# Scene II explained — The Merry Wives of Windsor > Chapter companion for The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare. ## What happens Page, Shallow, and Slender prepare to hide in the castle ditch to observe the fairy revels. Slender reveals a prearranged signal with Anne Page—he will wear white and say 'mum,' to which she will reply 'budget.' Page expresses hope that the night's sport will expose the devil, whom they will recognize by his horns. ## Themes in this chapter ### Deception and Disguise The characters hide in the ditch and use secret signals to identify each other, highlighting the theme of deception. ### Appearance vs. Reality Page's remark that 'no man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns' underscores the contrast between outward appearance and true intent. ## Character check-ins ### Master Page Leads the group to hide in the castle ditch and reminds Slender of his daughter. ### Justice Shallow Accompanies Page and Slender, commenting on the signal and the time. ### Master Slender Reveals the secret code with Anne Page: he will wear white and say 'mum,' she will reply 'budget.' ## Key lines > I come to her in white and cry 'mum'; she cries 'budget,' and by that we know one another. I will approach her dressed in white and say 'mum'; she will answer 'budget,' and that is how we will recognize each other. _Slender explains the secret code he and Anne have arranged to identify each other during the fairy revels._ > No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Only the devil intends harm, and we will recognize him because he has horns. _Page expresses confidence that the night's scheme will reveal the true villain, using the devil's horns as a symbol of evil._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se/chapters/act-v-scene-ii - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se/chapters