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