to catch my horse, if I did not think
thou hadst been an ignis fatuus or a ball of wildfire, there’s no purchase in
money. O, thou art a perpetual triumph, an everlasting [40] bonfire-light!
Thou hast saved me a thousand marks in links and torches, walking with thee

in the night betwixt tavern and tavern; but the sack that thou hast drunk me
would have bought me lights as good cheap at the dearest chandler’s in
Europe. I have maintained that [45] salamander of yours with fire any time
this two-and-thirty years. God reward me for it!

BARDOLPH
’Sblood, I would my face were in your belly!

FALSTAFF
God-a-mercy! so should I be sure to be heart-burnt. [50]
Enter Hostess.
How now, Dame Partlet the hen? Have you enquired yet who picked my
pocket?

HOSTESS

Why, Sir John, what do you think, Sir John? Do you think I keep thieves in my
house? I have searched, I have enquired, so has my husband, man by man,
boy by [55] boy, servant by servant. The tithe of a hair was never lost in my
house before.

FALSTAFF
Ye lie, hostess. Bardolph was shaved and lost many a hair, and I’ll be sworn

my pocket was picked. Go to, you are a woman, go! [60]

HOSTESS
Who, I? No; I defy thee! God’s light, I was never called so in mine own house
before!

FALSTAFF