Act 2 — Scene I. London. A street.[4656]

Bard. Well met, Corporal Nym. Nym. Good morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph. Bard. What, are Ancient Pistol and you friends yet? Nym. For my part, I care not: I say little; but when time shall serve, there shall be smiles; but that shall be as[4657]5 it may. I dare not fight; but I will wink and hold out mine iron: it is a simple one; but what though? it will toast cheese, and it will endure cold as another man's sword will: and there's an end.[4658] Bard. I will bestow a breakfast to make you friends;10 and we'll be all three sworn brothers to France: let it be[4659] so, good Corporal Nym. Nym. Faith, I will live so long as I may, that's the certain of it; and when I cannot live any longer, I will do as I may: that is my rest, that is the rendezvous[4660]15 of it. Bard. It is certain, corporal, that he is married to Nell Quickly: and, certainly, she did you wrong; for you were troth-plight to her. Nym. I cannot tell: things must be as they may: men20 may sleep, and they may have their throats about them at[4661] that time; and some say knives have edges. It must be as it may: though patience be a tired mare, yet she will[4662] plod. There must be conclusions. Well, I cannot tell.

Bard. Here comes Ancient Pistol and his wife: good25 corporal, be patient here. How now, mine host Pistol! Pist. Base tike, call'st thou me host?[4664][4665] Now, by this hand, I swear, I scorn the term;[4665] Nor shall my Nell keep lodgers.[4665] Host. No, by my troth, not long; for we cannot lodge30 and board a dozen or fourteen gentlewomen that live honestly by the prick of their needles, but it will be thought we keep a bawdy house straight. [Nym and Pistol draw.][4666] O well a day, Lady, if he be not drawn now! we shall see[4667] wilful adultery and murder committed.35 Bard. Good lieutenant! good corporal! offer nothing[4668] here. Nym. Pish![4669] Pist. Pish for thee, Iceland dog! thou prick-ear'd cur of Iceland![4670] Host. Good Corporal Nym, show thy valour, and put[4671]40 up your sword. Nym. Will you shog off? I would have you solus.[4672] Pist. 'Solus,' egregious dog? O viper vile![4673] The 'solus' in thy most mervailous face;[4673][4674] The 'solus' in thy teeth, and in thy throat,[4673]45 And in thy hateful lungs, yea, in thy maw, perdy,[4673] And, which is worse, within thy nasty mouth![4673][4675] 1 do retort the 'solus' in thy bowels;[4673] For I can take, and Pistol's cock is up,[4673][4676] And flashing fire will follow.[4673]50 Nym. I am not Barbason; you cannot conjure me. I have an humour to knock you indifferently well. If you grow foul with me, Pistol, I will scour you with my rapier, as I may, in fair terms: if you would walk off, I would prick your guts a little, in good terms, as I may: and55 that's the humour of it. Pist. O braggart vile and damned furious wight! The grave doth gape, and doting death is near;[4677] Therefore exhale.[4678] Bard. Hear me, hear me what I say: he that strikes the60 first stroke, I'll run him up to the hilts, as I am a soldier.

Pist. An oath of mickle might; and fury shall abate. Give me thy fist, thy fore-foot to me give:[4680] Thy spirits are most tall.[4680][4681] Nym. I will cut thy throat, one time or other, in fair65 terms: that is the humour of it. Pist. 'Couple a gorge!'[4682] That is the word. I thee defy again.[4683][4684] O hound of Crete, think'st thou my spouse to get?[4683] No; to the spital go,[4683]70 And from the powdering-tub of infamy[4683] Fetch forth the lazar kite of Cressid's kind,[4683] Doll Tearsheet she by name, and her espouse:[4683] I have, and I will hold, the quondam Quickly[4683] For the only she; and—pauca, there's enough.[4683] Go to.[4683]75

Boy. Mine host Pistol, you must come to my master,[4686] and you, hostess: he is very sick, and would to bed. Good Bardolph, put thy face between his sheets, and do[4687] the office of a warming-pan. Faith, he's very ill.80 Bard. Away, you rogue! Host. By my troth, he'll yield the crow a pudding one of these days. The king has killed his heart. Good husband, come home presently. [Exeunt Hostess and Boy.[4688] Bard. Come, shall I make you two friends? We must85 to France together: why the devil should we keep knives to cut one another's throats? Pist. Let floods o'erswell, and fiends for food howl on! Nym. You'll pay me the eight shillings I won of you at betting?90 Pist. Base is the slave that pays. Nym. That now I will have: that's the humour of it. Pist. As manhood shall compound: push home.

Bard. By this sword, he that makes the first thrust, I'll kill him; by this sword, I will.95 Pist. Sword is an oath, and oaths must have their course.[4690] Bard. Corporal Nym, an thou wilt be friends, be[4690] friends: an thou wilt not, why, then, be enemies with me too. Prithee, put up. Nym. I shall have my eight shillings I won of you at[4691]100 betting?[4691][4692] Pist. A noble shalt thou have, and present pay;[4692] And liquor likewise will I give to thee,[4692] And friendship shall combine, and brotherhood:[4692][4693] I'll live by Nym, and Nym shall live by me;[4692]105 Is not this just? for I shall sutler be[4692] Unto the camp, and profits will accrue.[4692] Give me thy hand.[4692] Nym. I shall have my noble? Pist. In cash most justly paid.110 Nym. Well, then, that's the humour of't.

Host. As ever you came of women, come in quickly to[4695] Sir John. Ah, poor heart! he is so shaked of a burning[4696] quotidian tertian, that it is most lamentable to behold. Sweet men, come to him.115 Nym. The king hath run bad humours on the knight; that's the even of it. Pist. Nym, thou hast spoke the right;[4697] His heart is fracted and corroborate.[4697] Nym. The king is a good king: but it must be as it120 may; he passes some humours and careers. Pist. Let us condole the knight; for, lambkins we will[4698] live.