The Tragedy Of Othello, The Moor Of Venice

1 Enter Desdemona, Emilia and Clown.
2 DESDEMONA.
3 Do you know, sirrah, where Lieutenant Cassio lies?
4 CLOWN.
5 I dare not say he lies anywhere.
6 DESDEMONA.
7 Why, man?
8 CLOWN.
9 He’s a soldier; and for one to say a soldier lies is stabbing.
10 DESDEMONA.
11 Go to. Where lodges he?
12 CLOWN.
13 To tell you where he lodges is to tell you where I lie.
14 DESDEMONA.
15 Can anything be made of this?
16 CLOWN.
17 I know not where he lodges; and for me to devise a lodging, and say he
18 lies here, or he lies there, were to lie in mine own throat.
19 DESDEMONA.
20 Can you inquire him out, and be edified by report?
21 CLOWN.
22 I will catechize the world for him, that is, make questions and by them
23 answer.
24 DESDEMONA.
25 Seek him, bid him come hither. Tell him I have moved my lord on his
26 behalf, and hope all will be well.
27 CLOWN.
28 To do this is within the compass of man’s wit, and therefore I will
29 attempt the doing it.
30 [_Exit._]
31 DESDEMONA.
32 Where should I lose that handkerchief, Emilia?
33 EMILIA.
34 I know not, madam.
35 DESDEMONA.
36 Believe me, I had rather have lost my purse
37 Full of crusadoes. And but my noble Moor
38 Is true of mind and made of no such baseness
39 As jealous creatures are, it were enough
40 To put him to ill thinking.
41 EMILIA.
42 Is he not jealous?
43 DESDEMONA.
44 Who, he? I think the sun where he was born
45 Drew all such humours from him.
46 EMILIA.
47 Look, where he comes.
48 Enter Othello.
49 DESDEMONA.
50 I will not leave him now till Cassio
51 Be call’d to him. How is’t with you, my lord?
52 OTHELLO.
53 Well, my good lady. [_Aside._] O, hardness to dissemble!
54 How do you, Desdemona?
55 DESDEMONA.
56 Well, my good lord.
57 OTHELLO.
58 Give me your hand. This hand is moist, my lady.
59 DESDEMONA.
60 It yet hath felt no age nor known no sorrow.
61 OTHELLO.
62 This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart.
63 Hot, hot, and moist. This hand of yours requires
64 A sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer,
65 Much castigation, exercise devout;
66 For here’s a young and sweating devil here
67 That commonly rebels. ’Tis a good hand,
68 A frank one.
69 DESDEMONA.
70 You may indeed say so,
71 For ’twas that hand that gave away my heart.
72 OTHELLO.
73 A liberal hand. The hearts of old gave hands,
74 But our new heraldry is hands, not hearts.
75 DESDEMONA.
76 I cannot speak of this. Come now, your promise.
77 OTHELLO.
78 What promise, chuck?
79 DESDEMONA.
80 I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you.
81 OTHELLO.
82 I have a salt and sorry rheum offends me.
83 Lend me thy handkerchief.
84 DESDEMONA.
85 Here, my lord.
86 OTHELLO.
87 That which I gave you.
88 DESDEMONA.
89 I have it not about me.
90 OTHELLO.
91 Not?
92 DESDEMONA.
93 No, faith, my lord.
94 OTHELLO.
95 That is a fault. That handkerchief
96 Did an Egyptian to my mother give.
97 She was a charmer, and could almost read
98 The thoughts of people. She told her, while she kept it,
99 ’Twould make her amiable and subdue my father
100 Entirely to her love. But if she lost it,
101 Or made a gift of it, my father’s eye
102 Should hold her loathed, and his spirits should hunt
103 After new fancies: she, dying, gave it me,
104 And bid me, when my fate would have me wive,
105 To give it her. I did so; and take heed on’t,
106 Make it a darling like your precious eye.
107 To lose’t or give’t away were such perdition
108 As nothing else could match.
109 DESDEMONA.
110 Is’t possible?
111 OTHELLO.
112 ’Tis true. There’s magic in the web of it.
