ESCALUS.
By the woman’s means?
ELBOW.
Ay, sir, by Mistress Overdone’s means; but as she spit in his face, so she defied him.
POMPEY.
Sir, if it please your honour, this is not so.
ELBOW.
Prove it before these varlets here, thou honourable man, prove it.
ESCALUS.
[To Angelo.] Do you hear how he misplaces?
POMPEY.
Sir, she came in great with child; and longing, saving your honour’s reverence, for stewed prunes; sir, we had but two in the house, which at that very distant time stood, as it were, in a fruit dish, a dish of some threepence; your honours have seen such dishes; they are not china dishes, but very good dishes—
ESCALUS.
Go to, go to. No matter for the dish, sir.
POMPEY.
No, indeed, sir, not of a pin; you are therein in the right. But to the point. As I say, this Mistress Elbow, being, as I say, with child, and being great-bellied, and longing, as I said, for prunes; and having but two in the dish, as I said, Master Froth here, this very man, having eaten the rest, as I said, and, as I say, paying for them very honestly; for, as you know, Master Froth, I could not give you threepence again—
FROTH.
No, indeed.
POMPEY.
Very well. You being then, if you be remembered, cracking the stones of the foresaid prunes—