The bawdy wind, that kisses all it meets,
Is hush'd within the hollow mine of earth,
And will not hear it. What committed ?--
Impudent strumpet!

I cry you mercy, then:

I took you for that cunning whore of Venice,
That married with Othello.-You, mistress,

Re-enter EMILIA.

That have the office opposite to Saint Peter,
And keep the gate of hell; you, you, ay, you:
We have done our course; there's money for your pains.
I pray you, turn the key, and keep our counsel.

Emil. Alas! what does this gentleman conceive?
How do you, madam? how do you, my good lady?
Des. 'Faith, half asleep.

Emil. Good madam, what's the matter with my lord?
Des. With whom?

Emil.

Why, with my lord, madam..

Des. Who is thy lord1?

Emil.

[Exit.

He that is your's, sweet lady.

Des. I have none: do not talk to me, Emilia ;

I cannot weep; nor answer have I none,

But what should go by water. Pr'ythee, to-night
Lay on my bed my wedding sheets,-remember;-
And call thy husband hither.

8 Impudent strumpet!] These words, almost necessary to the sense, with reference to Desdemona's assertion, "By heaven, you do me wrong," and required by the metre, are in both 4tos, but not in the folio.

9 From any оTHER] The 4to, 1622, alone has "From any hated," &c. There are some other variations here between the old copies, but the folio and the 4to, 1630, agree, and that text we have adopted.

Who is thy lord?] This question and answer are not in the 4to, 1622.

Emil.

Here is a change, indeed!

[Exit.

Des. 'Tis meet I should be us'd so, very meet. How have I been behav'd, that he might stick The small'st opinion on my least misuse 2?

Re-enter EMILIA, with IAGO.

Iago. What is your pleasure, madam?

How is it with

you?

Des. I cannot tell. Those, that do teach young babes,

Do it with gentle means, and easy tasks:

He might have chid me so; for, in good faith,

I am a child to chiding.

Iago.

What's the matter, lady?

Emil. Alas! Iago, my lord hath so bewhor'd her, Thrown such despite, and heavy terms upon her,

As true hearts cannot bear.

Des. Am I that name, Iago?

Iago.

What name, fair lady?

Des. Such as, she says, my lord did say I was.
Emil. He call'd her whore: a beggar in his drink,
Could not have laid such terms upon his callat.
Iago. Why did he so?

Des. I do not know; I am sure, I am none such.
Iago. Do not weep, do not weep.-Alas the day!
Emil. Has she forsook so many noble matches,
Her father, and her country, and her friends,
To be call'd whore? would it not make one weep?
Des. It is my wretched fortune.

Iago.

How comes this trick upon him?

Des.

Beshrew him for it!

Nay, heaven doth know.

Emil. I will be hang'd, if some eternal villain,
Some busy and insinuating rogue,

Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office,
Have not devis'd this slander; I'll be hang'd else.
Iago. Fie! there is no such man: it is impossible.

2 on my LEAST MISUSE?] So the folio, and the 4to, 1630: the 4to, 1622, alone has "on my greatest abuse." The corr. fo. 1632 has misdeed for "misuse," which may be rather taken as a comment, than as a necessary emendation, the meaning being much the same.

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upon his CALLAT.] For an explanation of this frequent term of female abuse, see Vol. iii. p. 45, and for instances, Vol. iv. pp. 19. 146.

Des. If any such there be, heaven pardon him!

Emil. A halter pardon him, and hell gnaw his bones!
Why should he call her, whore? who keeps her company?
What place? what time? what form? what likelihood?
The Moor's abus'd by some most villainous knave',
Some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow.—
Oh, heaven! that such companions' thou'dst unfold,
And put in every honest hand a whip,

To lash the rascals naked through the world,
Even from the east to the west!

Iago.

Speak within door.

Emil. Oh, fie upon them! some such squire he was, That turn'd your wit the seamy side without,

And made you to suspect me with the Moor.

Iago. You are a fool; go to.

Des.

Oh good Iago! What shall I do to win my lord again?

Good friend, go to him; for, by this light of heaven,

I know not how I lost him. Here I kneel':
If e'er my will did trespass 'gainst his love,
Either in discourse of thought, or actual deed;
Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense,
Delighted them in any other form;
Or that I do not yet, and ever did,

And ever will, though he do shake me off

To beggarly divorcement,-love him dearly,

Comfort forswear me! Unkindness may do much ;
And his unkindness may defeat my life,

But never taint my love. I cannot say whore;

It does abhor me now I speak the word:
To do the act, that might the addition earn,

Not the world's mass of vanity could make me.

4 -some most VILLAINOUS knave,] The 4to, 1622, alone reads "outrageous knave."

