694 Behold her well; I pray you, look upon her: Emil. 'Las, what's the matter; what's the matter, husband? Iago. Cassio hath here been set on in the dark, By Roderigo, and fellows that are 'scap'd; He's almost slain, and Roderigo dead. Emil. Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio! Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night :- Bian. He supp'd at my house; but I there- Lago. O, did he so? I charge you go with me. Emil. Fie, fie upon thee, strumpet! Bian. I am no strumpet: but of life as honest, As you that thus abuse me. Emil. As I? foh! fie upon thee! [dress'd : Iago. Kind gentlemen, let's go see poor Cassio Come, mistress, you must tell us another tale. Emilia, run you to the citadel, And tell my lord and lady what has happ'd.- [aside. Oth. It is the cause, it is + the cause, my soul,Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars!— It is the cause.-Yet I'll not shed her blood; Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, And smooth as monumental alabaster. [takes off his sword. Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men. Put out the light, and then put out the light: If I quench thee, thou flaming minister, I can again thy former light restore, Should I repent me :-but once put out thine, Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature, I know not where is that Promethean heat, That can thy light relume. When I have pluck'd thy rose, I cannot give it vital growth again, It needs must wither: Fll smell it on the tree. [hisses her. O, balmy breath, that dost almost persuade Justice to break her sword! One more, one more. Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee, Oth. Ay, Desdemona. Des. Will you come to bed, my lord? Oth. Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemona? Des. Ay, my lord. Oth. If you bethink yourself of any crime, Unreconcil'd as yet to heaven and grace, Buiicit it for straight. Oth. Think on thy sins. Des. They are loves I bear to you. Des. That death's unnatural, that kills for loving, Alas, why gnaw you so your nether lip? Oth. Peace, and be still! Des. I will so; what's the matter? Oth. That handkerchief, which I so lov'd, and gave thee, Thou gav'st to Cassio. Des. No, by my life and soul: Send for the man, and ask him. Oth. Sweet soul, take heed, a Take heed of perjury; thou'rt on thy deathbed. Des. Ay, but not yet to die. Oth. Yes, presently: Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin; Oth. I say, amen. Des. And have you mercy too!-I never did. Offend you in my life; never lov'd Cassio, But with such general warranty of heaven As I might love: I never gave him token. Oth. By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in his hand. O perjur'd woman! thou dost stone my heart, Des. He found it then; I never gave it him :-Send for him hither, And let him confess a truth. Des. A guiltless death I die. Emil. O, who hath done Oth. Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge Had stomach for them all. Des. Alas! he is betray'd, and I undone. This deed? Des. Nobody; I myself; farewell: Oth. Out, strumpet! weep'st thou for him to Commend me to my kind lord; 0, farewell. my face? L Aod dew [dice Oth. Why, how should she be murder'd? Emil. Alas, who knows? Oth. You heard her say herself, it was not I. Emil. She said so; I must needs report the truth. Oth. She's, like a liar, gone to burning hell; 'Twas I that kill'd her. Emil. O, the more angel she, And you the blacker devil! 1 17 Oth. She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore. Emil. Thou dost belié her, and thou art a devil. Oth. She was false as water.ston Emil. Thou art rash as fire, to say That she was false; O, she was heavenly true! Emil. My husband? Oth. What needs this iterance, woman? I say; thy husband? Emil. O mistress, villainy hath made mocks Westwith love! My husband say, that she was false? boob Oth. He, woman; do fastom saw Aunt I say, thy husband: dost understand the word? Emil. Do thy worst; This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven, A Than thou wast worthy her. [harm, Oth. Peace, you were best, Emil. Thou hast not half the power to do më As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt ty As ignorant as dirt! thou hast done a deed, I care not for thy sword; I'll make thee known, Though I lost twenty lives:-Help! help! ho! help! [der! The Moor has kill'd my mistress; murder! mur Enter Montano, Gratiano, and Iago. Mon. What is the matter?-how now, general? Emil. O, are you come, lago? you have done well, ་ That men must lay their murders on your nook. Gra. What is the matter? Hub muid O. Lund Emil. Disprove this villain, if thou be'st a man: Emil. You told a lie; an odious, damned lie; She false with Cassio! did you say, with Cassio? Jago. With Cassio, mistress; go to, charm your tongue. Emil. I will not charm my tongue; I am My mistress here lies murder'd in her bed. Emil. And your reports have set the murder on. Emil. Villainy, villainy, villainy !