113 A sibyl, that had number’d in the world
114 The sun to course two hundred compasses,
115 In her prophetic fury sew’d the work;
116 The worms were hallow’d that did breed the silk,
117 And it was dyed in mummy, which the skillful
118 Conserv’d of maiden’s hearts.
119 DESDEMONA.
120 Indeed? Is’t true?
121 OTHELLO.
122 Most veritable, therefore look to ’t well.
123 DESDEMONA.
124 Then would to God that I had never seen ’t!
125 OTHELLO.
126 Ha? wherefore?
127 DESDEMONA.
128 Why do you speak so startingly and rash?
129 OTHELLO.
130 Is’t lost? is’t gone? speak, is it out of the way?
131 DESDEMONA.
132 Heaven bless us!
133 OTHELLO.
134 Say you?
135 DESDEMONA.
136 It is not lost, but what and if it were?
137 OTHELLO.
138 How?
139 DESDEMONA.
140 I say it is not lost.
141 OTHELLO.
142 Fetch’t, let me see ’t.
143 DESDEMONA.
144 Why, so I can, sir, but I will not now.
145 This is a trick to put me from my suit.
146 Pray you, let Cassio be receiv’d again.
147 OTHELLO.
148 Fetch me the handkerchief! My mind misgives.
149 DESDEMONA.
150 Come, come.
151 You’ll never meet a more sufficient man.
152 OTHELLO.
153 The handkerchief!
154 DESDEMONA.
155 I pray, talk me of Cassio.
156 OTHELLO.
157 The handkerchief!
158 DESDEMONA.
159 A man that all his time
160 Hath founded his good fortunes on your love,
161 Shar’d dangers with you,—
162 OTHELLO.
163 The handkerchief!
164 DESDEMONA.
165 In sooth, you are to blame.
166 OTHELLO.
167 Away!
168 [_Exit._]
169 EMILIA.
170 Is not this man jealous?
171 DESDEMONA.
172 I ne’er saw this before.
173 Sure there’s some wonder in this handkerchief,
174 I am most unhappy in the loss of it.
175 EMILIA.
176 ’Tis not a year or two shows us a man:
