Othello, William Shakespeare [classic reads .TXT] 📗

be these bloody thieves? -
How silent is this town! - Ho! murder! murder! -
What may you be? are you of good or evil?

LODOVICO.
As you shall prove us, praise us.

IAGO.
Signior Lodovico?

LODOVICO.
He, sir.

IAGO.
I cry you mercy. Here's Cassio hurt by villains.

GRATIANO.
Cassio!

IAGO.
How is't, brother?

CASSIO.
My leg is cut in two.

IAGO.
Marry, heaven forbid! -
Light, gentlemen: - I'll bind it with my shirt.

[Enter Bianca.]

BIANCA.
What is the matter, ho? who is't that cried?

IAGO.
Who is't that cried!

BIANCA.
O my dear Cassio, my sweet Cassio! O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!

IAGO.
O notable strumpet! - Cassio, may you suspect
Who they should be that have thus mangled you?

CASSIO.
No.

GRATIANO.
I am sorry to find you thus: I have been to seek you.

IAGO.
Lend me a garter: - so. - O, for a chair,
To bear him easily hence!

BIANCA.
Alas, he faints! - O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!

IAGO.
Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trash
To be a party in this injury. -
Patience awhile, good Cassio. - Come, come;
Lend me a light. - Know we this face or no?
Alas, my friend and my dear countryman
Roderigo? no: - yes, sure; O heaven! Roderigo.

GRATIANO.
What, of Venice?

IAGO.
Even he, sir: did you know him?

GRATIANO.
Know him! ay.

IAGO.
Signior Gratiano? I cry you gentle pardon;
These bloody accidents must excuse my manners,
That so neglected you.

GRATIANO.
I am glad to see you.

IAGO.
How do you, Cassio? - O, a chair, a chair!

GRATIANO.
Roderigo!

IAGO.
He, he, 'tis he. - [A chair brought in.] O, that's well said;
- the chair: -
Some good man bear him carefully from hence;
I'll fetch the general's surgeon. [To Bianca.] For you, mistress,
Save you your labour. - He that lies slain here, Cassio,
Was my dear friend: what malice was between you?

CASSIO.
None in the world; nor do I know the man.

IAGO.
[To Bianca.] What, look you pale? - O, bear him out o' the air.

[Cassio and Roderigo are borne off.]

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.]

EMILIA.
'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.

EMILIA.
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?

BIANCA.
He supp'd at my house; but I therefore shake not.

IAGO.
O, did he so? I charge you, go with me.

EMILIA.
Fie, fie upon thee, strumpet!

BIANCA.
I am no strumpet, but of life as honest
As you that thus abuse me.

EMILIA.
As I! foh! fie upon thee!

IAGO.
Kind gentlemen, let's go see poor Cassio dress'd. -
Come, mistress, you must tell's another tale. -
Emilia, run you to the citadel,
And tell my lord and lady what hath happ'd. -
Will you go on afore? [Aside.] This is the night
That either makes me or fordoes me quite.

[Exeunt.]


SCENE II. Cyprus. A Bedchamber in the castle: Desdemona in bed
asleep; a light burning.

[Enter Othello.]

OTHELLO.
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 thy light,
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 must needs wither: - I'll smell it on the tree. -

[Kissing 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,
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.

DESDEMONA.
Who's there? Othello?

OTHELLO.
Ay, Desdemona.

DESDEMONA.
Will you come to bed, my lord?

OTHELLO.
Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemona?

DESDEMONA.
Ay, my lord.

OTHELLO.
If you bethink yourself of any crime
Unreconcil'd as yet to heaven and grace,
Solicit for it straight.

DESDEMONA.
Alack, my lord, what may you mean by that?

OTHELLO.
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.

DESDEMONA.
Talk you of killing?

OTHELLO.
Ay, I do.

DESDEMONA.
Then heaven have mercy on me!

OTHELLO.
Amen, with all my heart!

DESDEMONA.
If you say so, I hope you will not kill me.

OTHELLO.
Hum!

DESDEMONA.
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.

OTHELLO.
Think on thy sins.

DESDEMONA.
They are loves I bear to you.