— I think upon't, I think,—I smell't;-O villainy! Iago. What, are you mad? I charge you, get Oth. O! O! O! Iago. Filth, thou liest. Emil. By heaven, I do not; I do not, gentlemen: O murd'rous coxcomb! what should such a fool Do with so good a wife? [Iago stabs Emil. then runs out. Oth. Are there no stones in heaven, [villain! But what serve for the thunder?-Precious Gra. The woman falls; sure, he has kill'd his wife. Emil. Ay, ay; O, lay me by my mistress' side! weapon, Which I have here recover'd from the Moor: But every puny whipster gets my sword:- Emil. What did thy song bode, lady? Emil. Nay, lay thee down, and roar; For thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent, That e'er did lift up eye. Oth. O, she was foul! [rising. I scarce did know you, uncle: there lies your niece, Whose breath, indeed, these hands have newly stopp'd: I know, this act shows horrible and grim. Gra. Poor Desdemona! I am glad thy father's dead; Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief And fall to reprobation. Oth. 'Tis pitiful: but yet Iago knows, That she with Cassio hath the act of shame Gra. [within] If thou attempt it, it will cost Thou hast no weapon, and perforce must suffer. Gra. What is the matter? Oth. Behold! I have a weapon; A better never did itself sustain Upon a soldier's thigh: I have seen the day, I have made my way through more impediments A thousand times committed; Cassio confess'd it: Than twenty times your stop:-But, O vain boast! And she did gratify his amorous works Emil. O heaven! O heavenly powers! Emil. I will not. [lago offers to stab his wife. Your sword upon a woman? [speak'st of, Emil. O thou dull Moor! that handkerchief thou Who can control his fate? 'tis not so now.- wench! Pale as thy smock! when we shall meet at compt, O cursed, cursed slave!-Whip me, ye devils, Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire! Enter Lodovico, Montano, Cassio, carried in a And he himself confess'd, but even now, Oth. O fool! fool! fool! Cas. There is, besides, in Roderigo's letter,—- Oth. That's he, that was Othello; here I am. Lod. O thou Othello, that was once so good, Oth. Ay. Cas. Dear general, I never gave you cause. From this time forth I never will speak word. Gra. Torments will ope your lips. Lod. Sir, you shall understand what hath [letter, Which, as I think, you know not: Here is a Oth. O villain! Cas. Most beathenish, and most gross! Oth. O the peruicio is caitiff!— Cas. I found it in my chamber: Lod. You must forsake this room, and go with Till that the nature of your fault be known Lod. O bloody period! Gra. All, that's spoke, is marr'd. [eyes, Oth. I kiss'd thee, ere I kill'd thee:-No way but this, [falls upon Desdemona. Killing myself, to die upon a kiss. idies. [weapon; Cas. This did I fear, but thought he had no More fell than anguish, hunger, or the sea! SCENE I. SICILIA, AN ANTECHAMBER IN LEONTES' PALACE Enter Camillo and Archidamus. Arch. IF you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occasion wherein my services are now on foot, you shall see, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia, and your Sicilia. Cam. I think, this coming summer, the king of Sicilia means to pay Bohemia the visitation which he justly owes him. Arch. Wherein our entertainment shall shame us, we will be justified in our loves: for, indeed,Cam. 'Beseech you, Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge: we cannot with such magnificencein so rare-I know not what to say. We will give you sleepy drinks; that your senses, unintelligent of our insufficience, may, though they cannot praise us, as little accuse us.; Cam. You pay a great deal too dear for what's given freely. Arch. Believe me, I speak as my understanding instructs me, and as mine honesty puts it to winds. attornied, with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies; that they have seemed to be together, though absent; shook hands, as over a vast; and embraced, as it were, from the ends of opposed The heavens continue their loves! Arch. I think, there is not in the world either, You have an unmalice, or matter, to alter it. speakable comfort of your young prince Mamillius; it is a gentleman of the greatest promise, that ever came into my note. Cam. I very well agree with you in the hopes of him it is a gallant child; one that, indeed, physics the subject, makes old hearts fresh: they, that went on crutches ere he was born, desire yet their life, to see him a man. Arch. Would they else be content to die? Cam. Yes; if there were no other excuse why they should desire to live. Arch. If the king had no son, they would desire to live on crutches, till he had one. [exeunt. SCENE II. A ROOM OF STATE IN THE PALACE. Enter Leontes, Polirenes, Hermione, Mamillius, Camillo, and Attendants. Pol. Nine changes of the wat'ry star hath been The shepherd's note, since we have left our throne Without a burden: time as long again Would be filled up, my brother, with our thanks; And yet we should, for perpetuity Go hence in debt. And therefore, like a cipher, Yet standing in rich place, I multiply, With one we-thank-you, many thousands more, That go before it. |