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Iago. Do; with like timorous accent, and dire

yell,

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As when, by night and negligence, the fire
Is spied in populous cities.

Rod. What ho! Brabantio! signior Brabantio, ho! Iago. Awake! what ho! Brabantio! thieves ! thieves! thieves!

Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags! Thieves! thieves!

BRABANTIO, above, at a Window.

Bra. What is the reason of this terrible summons?

What is the matter there?

Rod. Signior, is all your family within?
Iago. Are

Bra.

your doors lock'd?

Why? wherefore ask you this?

Iago. Sir, you are robb'd; for shame, put on

your gown;

Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul; Awake the snorting citizens with the bell:

Arise, I say.

Bra.

What, have you lost your wits?

Rod. Most reverend signior, do you know

voice?

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my

Roderigo.

The worse welcome;

I have charg'd thee, not to haunt about my doors:
In honest plainness thou hast heard me say,
My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness,
Being full of supper, and distempering draughts,
Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come

To start my quiet.

Rod. Sir, sir, sir, sir,

Bra.

But thou must needs be sure,

My spirit, and my place, have in them power

To make this bitter to thee.

Rod.

Patience, good sir.

Bra. What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is

Venice;

My house is not a grange.'

Rod.

Most grave Brabantio,. In simple and pure soul I come to you.

Iago. Then, sir, because we come to do you service, you think we are ruffians.

Bra. What wretch art thou?

Iago. I am one, sir, that comes to tell you, your daughter and the Moor are now together.

Bra. Thou art a villain.

Iago.

You are a senator.

Bra. This thou shalt answer: I know thee, Ro

derigo.

Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But I beseech you,

If't be your pleasure, and most wise consent,
(As partly, I find, it is,) that your fair daughter,
At this odd-even and dull watch o' the night,
Transported-with no worse nor better guard,
But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier,
To the embrace of a lascivious Moor,

If this be known to you, and your allowance,
We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs;
But, if you know not this, my manners tell me,
We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe,
That, from the sense of all civility,

I thus would play and trifle with your reverence:
Your daughter, if you have not given her leave,→
I say again, hath made a gross revolt;

-

Tying her duty, beauty, wit, and fortunes,
In an extravagant' and wheeling stranger,
Of here and every where: Straight satisfy yourself:
If she be in her chamber, or your house,

Let loose on me the justice of the state
For thus deluding you.

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Bra.

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Strike on the tinder, ho!
Give me a taper; call up all my people : —
This accident is not unlike my dream,
Belief of it oppresses me already :-
Light, I say! light!
[Exit from above.
Iago.
Farewell; for I must leave you:
It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place,
To be produc'd (as, if I stay, I shall,)

Against the Moor: For, I do know, the state,
However this may gall him with some check,
Cannot with safety cast him; for he's embark'd
With such loud reason to the Cyprus' wars,
(Which even now stand in act,) that, for their souls,
Another of his fathom they have not,
To lead their business: in which regard,
Though I do hate him as I do hell pains,
Yet, for necessity of present life,

I must show out a flag and sign of love,
Which is indeed but sign. That you shall surely
find him,

Lead to the Sagittary the rais'd search;

And there will I be with him. So, farewell.

[Exit.

Enter below, BRABANTIO, and Servants with

Torches.

Bra. It is too true an evil: gone she is ; And what's to come of my despis'd time 2, Is nought but bitterness. Now, Roderigo, Where didst thou see her? O, unhappy girl! With the Moor, say'st thou? Who would be a

father?

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How didst thou know 't was she? O, thou deceiv'st

me

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Past thought! What said she to you?- Get more tapers;

2 Old age.

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By what you see them act.

Are there not charms, By which the property of youth and maidhood May be abus'd? Have you not read, Roderigo, Of some such thing?

Rod.

Yes, sir; I have indeed.

Bra. Call up my brother. - O, that you had had

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Some one way, some another. Do

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know Where we may apprehend her and the Moor? Rod. I think, I can discover him: if you please To get good guard, and go along with me.

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Bra. Pray you, lead on. At every house I'll call; I may command at most ;- Get weapons, ho! And raise some special officers of night.

On, good Roderigo; - I'll deserve your pains.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Another Street.

Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Attendants.

Iago. Though in the trade of war I have slain

men,

Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience,
To do no contriv'd murder; I lack iniquity
Sometimes, to do me service: Nine or ten times

I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the

ribs.

Oth. 'Tis better as it is.

Iago.

Nay, but he prated, And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms. Against your honour,

That, with the little godliness I have,

I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray, sir,
Are you fast married? for, be sure of this,
That the magnifico is much beloved;

3

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And hath, in his effect, a voice potential
As double as the duke's; he will divorce you;
Or put upon you what restraint and grievance
The law (with all his might, to enforce it on,)
Will give him cable.

Oth.

Let him do his spite:
My services, which I have done the signiory,
Shall out-tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet to know,.
(Which, when I know that boasting is an honour,
I shall promulgate,) I fetch my life and being
From men of royal siege; and demerits
my
May speak, unbonneted, to as proud a fortune
As this that I have reach'd: For know, Iago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,

I would not my unhoused free condition
Put into circumscription and confine

5

For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come yonder?

Enter CASSIO, at a distance, and certain Officers with Torches.

Iago. These are the raised father, and his friends: You were best go in.

Oth.
Not I: I must be found;
My parts, my title, and my perfect soul,
Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?
Iago. By Janus, I think no.

3 Brabantio, magnifico is his title as a senator.
+ Seat or throne.

s Demerits has the same meaning in Shakespeare as merits.

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