5 such COMPANIONS] We have had previous examples of the use of the word "companion" in a derogatory sense. See Vol. iv. p. 684, &c. The folio (differing from the 4tos.) afterwards has consistently "rascals" and "them," instead of rascal and him.

OH GOOD lago!] The folio alone has " Alas, Iago!"

7 - Here I kneel:] These words, and to the end of the speech, are not contained in the 4to, 1622, but they are in the folio, and in the 4to, 1630. The 4to, 1622, was evidently printed from a less perfect MS. than the folio, and the folio, in many places, from a less perfect MS. than the 4to, 1630. Thus, in this speech, the folio reads corruptly, "Delighted them or any other form," which the 4to, 1630, corrects as we have printed it.

Iago. I pray you, be content; 'tis but his humour: The business of the state does him offence,

And he does chide with you.

Des.

If 'twere no other,

[Trumpets.

Iago. 'Tis but so, I warrant.
Hark, how these instruments summon to supper!
The messengers of Venice stay the meat".
Go in, and weep not; all things shall be well.

How now, Roderigo!

[Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA.

Enter RODERIGO.

Rod. I do not find that thou deal'st justly with me.
Iago. What in the contrary?

10

Rod. Every day thou daff'st me with some device, Iago; and rather, as it seems to me now, keep'st from me all conveniency, than suppliest me with the least advantage of hope1o. I will, indeed, no longer endure it; nor am I yet persuaded, to put up in peace what already I have foolishly suffered. Iago. Will you hear me, Roderigo?

Rod. 'Faith, I have heard too much'; for your words, and performances, are no kin together.

Iago. You charge me most unjustly.

Rod. With nought but truth. I have wasted myself out of my means: the jewels you have had from me, to deliver to Desdemona, would half have corrupted a votarist: you have told me, she has received them, and returned me expectations and comforts of sudden respect and acquaintance'; but I find

none.

Iago. Well; go to; very well.

Rod. Very well! go to! I cannot go to, man; nor 'tis not very well by this hand, I say, it is very scurvy; and begin to find myself fobbed in it.

And he does chide with you.] These, not absolutely necessary, words are in both 4tos, but not in the folio.

The messengers of Venice stay the meat :] Our text is that of the folio; the two other old copies conflict: the 4to, 1622, reads, And the great messengers of Venice stay;" while the 4to, 1630, has "The meat great messengers of Venice stay." 10 the least ADVANTAGE of HOPE.] Ought we not to read "with the least hope of advantage?"

1 'Faith, I have heard too much;] Here we meet with an extraordinary variation in copies of the first folio: that belonging to the Duke of Devonshire repeats, at the top of the page, "And hell gnaw his bones," and then proceeds, "Performances are no kin together," so as to make the text unintelligible.

2 and ACQUAINTANCE;] The 4to, 1622, alone, has acquittance.

Iago. Very well.

Rod. I tell you, 'tis not very well. I will make myself known to Desdemona: if she will return me my jewels, I will give over my suit, and repent my unlawful solicitation; if not, assure yourself, I will seek satisfaction of you.

Iago. You have said now.

Rod. Ay, and I have said nothing, but what I protest intendment of doing.

Iago. Why, now I see there's mettle in thee; and, even from this instant, do build on thee a better opinion than ever before. Give me thy hand, Roderigo: thou hast taken against me a most just exception; but, yet, I protest, I have dealt most directly in thy affair.

Rod. It hath not appeared.

Iago. I grant, indeed, it hath not appeared, and your suspicion is not without wit and judgment. But Roderigo, if thou hast that within thee indeed, which I have greater reason to believe now than ever,—I mean, purpose, courage, and valour, this night show it: if thou the next night following enjoyest not Desdemona, take me from this world with treachery, and devise engines for my life.

Rod. Well, what is it? is it within reason, and compass? Iago. Sir, there is especial commission' come from Venice to depute Cassio in Othello's place.

Rod. Is that true? why, then Othello and Desdemona return again to Venice.

Iago. Oh, no! he goes into Mauritania, and takes away with him the fair Desdemona, unless his abode be lingered here by some accident; wherein none can be so determinate, as the removing of Cassio.

Rod. How do you mean removing of him?

Iago. Why, by making him uncapable of Othello's place; knocking out his brains.

Rod. And that you would have me do?

Iago. Ay; if you dare do yourself a profit, and a right. He sups to-night with a harlotry, and thither will I go to him he knows not yet of his honourable fortune. If you

3

especial COMMISSION] The 4to, 1622, alone has command for "commission." Other variations in this part of the scene, such as "within" for in, &c. are scarcely worth separate notice.

He sups to-night with a HARLOTRY,] The 4to, 1622, has harlot, and the two other old copies "harlotry:" Shakespeare uses "harlotry " in "Henry IV., Part I.," Vol. iii. p. 375, and in "Romeo and Juliet," Vol. v. p. 178.