OTHELLO.
Ay, and for that thou diest.

DESDEMONA.
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 do not point on me.

OTHELLO.
Peace, and be still!

DESDEMONA.
I will so. What's the matter?

OTHELLO.
That handkerchief which I so loved and gave thee
Thou gav'st to Cassio.

DESDEMONA.
No, by my life and soul!
Send for the man, and ask him.

OTHELLO.
Sweet soul, take heed,
Take heed of perjury; thou'rt on thy death-bed.

DESDEMONA.
Ay, but not yet to die.

OTHELLO.
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.

DESDEMONA.
Then, Lord have mercy on me!

OTHELLO.
I say, amen.

DESDEMONA.
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.

OTHELLO.
By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in 's 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.

DESDEMONA.
He found it then;
I never gave it him: - send for him hither;
Let him confess a truth.

OTHELLO.
He hath confess'd.

DESDEMONA.
What, my lord?

OTHELLO.
That he hath us'd thee.

DESDEMONA.
How? unlawfully?

OTHELLO.
Ay.

DESDEMONA.
He will not say so.

OTHELLO.
No, his mouth is stopp'd;
Honest Iago hath ta'en order for't.

DESDEMONA.
O, my fear interprets! - What, is he dead?

OTHELLO.
Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge
Had stomach for them all.

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

OTHELLO.
Out, strumpet! Weep'st thou for him to my face?

DESDEMONA.
O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not!

OTHELLO.
Down, strumpet!

DESDEMONA.
Kill me to-morrow; let me live to-night!

OTHELLO.
Nay, if you strive, -

DESDEMONA.
But half an hour!

OTHELLO.
Being done, there is no pause.

DESDEMONA.
But while I say one prayer!

OTHELLO.
It is too late.

[Smothers her.]

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

OTHELLO.
What noise is this? - Not dead? not yet quite dead?
I that am cruel am yet merciful;
I would not have thee linger in thy pain: -
So, so.

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

OTHELLO.
Who's there?

EMILIA.
[Within.] O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you!

OTHELLO.
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 best to do?
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.

EMILIA.
[Within.] I do beseech you
That I may speak with you, O, good my lord!

OTHELLO.
I had forgot thee: O, come in, Emilia: -
Soft, - by and by: - let me the curtains draw. -
Where art thou?

[Unlocks the door.]

[Enter Emilia.]

What's the matter with thee now?

EMILIA.
O, my good lord, yonder's foul murders done!

OTHELLO.
What, now?

EMILIA.
But now, my lord.

OTHELLO.
It is the very error of the moon;
She comes more nearer earth than she was wont
And makes men mad.

EMILIA.
Cassio, my lord, hath kill'd a young Venetian
Call'd Roderigo.

OTHELLO.
Roderigo kill'd?
And Cassio kill'd?

EMILIA.
No, Cassio is not kill'd.

OTHELLO.
Not Cassio kill'd! then murder's out of tune,
And sweet revenge grows harsh.

DESDEMONA.
O, falsely, falsely murder'd!

EMILIA.
Alas, what cry is that?

OTHELLO.
That! what?

EMILIA.
Out, and alas! That was my lady's voice. -
Help! help, ho! help! - O lady, speak again!
Sweet Desdemona! O sweet mistress, speak!

DESDEMONA.
A guiltless death I die.

EMILIA.
O, who hath done this deed?

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

[Dies.]

OTHELLO.
Why, how should she be murder'd?

EMILIA.
Alas, who knows?

OTHELLO.
You heard her say herself it was not I.

EMILIA.
She said so: I must needs report the truth.

OTHELLO.
She's like a liar, gone to burning hell:
'Twas I that kill'd her.

EMILIA.
O, the more angel she,
And you the blacker devil!

OTHELLO.
She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore.

EMILIA.
Thou dost belie her, and thou art a devil.

OTHELLO.
She was false as water.

EMILIA.
Thou art rash as fire, to say
That she was false: O, she was heavenly true!

OTHELLO.
Cassio did tup her; ask thy husband else.
O, I were damn'd beneath all depth in hell,
But that I did proceed upon just grounds
To