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20
The Life of

needles, but it will be thought we keep a bawdy-
house straight. O well-a-day, Lady! if
he be not drawn now: we shall see wilful
adultery and murder committed. 40

Bard. Good lieutenant! good corporal! offer
nothing here.

Nym. Pish!

Pist. Pish for thee, Iceland dog! thou prick-ear'd cur of Iceland! 44

Host. Good Corporal Nym, show thy valour
and put up your sword.

Nym. Will you shog off? I would have you
solus.

Pist. Solus, egregious dog? O viper vile!
The solus in thy most mervailous face;
The solus in thy teeth, and in thy throat,
And in thy hateful lungs, yea, in thy maw, perdy;
And, which is worse, within thy nasty mouth! 53
I do retort the solus in thy bowels;
For I can take, and Pistol's cock is up,
And flashing fire will follow. 56

Nym. I am not Barbason; you cannot con-
jure me. I have an humour to knock you in-
differently 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; and
that's the humour of it.

Pist. O braggart vile and damned furious wight! 64
The grave doth gape, and doting death is near;
Therefore exhale.


38 Lady: an oath by the Virgin Mary
44 Iceland dog; cf. n.
47 shog: move
50 mervailous: marvelous
52 perdy: par Dieu
55 take: take fire
57 Barbason: name of a fiend; cf. n.
66 exhale: draw forth (thy sword)