177 They are all but stomachs and we all but food;
178 They eat us hungerly, and when they are full,
179 They belch us.
180 Enter Cassio and Iago.
181 Look you, Cassio and my husband.
182 IAGO.
183 There is no other way; ’tis she must do ’t,
184 And, lo, the happiness! Go and importune her.
185 DESDEMONA.
186 How now, good Cassio, what’s the news with you?
187 CASSIO.
188 Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you
189 That by your virtuous means I may again
190 Exist, and be a member of his love,
191 Whom I, with all the office of my heart,
192 Entirely honour. I would not be delay’d.
193 If my offence be of such mortal kind
194 That nor my service past, nor present sorrows,
195 Nor purpos’d merit in futurity,
196 Can ransom me into his love again,
197 But to know so must be my benefit;
198 So shall I clothe me in a forc’d content,
199 And shut myself up in some other course
200 To fortune’s alms.
201 DESDEMONA.
202 Alas, thrice-gentle Cassio,
203 My advocation is not now in tune;
204 My lord is not my lord; nor should I know him
205 Were he in favour as in humour alter’d.
206 So help me every spirit sanctified,
207 As I have spoken for you all my best,
208 And stood within the blank of his displeasure
209 For my free speech! You must awhile be patient.
210 What I can do I will; and more I will
211 Than for myself I dare. Let that suffice you.
212 IAGO.
213 Is my lord angry?
214 EMILIA.
215 He went hence but now,
216 And certainly in strange unquietness.
217 IAGO.
218 Can he be angry? I have seen the cannon,
219 When it hath blown his ranks into the air
220 And, like the devil, from his very arm
221 Puff’d his own brother, and can he be angry?
222 Something of moment then. I will go meet him.
223 There’s matter in’t indeed if he be angry.
224 DESDEMONA.
225 I prithee do so.
226 [_Exit Iago._]
227 Something sure of state,
228 Either from Venice, or some unhatch’d practice
229 Made demonstrable here in Cyprus to him,
230 Hath puddled his clear spirit, and in such cases
231 Men’s natures wrangle with inferior things,
232 Though great ones are their object. ’Tis even so.
233 For let our finger ache, and it indues
234 Our other healthful members even to that sense
235 Of pain. Nay, we must think men are not gods,
236 Nor of them look for such observancy
237 As fits the bridal. Beshrew me much, Emilia,
238 I was (unhandsome warrior as I am)
239 Arraigning his unkindness with my soul;
240 But now I find I had suborn’d the witness,
241 And he’s indicted falsely.
242 EMILIA.
243 Pray heaven it be state matters, as you think,
244 And no conception nor no jealous toy
245 Concerning you.
246 DESDEMONA.
247 Alas the day, I never gave him cause!
248 EMILIA.
249 But jealous souls will not be answer’d so;
250 They are not ever jealous for the cause,
251 But jealous for they are jealous: ’tis a monster
252 Begot upon itself, born on itself.
253 DESDEMONA.
254 Heaven keep that monster from Othello’s mind!
255 EMILIA.
256 Lady, amen.
257 DESDEMONA.
258 I will go seek him. Cassio, walk hereabout:
259 If I do find him fit, I’ll move your suit,
260 And seek to effect it to my uttermost.
261 CASSIO.
262 I humbly thank your ladyship.
263 [_Exeunt Desdemona and Emilia._]
264 Enter Bianca.
265 BIANCA.
266 Save you, friend Cassio!
267 CASSIO.
268 What make you from home?
269 How is it with you, my most fair Bianca?
270 I’ faith, sweet love, I was coming to your house.
271 BIANCA.
272 And I was going to your lodging, Cassio.
273 What, keep a week away? Seven days and nights?
274 Eight score eight hours, and lovers’ absent hours,
275 More tedious than the dial eight score times?
276 O weary reckoning!
277 CASSIO.
278 Pardon me, Bianca.
279 I have this while with leaden thoughts been press’d,
280 But I shall in a more continuate time
281 Strike off this score of absence. Sweet Bianca,
282 [_Giving her Desdemona’s handkerchief._]
283 Take me this work out.
284 BIANCA.
285 O Cassio, whence came this?
286 This is some token from a newer friend.
287 To the felt absence now I feel a cause.
288 Is’t come to this? Well, well.
289 CASSIO.
290 Go to, woman!
291 Throw your vile guesses in the devil’s teeth,
292 From whence you have them. You are jealous now
293 That this is from some mistress, some remembrance.
294 No, in good troth, Bianca.
295 BIANCA.
296 Why, whose is it?
297 CASSIO.
298 I know not neither. I found it in my chamber.
299 I like the work well. Ere it be demanded,
300 As like enough it will, I’d have it copied.
301 Take it, and do ’t, and leave me for this time.
302 BIANCA.
303 Leave you, wherefore?
304 CASSIO.
305 I do attend here on the general,
306 And think it no addition, nor my wish,
307 To have him see me woman’d.
308 BIANCA.
309 Why, I pray you?
310 CASSIO.
311 Not that I love you not.
312 BIANCA.
313 But that you do not love me.
314 I pray you bring me on the way a little,
315 And say if I shall see you soon at night.
316 CASSIO.
317 ’Tis but a little way that I can bring you,
318 For I attend here. But I’ll see you soon.
319 BIANCA.
320 ’Tis very good; I must be circumstanc’d.
321 [_Exeunt._]