tempered or disagreeable. Thus, Quickly is suggesting that Mistress Ford’s life is disagreeable with her, that she is unhappy with her husband.
Mistress Quickly concludes her conversation with Falstaff by informing him that Mistress Page, despite her extremely modest and civil manner, has also fallen for the charms of the lecherous knight (starting at line 88). Quickly is indicating that Falstaff is unique among men for him to conquer so virtuous a lady. Falstaff worries that the two wives will inform each other of their plans to have an affair, but Quickly reassures the old knight that each of the two women will keep her affair secret.
After Quickly exits, Pistol speaks to himself (an aside at lines 122-24). He realizes that Quickly is carrying love messages between the knight and the wives. So, Pistol decides to speak with Quickly himself and interfere in the matter, for he believes that by getting involved he can make some money (perhaps by blackmailing Falstaff). Pistol, incidentally, speaks metaphorically to express his thoughts. He refers to Quickly as a carrier, meaning both (1) that she is a messenger and (2) that she is carrying cargo like a merchant vessel. Hence, he uses the expression, “Clap on more sails!” (123). Pistol is suggesting that he is a pirate ship chasing after the merchant vessel, and he needs to move faster (by adding more sails to his ship) if he is to catch up with Mistress Quickly. Pistol also refers to Quickly as his “prize”: she is the booty or treasure that the pirate will seize. Shakespeare has fun with language throughout this play: each character speaks