Othello, William Shakespeare [classic reads .TXT] 📗

parts and graces: - confess yourself freely to her;
importune her help to put you in your place again: she is of
so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, she holds
it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested:
this broken joint between you and her husband entreat her to
splinter; and, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this
crack of your love shall grow stronger than it was before.

CASSIO.
You advise me well.

IAGO.
I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness.

CASSIO.
I think it freely; and betimes in the morning I will beseech
the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me; I am desperate
of my fortunes if they check me here.

IAGO.
You are in the right. Good-night, lieutenant; I must to the
watch.

CASSIO.
Good night, honest Iago.

[Exit.]

IAGO.
And what's he, then, that says I play the villain?
When this advice is free I give and honest,
Probal to thinking, and, indeed, the course
To win the Moor again? For 'tis most easy
The inclining Desdemona to subdue
In any honest suit: she's fram'd as fruitful
As the free elements. And then for her
To win the Moor, - were't to renounce his baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemed sin, -
His soul is so enfetter'd to her love
That she may make, unmake, do what she list,
Even as her appetite shall play the god
With his weak function. How am I, then, a villain
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course,
Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
When devils will the blackest sins put on,
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,
As I do now: for whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortune,
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
I'll pour this pestilence into his ear, -
That she repeals him for her body's lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good,
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch;
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.

[Enter Roderigo.]

How now, Roderigo!

RODERIGO.
I do follow here in the chase, not like a hound that hunts,
but one that fills up the cry. My money is almost spent; I
have been to-night exceedingly well cudgelled; and I think
the issue will be - I shall have so much experience for my
pains: and so, with no money at all and a little more wit,
return again to Venice.

IAGO.
How poor are they that have not patience!
What wound did ever heal but by degrees?
Thou know'st we work by wit, and not by witchcraft;
And wit depends on dilatory time.
Does't not go well? Cassio hath beaten thee,
And thou, by that small hurt, hast cashier'd Cassio;
Though other things grow fair against the sun,
Yet fruits that blossom first will first be ripe:
Content thyself awhile. - By the mass, 'tis morning;
Pleasure and action make the hours seem short. -
Retire thee; go where thou art billeted:
Away, I say; thou shalt know more hereafter;
Nay, get thee gone.

[Exit Roderigo.]

Two things are to be done, -
My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress;
I'll set her on;
Myself the while to draw the Moor apart,
And bring him jump when he may Cassio find
Soliciting his wife. Ay, that's the way;
Dull not device by coldness and delay.

[Exit.]


ACT III.

SCENE I. Cyprus. Before the Castle.

[Enter Cassio and some Musicians.]

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

[Music.]

[Enter Clown.]

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

FIRST MUSICIAN.
How, sir, how!

CLOWN.
Are these, I pray you, wind instruments?

FIRST MUSICIAN.
Ay, marry, are they, sir.

CLOWN.
O, thereby hangs a tale.

FIRST MUSICIAN.
Whereby hangs a tale, sir?

CLOWN.
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, for love's sake, to make no more noise with it.

FIRST MUSICIAN.
Well, sir, we will not.

CLOWN.
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.

FIRST MUSICIAN.
We have none such, sir.

CLOWN.
Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away: go, vanish
into air, away!

[Exeunt Musicians.]

CASSIO.
Dost thou hear, mine honest friend?

CLOWN.
No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.

CASSIO.
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?

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

CASSIO.
Do, good my friend.

[Exit Clown.]

[Enter Iago.]

In happy time, Iago.

IAGO.
You have not been a-bed, then?

CASSIO.
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.

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

[Enter Emilia.]

EMILIA.
Good-morrow, good lieutenant; I am sorry
For your displeasure; but all will sure 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,
He might not but refuse you; but he protests he loves you
And needs no other suitor but his likings
To take the safest occasion by the front
To bring you in again.

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

EMILIA.
Pray you, come in:
I will bestow you where you shall have time
To speak your bosom freely.

CASSIO.
I am much bound to you.

[Exeunt.]


SCENE II. Cyprus. A Room in the Castle.

[Enter Othello, Iago, and Gentlemen.]

OTHELLO.
These letters give, Iago, to the pilot;
And by him do my duties to the senate:
That done, I will be walking on the works;
Repair there to me.

IAGO.
Well, my good lord, I'll do't.

OTHELLO.
This fortification, gentlemen, - shall we see't?

GENTLEMEN.
We'll wait upon your lordship.

[Exeunt.]


SCENE III. Cyprus. The Garden of the Castle.

[Enter Desdemona, Cassio, and Emilia.]

DESDEMONA.
Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do
All my abilities in thy behalf.

EMILIA.
Good madam, do: I warrant it grieves my husband
As if the cause were his.

DESDEMONA.
O, that's an honest fellow. - Do not doubt, Cassio,
But I will have my lord and you again
As friendly as you were.

CASSIO.
Bounteous madam,
Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,
He's never anything but your true servant.

DESDEMONA.
I know't, - 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 farther off
Than in a politic distance.

CASSIO.
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.

DESDEMONA.
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 everything he does
With Cassio's suit: therefore be merry, Cassio;
For thy solicitor shall rather die
Than give thy cause away.

EMILIA.
Madam, here comes my lord.

CASSIO.
Madam, I'll take my leave.

DESDEMONA.
Why, stay, and hear me speak.

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

DESDEMONA.
Well, do your discretion.

[Exit Cassio.]

[Enter Othello and Iago.]

IAGO.
Ha! I like not that.

OTHELLO.
What dost thou say?

IAGO.
Nothing, my lord: or if - I know not what.

OTHELLO.
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.

OTHELLO.
I do believe 'twas he.

DESDEMONA.
How now, my lord!
I have been talking with a suitor here,
A man that languishes in your displeasure.

OTHELLO.
Who is't you mean?

DESDEMONA.
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 judgement in an honest face:
I pr'ythee, call him back.

OTHELLO.
Went he hence now?

DESDEMONA.
Ay, sooth; so humbled
That he hath left part of his grief with me
To suffer with him. Good love, call him back.

OTHELLO.
Not now, sweet Desdemon; some other time.

DESDEMONA.
But shall't be shortly?

OTHELLO.
The sooner, sweet, for you.

DESDEMONA.
Shall't be to-night at supper?

OTHELLO.
No, not to-night.

DESDEMONA.
To-morrow dinner then?

OTHELLO.
I shall not dine at home;
I meet the captains at the citadel.

DESDEMONA.
Why then to-morrow night; or Tuesday morn;
On Tuesday noon, or night; on Wednesday morn: -
I pr'ythee, 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: I wonder in my soul,
What you would ask me, that I should deny,
Or stand so mammering on. What! Michael Cassio,
That came awooing with you; and so 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, -

OTHELLO.
Pr'ythee, no more; let him come when he will;
I will deny thee nothing.

DESDEMONA.
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 a 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 poise and difficult weight,
And fearful to be granted.

OTHELLO.
I will deny thee nothing:
Whereon, I do beseech thee, grant me this,
To leave me but a little to myself.

DESDEMONA.
Shall