Oth. Say you?

Des. It is not lost; But what an if it were?

Oth. Ha!

Des. I say, it is not lost.

Oth. Fetch't, let me see it.

Des. Why, so I can, sir, but I will not now;

This is a trick, to put me from my suit ;

I pray, let Cassio be receiv'd again.

Oth. Fetch me that handkerchief: my mind misgives.

Des. Come, come;

You'll never meet a more sufficient man.

Oth. The handkerchief,

Des. I pray, talk me of Cassio.

Oth. The handkerchief,

Des. A man that, all his time,

Hath founded his good fortune on your love;

Shar'd dangers with you ;

Oth. The handkerchief,-
Des. In sooth,

You are to blame.

Oth. Away!

Emil. Is not this man jealous?

Des. I ne'er saw this before.

[Exit OTHELLO.

Sure, there's some wonder in this handkerchief:

I am most unhappy in the loss of it.

Emil. 'Tis not a year or two shows us a man : They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, They belch us. Look you! Cassio, and my husband. Enter IAGO and CASSIO.

Iago. There is no other way; 'tis she must do't; And, lo, the happiness! go, and impórtune her.

Des. How now, good Cassio? what's the news with you? Cas. Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you,

That, by your virtuous means, I may again

Exist, and be a member of his love,

Whom I, with all the duty of my heart,

Entirely honour; I would not be delay'd:

If my offence be of such mortal kind,

That neither service past, nor present sorrows,
Nor purpos'd merit in futurity,

Can ransome me into his love again;
But to know so must be my benefit;
So shall I clothe me in a forc'd content;
And shut myself up in some other course,

To fortune's alms.

Des. Alas! thrice-gentle Cassio,

My advocation is not now in tune;

My lord is not my lord; nor should I know him,
Were he in favour, as in humour, alter'd.'

So help me, every spirit sanctified,

As I have spoken for you all my best;

And stood within the blank of his displeasure,'

For my free speech! You must a while be patient :
What I can do, I will; and more I will,

Than for myself I dare: let that suffice you.
lago. Is my lord angry?

Emil. He went hence but now,

And, certainly, in strange unquietness.

Iago. Can he be angry? I have seen the cannon,
When it hath blown his ranks into the air,
And, like the devil, from his very arm

Puff'd his own brother ;-And can he be angry?
Something of moment, then I will go meet him;
There's matter in't indeed, if he be angry.

[Exit.
Des. I pr'ythee, do so.-Something, sure, of state,-
Either from Venice; or some unhatch'd practice,'
Made démonstrable here in Cyprus to him,-
Hath puddled his clear spirit: and, in such cases,
Men's natures wrangle with inferior things,

Though great ones are their object. 'Tis even so;
For let our finger ache,

And it endues our other healthful members

Even to that sense of pain." Nay, we must think,

Men are not gods;

Nor of them look for such observances

As fit the bridal.'-Beshrew me much, Emilia,

I was (unhandsome warrior as I am,)
Arraigning his unkindness with my soul;
But now I find, I had suborn'd the witness,
And he's indited falsely.

Emil. Pray heaven, it be state-matters,
And no conception, nor no jealous toy
Concerning you.

as you

Des. Alas, the day! I never gave him cause.

In favour--in look, in countenance.
Some treason that has not taken effect,

think k;

[2] Within the shot of his anger. JOHNSON.

[4] I believe it should be rather, Subdues our other healthful members to a sense of pain. JOHNSON. [5] That is, the nuptial feast. A Saxon word. STEEVENS. [6] Unhandsome warrior---unfair assailant.

12

VOL. X.

JOHNSON.

H 2

Emil. But jealous souls will not be answer'd so;
They are not ever jealous for the cause,"

But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster,
Begot upon itself, born on itself.

Des. Heaven keep that monster from Othello's mind!
Emil. Lady, amen!

Des. I will go seek him.-Cassio, walk hereabout:
If I do find him fit, I'll move your suit,

And seek to effect it to my uttermost.

Cas. I humbly thank your ladyship. [Exe. DESD. and
Enter BIANCA.

Bran. Save you, friend Cassio !

Cas. What make you from home?

How is it with you, my most fair Bianca ?

I'faith, sweet love, I was coming to your house.
Bian. And I was going to your lodging, Cassio.
What! keep a week away? seven days and nights?
Eight score eight hours? and lovers' absent hours,
More tedious than the dial eight score times?
O weary reckoning!

