Act V, Scene 1

Falstaff, though realizing that it is the third meeting with the women, has predictably accepted their invitation and agreed to dress in disguise. Mistress Quickly promises to lend him a chain and a pair of horns so he can appear as Herne. After her departure, Ford-as-Brook enters, and Falstaff invites him to the forest to watch him take revenge on Mr. Ford for having beaten him black and blue earlier.

Falstaff does not seem to have learned from his mistakes and is willing to brave a third attempt to seduce the two wives of Windsor. He is even willing to don the costume of Herne for the occasion. His ridiculous justification for his action is that he believes in odd numbers.

Ford enters, still disguised as Brook. Since he is now aware of his wife's plans and feels no jealousy or anger, he is delighted to think about Falstaff's impending humiliation. The simple and naive Falstaff is still unaware that he has been speaking to the husband of the woman he is about to seduce, and he even boasts of it to Ford. Ford, of course, keeps silent.

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