Des. Faith, that's with watching; 'twill away again : Let me but bind it hard, within this hour It will be well. Oth Your napkin is too little; Iago. [He puts the handkerchief from him, and it He that is robb'd, not wanting what is stolen, drops. Let it alone. Come, I'll go in with you., To kiss, and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out, What he'll do with it, heaven knows, not I; Iago. Why, what's that to you? [Snatching it. Emil. If it be not for some purpose of import, Give it me again: Poor lady! she'll run mad, When she shall lack it. Iago. Be not you known of't; I have use for it. Go, leave me. [Exit EMILIA. I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin, Burn like the mines of sulphur.-I did say so:- Look, where he comes! Not poppy, nor mandragora, Oth. To me? Ha ha! false to me? Jago. Why, how now, general? no more of that. Oth. Avaunt! be gone! thou hast set me on the rack: I swear, 'tis better to be much abus'd, han but to know't a little. Let him not know it, and he's not robb'd at all. Iago. I am sorry to hear this. Oth. I had been happy, if the general camp, Pioneers and all, had tasted her sweet body, So I had nothing known: O now, for ever, Farewell the tranquil mind! farewell content! Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars, That make ambition virtue! O, farewell! Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump, The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife, The royal banner; and all quality, Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war! And O you mortal engines, whose rude throats The immortal Jove's dread clamours counterfeit, Farewell! Othello's occupation's gone! Iago. Is it possible? My lord, Oth. Villain, be sure thou prove my love a where; Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof; [Taking him by the thrust. Or, by the worth of mine eternal soul, Thou hadst been better have been born a dog, Than answer my wak'd wrath. Iago. Is it come to this? Oth. Make me to see it; or (at the least) so prove it, That the probation bear no hinge, nor loop, To hang a doubt on: or, woe upon thy life! Iago. My noble lord, · Oth. If thou dost slander her, and torture me, Never pray more: abandon all remorse; On horror's head horrors accumulate: Do deeds to make heaven weep, all earth amar'd, For nothing canst thou to damnation add, Greater than that. Iago. I thank you for this profit; and, from hence, Oth. By the world, I think my wife be honest, and think she is not; More than their own! What then? how then? But, sith I am enter'd in this cause so far, - There are a kind of men so loose of soul, In sleep I heard him say, Sweet Desdemona, Nay, this was but his dream. Oth. I'll tear her all to pieces. Iago. Nay, but be wise: yet we see nothing done; She may be honest yet. Tell me but this, Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief, Spotted with strawberries, in your wife's hand? Oth. I gave her such a one; 'twas my first gift. Iago. I know not that: but such a handkerchief, (I am sure it was your wife's,) did I to-day See Cassio wipe his beard with. Oth. If it be that, Iago. If it be that, or any that was her's, It speaks against her, with the other proofs. Oth. O, that the slave had forty thousand lives; One is too poor, too weak for my revenge! Now do I see 'tis true. Look here, Iago; All my fond love thus I do blow to heaven: 'Tis gone. Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell! Yield up, O love, thy crown, and hearted throne, To tyrannous hate! swell, bosom, with thy fraught, For 'tis of aspicks' tongues! O, blood, Iago, blood! Iago. Pray, be content. Oth. Never, Iago. Like to the Pontick sea, [Kneels. Do not rise yet. [Kneels. Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA, and Clown. Clo. I dare not say, he lies any where. Clo. He is a soldier; and for me to say a soldier lies, is stabbing. Des. Go to; Where lodges he? Clo. To tell you where he lodges, is to tell you where I lie. Des. Can any thing be made of this? Clo. I know not where he lodges; and for me to devise a lodging, and say he lies here, or he lies there, were to lie in my own throat. Des. Can you enquire him out, and be edified by report? Clo. I will catechize the world for him; that is, make questions, and by them answer. Des. Seek him, bid him come hither; tell him, I have moved my lord in his behalf, and hope, all will be well, Clo. To do this, is within the compass of man's wit; and therefore I will attempt the doing it. Oth. That which I gave you. Oth. Not? 1 Des. Oth. Iago. There is no other way; 'tis she must do't; I have it not about me. And, lo, the happiness! go, and impórtune her. Des. How now, good Cassio? what's the news No, indeed, my lord. That handkerchief That is a fault: Did an Egyptian to my mother give; 'Twould make her amiable, and subdue my father Or made a gift of it, my father's eye Should hold her loathly, and his spirits should hunt Des. Is it possible? Oth. 'Tis true: There's magick in the web of it: Des. Indeed! is't true? Oth. Most veritable; therefore look to't well. Des. Then 'would to heaven, that I had never seen it. Oth. Ha! wherefore? Des. Why do you speak so startingly and rash? Oth. Is't lost? is't gone? speak, is it out of the way? Des. Heaven bless us ! Oth. Say you ? Des. It is not lost; But what an if it were? with you? Cas. Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you, Des. My lord is not my lord; nor should I know him, So help me, every spirit sanctified, As I have spoken for you all my best, Emil. He went hence but now, And, certainly, in strange unquietness. Jago. Can he be angry? I have seen the cannan, And, like the devil, from his very arm Des. I pr'ythee, do so. Something, sure, of Oth. Fetch me that handkerchief: my mind Of pain: Nay, we must think, men are not gods, misgives. Nor of them look for such observances Des. Alas, the day! I never gave him cause... But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster, Des. Heaven keep that monster from Othello's mind! Emil. Lady, amen. Woman, go to! Throw your vile guesses in the devil's teeth, Des. I will go seek him. — Cassio, walk here- I like the work well; ere it be demanded, about: If I do find him fit, I'll move your suit, [Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA. Bian. Save you, friend Cassio! Cas. Bian. And I was going to your lodging, Cassio. (As like enough, it will,) I'd have it copied : Cas. I do attend here on the general; Bian. Why, I pray you? Cas. Not that I love you not. That's not so good, now. Oth. Hath he said any thing? Iago. He hath, my lord; but be you well assur'd, No more than he'll unswear. Oth. What hath he said? Iago. 'Faith, that he did, I know not what he did. With her? Oth.. Iago. With her, on her; what you will. Oth. Lie with her! lie on her! We say, lie on her, when they belie her: Lie with her! that's fulsome.- Handkerchief,-confessions,-handkerchief. - To confess, and be hanged for his labour. First, to be hanged, and then to confess : - I tremble at it. Nature would not invest herself in such shadowing passion, without some instruction. It is not words, that shake me thus:- - Pish! Noses, ears, and lips: Is it possible? . ConHandkerchief! O devil! fess! Iago, Work on, My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught; And many worthy and chaste dames, even thus, My lord, I say! Othello! How now, Cassio? Jago. My lord is fallen into an epilepsy; This is his second fit; he had one yesterday. Cas. Rub him about the temples.. Iago. No, forbear! The lethargy must have his quiet course: If not, he foams at mouth; and, by and by, Breaks out to savage madness. Look, he stirs : Do you withdraw yourself a little while, He will recover straight; when he is gone, I would on great occasion speak with you. [Exit CASSIO. How is it, general? have you not hurt your head? Oth. Dost thou mock me? Iago. I mock you! no, by heaven : 'Would, you would bear your fortunes like a man. Oth. A horned man's a monster, and a beast. Iago. There's many a beast then in a populous city, And many a civil monster. Oth. Did he confess it? Iago. Good sir, be a man ; Think, every bearded fellow, that's but yok'd, May draw with you: there's millions now alive, That nightly lie in those unproper beds, Which they dare swear peculiar; your case is better. O, 'tis the spite of hell, the fiend's arch-mock, To lip a wanton in a secure couch, And to suppose her chaste! No, let me know; And, knowing what I am, I know what she shall be. Oth. O, thou art wise; 'tis certain. Iago. Stand you awhile apart; I say, but mark his gesture. Marry, patience; Oth. Dost thou hear, Iago? I will be found most cunning in my patience; But (dost thou hear ?) most bloody. Lago. Now will I question Cassio of Bianca, From the excess of laughter: - Here he comes: Re-enter CASSIO. As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad; Oth. Now he denies it faintly, and laughs it out. [Anide. Iago. Do you hear, Cassio? Oth. Now he importunes him Cas. Cas. I marry her! - what? a customer! I pr'ythee, bear some charity to my wit; do not think it so unwholesome. Ha, ha, ha! Oth. So, so, so, so: They laugh that win. [de Iago. "Faith, the cry goes, that you shall marry her. Cas. Pr'ythee, say true. Iago. I am a very villain else. Oth. Have you scored me? Well. Cas. This is the monkey's own giving out: she is persuaded I will marry her, out of her own love and flattery, not out of my promise. Oth. Iago beckons me; now he begins the story. [Aside Cas. She was here even now; she haunts me in every place. I was, the other day, talking on the sea-bank with certain Venetians; and thither comes this bauble; by this hand, she falls thus about my neck; Oth. Crying, O dear Cassio! as it were: his ges ture imports it. (Aside Cas. So hangs, and lolls, and weeps upon me; so hales, and pulls me: ha, ha, ha! Oth. Now he tells, how she plucked him to my chamber: O, I see that nose of yours, but not that dog I shall throw it to. Cas. Well, I must leave her company. Enter BIANCA. Cas. 'Tis such another fitchew! marry, a perfumed one. -What do you mean by this haunting of me? Bian. Let the devil and his dam haunt you! What did you mean by that same handkerchief, you gave me even now? I was a fine fool to take it. I must take out the whole work? A likely piece of work, that you should find it in your chamber, and not know who left it there! This is some mint's token, and I must take out the work? There,-gr it your hobby horse: wheresoever you had it, I take out no work on't. Cas. How now, my sweet Bianca? how now' how now? Oth. By heaven, that should be my handkerchie Bian. An you'll come to supper to-night, pus |