Cas. Pardon me, Bianca ;

[EMIL.

I have this while with leaden thoughts been press'd;
But I shall, in a more continuate time,7

Strike off this score of absence.

Sweet Bianca,

[Giving her DESDEMONA's handkerchief.

Take me this work out.

Bian. O, Cassio, whence came this?
This is some token from a newer friend.
To the felt absence now I feel a cause :
Is it come to this? Well, well.

Cas. Woman,

go to!

Throw your vile guesses in the

From whence you have them.

devil's teeth,

You are jealous now,

That this is from some mistress, some remembrance:
No, in good troth, Bianca.

Bian. Why, whose is it?

Cas. I know not, sweet: I found it in my chamber.

I like the work well; ere it be demanded,

(As like enough, it will,) I'd have it copied :
Take it, and do't; and leave me for this time.
Bian. Leave you! wherefore?

Cas. I do attend here on the general;

JOHNSON.

Time less interrupted, time which I can call more my own. [8] The meaning is not. Pick out the work and leave the ground plain; but Copy this work in another handkerchief.

JOHNSON

And think it no addition, nor my wish,
To have him see me woman'd.
Bian. Why, I pray you?

Cas. Not that I love you not.
Bian. But that you do not love me.

I pray you, bring me on the way a little ;
And say, if I shall see you soon at night.

Cas. 'Tis but a little way, that I can bring you,
For I attend here: but I'll see you soon.

Bian. 'Tis very good; I must be circumstanc'd.

ACT IV.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.-The same. Enter OTHELLO and IAGO.

lago. WILL you think so?

Oth. Think so, Iago?

Iago. What,

To kiss in private ?

Oth. An unauthoriz'd kiss.

lago. Or to be naked with her friend abed,

An hour, or more, not meaning any harm?

Oth. Naked abed, Iago, and not mean harm?

It is hypocrisy against the devil:

They that mean virtuously, and yet do so,

The devil their virtue tempts, and they tempt heaven. Iago. So they do nothing, 'tis a venial slip :

But if I give my wife a handkerchief,

Oth. What then?

Iago. Why, then 'tis hers, my lord; and, being hers,

She may, I think, bestow't on any man.

Oth. She is protectress of her honour too;

May she give that?

lago. Her honour is an essence that's not seen;

They have it very oft, that have it not :

But, for the handkerchief,

Oth. By heaven, I would most gladly have forgot it :

Thou saidst,-O, it comes o'er my memory,

As doth the raven o'er the infected house,

Boding to all, he had my handkerchief.

lago. Ay, what of that?

Oth. That's not so good, now.

Iago. What, if I had said, I had seen him do you wrong ? Or heard him say,-As knaves be such abroad,

Who having, by their own importunate suit,
Or voluntary dotage of some mistress,
Convinced or supplied them, cannot choose
But they must blab-

Oth. Hath he said any thing?

lago. He hath, my lord; but be you well assur'd, No more than he'll unswear.

Oth. What hath he said?

lago. 'Faith, that he did,—I know not what he did. Oth. What? what?

lago. Lie

Oth. With her?

lago. With her, on her; what you will.

Oth. Lie with her! lie on her!-We say, lie on her, when they belie her: Lie with her! that's fulsome.Handkerchief,-confessions,-handkerchief.-To confess, and be hanged for his labour.-First, to be hanged, and then to confess :-I tremble at it. Nature would not invest herself in such shadowing passion, without some instruction. It is not words, that shake me thus :-Pish!Noses, ears, and lips :-Is it possible ?-Confess !-Handkerchief!-O devil!· [Falls in a trance.

lago. Work on,

My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught And many worthy and chaste dames, even thus,

All guiltless meet reproach.-What, ho! my lord!

Enter CASSIO.

My lord, I say! Othello!-How now, Cassio?

Cas. What is the matter?

lago. My lord is fallen into an epilepsy; This is his second fit; he had one yesterday. Cas. Rub him about the temples.

lugo. No, forbear:

The lethargy must have his quiet course :

If not, he foams at mouth; and, by and by,

Breaks out to savage madness. Look, he stirs :

Do you withdraw yourself a little while,

He will recover straight; when he is gone,

I would on great occasion speak with you.

[Exit CAS.

--How is it, general? have you not hurt your head?

Oth. Dost thou mock me?

lago. I mock you! no, by heaven :

'Would, you would bear your fortunes like a man, Oth. A horned man's a monster, and a beast.