SCENE I. Before the Castle.

Enter CASSIO and some Musicians.

Cas. Masters, play here, I will content your pains. Something that's brief; and bid-good morrow, general,

Enter Clown.

[Music.

Clo. Why, masters, have your instruments been at Naples, that they speak i'the nose thus?

1 Mus. How, sir, how?

Clo. Are these, I pray you, called wind instruments? 1 Mus. Ay, marry, are they, sir.

Clo. O, thereby hangs a tail.

1 Mus. Whereby hangs a tale, sir?

Clo. Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument that I know. But, masters, here's money for you: and the general so likes your music, that he desires you, of all loves, to make no more noise with it.

1 Mus. Well, sir, we will not.

Clo. If you have any music that may not be heard,

to't again: but, as they say, to hear music, the general does not greatly care.

1 Mus. We have none such, sir.

Clo. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away: Go, vanish into air; away. [Exeunt Musicians. Cas. Dost thou hear, my honest friend?

Clo. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you. Cas. Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor piece of gold for thee: if the gentlewoman that attends the general's wife, be stirring, tell her, there's one Cassio entreats her a little favour of speech: Wilt thou do this?

Clo. She is stirring, sir; if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her.

Enter IAGO.

[Exit.

Cas. Do, good, my friend. In happy time, Iago.
lago. You have not been abed then?
Cas. Why, no; the day had broke
Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago,
To send in to your wife: My suit to her
Is, that she will to virtuous Desdemona

Procure me some access.
Iago.

I'll send her to you presently; And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor Out of the way, that your converse and business May be more free.

[Exit. Cas. I humbly thank you for't. I never knew A Florentine more kind and honest.

Enter EMILIA.

Emil. Good morrow, good lieutenant: I am sorry For your displeasure; but all will soon be well. The general, and his wife, are talking of it; And she speaks for you stoutly: The Moor replies, That he, you hurt, is of great fame in Cyprus,

And great affinity; and that, in wholesome wisdom,

[you;

He might not but refuse you: but, he protests, he loves
And needs no other suitor, but his likings,
To take the saf'st occasion by the front,
To bring you in again.

Cas.

Yet, I beseech

you,

If you think fit, or that it may be done,-
Give me advantage of some brief discourse
With Desdemona alone.

Emil.

Pray you, come in ;

I will bestow you where you shall have time
To speak your bosom freely.

Cas.

I am much bound to you.
[Exeunt.

SCENE II. A Room in the Castle.
Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Gentlemen.
Oth. These letters give, Iago, to the pilot;
And, by him, do my duties to the state:
That done, I will be walking on the works,
Repair there to me.

lago.
Well, my good lord, I'll do't.
Oth. This fortification, gentlemen,-shall we see't?
Gent. We'll wait upon your lordship.

SCENE III. Before the Castle.

[Exeunt.

Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILIA. Des. Be thou assur'd, good Cassio, I will do All my abilities in thy behalf.

Emil. Good madain, do; I know it grieves my husAs if the case were his.

(band, Des. O, that's an honest fellow.-Do not doubt, Cassio, But I will have my lord and you again

As friendly as you were.

Cas.

Bounteous madam, Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,

He's never any thing but your true servant.

Des. O, sir, I thank you: You do love my lord: You have known him long: and be you well assur'd, He shall in strangeness stand no further off

Than in a politic distance.

Cas.

Ay, but lady, That policy may either last so long,

Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet,

Or breed itself so out of circumstance,
That, I being absent, and my place supplied,
My general will forget my love and service.

Des. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here,
I give thee warrant of thy place: assure thee,
If I do vow a friendship, I'll perform it

To the last article: my lord shall never rest;
I'll watch him tame, and talk him out of patience;
His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift;
I'll intermingle every thing he does

With Cassio's suit: Therefore be merry, Cassio;
For thy solicitor shall rather die,

Than give thy cause away.

Enter OTHELLO and IAGO, at a distance.

And hear me speak.

Cas. Madam, not now; I am very ill at ease, Unfit for mine own purposes.

Des.

Do your discretion.

Iago.

Well, well,

[Exit Cassio.

Ha! I like not that.

Oth. What dost thou say?

Iago. Nothing, my lord: or if I know not what. Oth. Was not that Cassio, parted from my wife? Iago. Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guilty-like,

Seeing you coming.

Oth.

I do believe 'twas be.

Des. How now, my lord?

I have been talking with a suitor here,

A man that languishes in your displeasure.

Oth. Who is't you mean?

Des. Why, your lieutenant, Cassio. Good, my lord, If I have any grace, or power to move you,

His present reconciliation take;

For, if he be not one that truly loves you,

That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning,
I have no judgment in an honest face:
I pr'ythee, call him back.

Oth.

Went he hence now?

Des. Ay, sooth; so humbled,

That he hath left part of his grief with me;

I suffer with him. Good love, call him back.
Oth. Not now, sweet Desdemona; some other time.
Des. But shall't be shortly?

The sooner, sweet, for you.

Oth.
Des. Shall't be to-night at supper?
Oth.

Des. To-morrow dinner then?
Oth:

No, not to-night.

I shall not dine at home;

I meet the captains at the citadel.

Des. Why then, to-morrow night; or Tuesday morn;
Or Tuesday noon, or night; or Wednesday morn ;-
I pray thee, name the time; but let it not

Exceed three days: in faith he's penitent;
And yet his trespass, in our common reason
(Save that, they say, the wars must make examples
Out of their best), is not almost a fault

To incur a private check: When shall he come?
Tell me, Othello. wonder in my soul,

What you could ask me, that I should deny,
Or stand so mammering on. What? Michael Cassio,
That came a wooing with you; and many a time,
When I have spoke of you dispraisingly,

Hath ta'en your part; to have so much to do
To bring him in! Trust me, I could do much,-
Oth. Pr'ythee, no more: let him come when he will;
I will deny thee nothing.

Des.

Why, this is not a boon;
"Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,
Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm;
Or sue to you to do peculiar profit

To your own person: Nay, when I have a suit,
Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed,

It shall be full of poize and difficulty,

And fearful to be granted.

Oth.

I will deny thee nothing: