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Stay you, good gentlemen :-Look you pale, mistress?
Do you perceive the gastness of her eye?-
Nay, if you stare, we shall hear more anon :-
Behold her well; I pray you, look upon her;
Do you see, gentlemen? nay, guiltiness will speak,
Though tongues were out of use.

Enter EMILIA.

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!
Iago. This is the fruit of whoring.-Pr'ythee, Emilia,
Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night :-
What, do you shake at that?

[not. Bian. He supp'd at my house; but I therefore shake 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 ine.

Emil.

As I foh! fie upon thee!

lago. Kind gentlemen, let's go see poor Cassio dress'd:

Come, mistress, you must tell us another tale.-
Emilia, run you to the citadel,

And tell my lord and lady what has happ'd.-
Will you go on, I pray?-This is the night,
That either makes me, or fordoes me quite.

[Aside. [Exeunt.

SCENE 11. A Bedchamber: DESDEMONA in Bed asleep. A Light burning.

Enter OTHELLO.

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:-I'll smell it on the tree.

O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade

[Kissing her.

Justice to break her sword!-One more, one more.→→→
Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,
And love thee after :-One more, and this the last :
So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep,
But they are cruel tears: This sorrow's heavenly;
It strikes, where it doth love.-She wakes-
Des. Who's there? Othello?

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,
Solicit for it straight.

Des. Alas, my lord, what may you mean by that?
Oth. Well, do it, and be brief; I will walk by:
I would not kill thy unprepared spirit;

No,-Heaven forfend!-I would not kill thy soul.
Des. Talk you of killing?

Oth.

Des.

Have mercy on me!

Oth.

Ay, I do.

Then, heaven

Amen, with all my heart!

Des. If you say so, I hope you will not kill me.
Oth. Humph!

Des. And yet I fear you: for you are fatal then,
When your eyes roll so: Why I should fear, I know not,
Since guiltiness I know not; but yet, I feel, I fear.
Oth. Think on thy sins.

Des.

They are loves I bear to you.

Oth. Ay, and for that thou diest.

Des. That death's unnatural, that kills for loving.— Alas, why gnaw you so your nether lip?

Some bloody passion shakes your very frame:
These are portents; but yet, I hope, I hope,
They did not point on me.

Oth.
Peace, and be still.
Des. I will so: What's the matter?

Oth. That handkerchief, which I so lov'd, and gave

Thou gav'st to Cassio.

Des.

[thee,

No, by my life and soul;

Sweet soul, take heed,

Send for the man, and ask him.

Oth.
Take heed of perjury; thou'rt on thy death-bed.
Des. Ay, but not yet to die.

Oth.

Yes, presently: Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin;

For to deny each article with oath,

Cannot remove, nor choke, the strong conception,
That I do groan withal. Thou art to die.

Des. Then, Lord have mercy on me!

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, And mak'st me call, what I intend to do,

A murder, which I thought a sacrifice:

I saw the handkerchief.

Des.

He found it then;

I never gave it him :-Send for him hither,
And let him confess a truth.

Oth.

Des. What, my lord?

He hath confess'd.

How? unlawfully?

Oth. That he hath-us'd thee.

Des.

Oth. Ay.

Des. He'll not say so.

Oth.

No, his mouth is stopp'd;

Honest Iago bath ta'en order for't.

Des. My fear interprets then,-What, is he dead? Oth. Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge Had stomach for them all.

Des. Alas! he is betray'd, and I undone.

Oth. Out, strumpet! Weep'st thou for him to my face?
Des. O, banish ine, my lord, but kill me not.
Oth. Down, strumpet!

Des. Kill me to-morrow, let me live to-night.
Oth. Nay, if you strive,-

Des.

Othe

There is no pause.

Des.

Oth. It is too late.

But half an hour.

Being done,

[He smothers her.

But while I say one prayer.

Emil. [Within] My lord, my lord! what ho! my lord!

my lord!

Oth. What noise is this?-Not dead? not yet quile I, that am cruel, am yet merciful;

I would not have thee linger in thy pain.—
So, so.

Emil. [Within] What ho! my lord, my lord!

Oth.

[dead?

Who's there? Emil. [Within] O, good, my lord, I would speak a word with you.

Oth. Yes; 'tis Emilia :-by and by.-She's dead. "Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death: The noise was high.-Ha! no more moving? Still as the grave. Shall she come in? Were't good? I think, she stirs again:-No.-What's the best? If she come in, she'll sure speak to my wife :My wife! my wife! what wife?-I have no wife: O, insupportable! O heavy hour!

Methinks, it should be now a huge eclipse

Of sun and moon; and that the affrighted globe
Should yawn at alteration.

Emil. [Within] I do beseech you, I may speak with

O, good, my lord!

Oth. I had forgot thee: O, come in, Emilia:

[you,

Soft,-by and by:-Let me the curtains draw.— Where art thou? What's the matter with thee now? [Unlocks the Door.

Enter EMILIA.

Emil. O, good, my lord, yonder's foul murder done. Oth. What? now?

Emil.

But now, my lord!
Oth. It is the very error of the moon;

She comes more near the earth than she was wont,
And makes men mad.

Emil. Cassio, my lord, has kill'd a young Venetian, Call'd-Roderigo.

Oth.

And Cassio kill'd?

Emil.

Roderigo kill'd?

No, Cassio is not kill'd.

Oth. Not Cassio kill'd? Then murder's out of tune, And sweet revenge grows harsh.

Des. O falsely, falsely murder'd!
Emil.

Oth. That! what?

Alas! what cry is that?

Emil. Out, and alas! that was my lady's voice:-
Help! help, ho! help!-O lady, speak again!
Sweet Desdemona! O, sweet mistress, speak!
Des. A guiltless death I die.

Emil.

This deed?

Des.

O, who hath done

[Dies.

Nobody; I myself; farewell: Commend me to my kind lord; O, farewell. 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!

Oth. She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore.
Emil. Thou dost belie her, and thou art a devil.
Oth. She was false as water.

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