Iago. Stand you awhile apart Confine yourself but in a patient list. 1 2 Whilst you were here, ere while mad with your grief, Bade him anon return, and here speak with me; 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. Iago. That's not amiss; But yet keep time in all. Will you withdraw? [OTHELLO withdraws. Now will I question Cassio of Bianca, A housewife, that, by selling her desires, Buys herself bread and clothes. It is a creature That dotes on Cassio,-as 'tis the strumpet's plague, To beguile many, and be beguiled by one; He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain From the excess of laughter!-Here he comes.- Re-enter CASSIO. As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad !; 4 And his unbookish jealousy must construe Poor Cassio's smiles, gestures, and light behavior Quite in the wrong.-How do you now, lieutenant? 1 i. e. within the bounds of patience. 2 The folio reads "o'erwhelmed with your grief." 3 Hide yourself in a private place. 4 Unbookish for ignorant. Cas. The worser, that you give me the addition, Whose want even kills me. Iago. Ply Desdemona well, and you are sure of't. Now, if this suit lay in Bianca's power, How quickly should you speed? [Speaking lower. Alas, poor caitiff! [Aside. Oth. Look, how he laughs already! Iago. I never knew a woman love man so. Iago. Do you hear, Cassio? [Aside. Now he importunes him To tell it o'er. Go to; well said, well said. [Aside. Iago. She gives it out that you shall marry her. Do you Cas. intend it? Ha, ha, ha! Oth. Do you triumph, Roman?1 do you triumph? 2 [Aside 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. [Aside. 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 ?3 Well. [Aside. 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. 1 Othello calls him Roman ironically. 2 A common woman. 3 i. e. “have you numbered my days?" To score is to tale or tell, to number, or mark as on a tally. But perhaps it only means, "have you marked me?" as beasts are scored or marked when purchased for slaughter. The old quarto reads "have you stored me?' Cas. She was here even now; she haunts me in every place. I was, the other day, talking on the seabank with certain Venetians; and thither comes this bawble; by this hand,' she falls thus about my neck; Oth. Crying, O dear Cassio! as it were: his gesture 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. Iago. Before me! look where she comes. Enter BIANCA. [Aside. Cas. 'Tis such another fitchew! 2 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 minx's token, and I must take out the work! There, give it your hobby-horse. Wheresoever you had it, I'll take out no work on't. Cas. How now, my sweet Bianca? how now? how now? Oth. By Heaven, that should be my handkerchief. [Aside. Bian. An you'll come to supper to-night, you may; an you will not, come when you are next prepared for. Iago. After her, after her. [Exit. Cas. 'Faith, I must; she'll rail in the street else. 1 The folio omits "by this hand;" and reads "thither comes the bauble and falls me thus," &c. 2 Shakspeare has alluded to the lust of this animal in King Lear. He tells Iago that Bianca is as lewd, but of a better scent. Iago. Will you sup there? Cas. 'Faith, I intend so. Iago. Well, I may chance to see you; for I would very fain speak with you. Cas. Pr'ythee, come; will you?' Iago. Go to; say no more. Oth. How shall I murder him, lago? [Exit CASSIO. Iago. Did you perceive how he laughed at his vice? Oth. O lago! Iago. And did you see the handkerchief? Oth. Was that mine ? Iago. Yours, by this hand; and to see how he prizes the foolish woman, your wife! she gave it him, and he hath given it his whore. Oth. I would have him nine years a killing.—A fine woman! a fair woman! a sweet woman! Iago. Nay, you must forget that. Oth. Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned tonight; for she shall not live. No, my heart is turned to stone; I strike it, and it hurts my hand. O, the world hath not a sweeter creature; she might lie by an emperor's side, and command him tasks. Iago. Nay, that's not your way. Oth. Hang her! I do but say what she is.--So delicate with her needle !-An admirable musician! O, she will sing the savageness out of a bear!—Of so high and plenteous wit and invention! Iago. She is the worse for all this. Oth. O, a thousand, a thousand times.-And then, of so gentle a condition! Iago. Ay, too gentle. Oth. Nay, that's certain. But yet the pity of it, Jago!-O lago, the pity of it, Iago! Iago. If If you are so fond over her inquity, give her patent to offend; for, if it touch not you, it comes near nobody. Oth. I will chop her into messes!-Cuckold me! Iago. O, 'tis foul in her. Oth. With mine officer! Oth. Get me some poison, lago, this night.-I'll not expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again; this night, Iago. Iago. Do it not with poison; strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated. Oth. Good, good; the justice of it pleases; very good. lago. And, for Cassio,-let me be his undertaker. You shall hear more by midnight. [A trumpet within. Oth. Excellent good.-What trumpet is that same? Iago. Something from Venice, sure. 'Tis Lodovico, Come from the duke; and, see, your wife is with him. Enter LODOVICO, Desdemona, and Attendants. With all my heart, sir. Lod. The duke and senators of Venice greet you. [Gives him a packet. Oth. I kiss the instrument of their pleasures. [Opens the packet, and reads. Des. And what's the news, good cousin Lodovico ? Iago. I am very glad to see you, seignior; Welcome to Cyprus. Lod. I thank you. How does lieutenant Cassio? Iago. Lives, sir. Des. Cousin, there's fallen between him and my lord An unkind breach; but you shall make all well. Oth. Are you sure of that? Des. My lord? Oth. This fail you not to do, as you will [Reads. Lod. He did not call; he's busy in the paper. Is there division 'twixt thy lord and Cassio? Des. A most unhappy one; I would do much To atone9 them, for the love I bear to Cassio. Oth. Fire and brimstone! 1 The quarto reads, " God save the worthy general.” |