He shall in strangeness stand no further off
Than in a politick distance.
Cas.

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.

Des. 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 every thing he does
With Cassio's suit: Therefore be merry, Cassio ;
For thy solicitor shall rather die,
Than give thy cause away.

Enter Othello, and Iago, at a distance. Emil.

Madam, here comes My lord. Cas. Madam, I 'll take

my

leave. Des.

Why, stay, And hear me speak.

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

Well, well,
Do your discretion.

[Exit CASSIO. Iago.

Ha! I like not that. Oth. What dost thou say? Iago. Nothing, my lord: or if I know not

what. Oth. Was not that Cassio, parted from my wife? Iago. Cassio, my lord ? No, sure, I cannot think

it,

3 Hawks are tamed by keeping them from sleep.

Oth.

That he would steal away so guilty-like,
Seeing you coming.

I do believe 't was he.
Des. How now, my lord ?
I have been talking with a suitor here,
A man that languishes in your displeasure.

Oth. Who is 't, you mean?
Des. 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 judgment in an honest face:
I pr’y thee, call him back.
Oth.

Went he hence now?
Des. Ay, sooth; so humbled,
That he hath left part of his grief with me;
I suffer with him. Good love, call him back.
Oth. Not now, sweet Desdemona; some other

time.
Des. But shall 't be shortly ?
Oth.

The
sooner, sweet,

for

you. Des. Shall 't be to-night at supper? Oth.

No, not to-night. Des. To-morrow dinper then? Oth.

I shall not dine at home; I meet the captains at the citadel. Des. Why then, to-morrow night; or Tuesday

morn; Or Tuesday noon, or night; or Wednesday morn;I pray thee, 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 4,) is not almost a fault To incur a private check: When shall he come?

4 Best men.

could ask me, that I shouthalen y michael

Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my soul,
What

you Or stand so mammering' on. What! Michael

Cassio, That came a wooing with you; and 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, Oth. Pry thee, no more: let him come when he

will; I will deny thee nothing. Des.

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 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 poize and difficulty,
And fearful to be granted.
Oth.

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

Des. Shall I deny you? no: Farewell, my lord.
Oth. Farewell, my Desdemona; I will come to

thee straight. Des. Emilia, come: · Be it as your fancies teach

you; Whate'er you be, I am obedient.

[Exit, with EMILIA. Oth. Excellent wench! Perdition catch my soul, But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again.

Iago. My noble lord,
Oth.

What dost thou say, Iago ?
Iago. Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my

lady, Know of your love?

Oih.

Oth. He did, from first to last: Why dost thou

ask?
Iago. But for a satisfaction of my thought;
No further harm.
Oth.

Why of thy thought, Iago ?
Iago. I did not think, he had been acquainted

with her.
Oth. O, yes; and went between us very oft.
Iago. Indeed?
Indeed!

ay,

indeed: Discern’st thou aught in that? Is he not honest ? Iago.

Honest, my lord ?
Oth.

Ay, honest.
Iago. My lord, for aught I know.
Oth. What dost thou think?
Iago.

Think, my lord ?
Oth.

Think, my lord!
By heaven, he echoes me,
As if there were some monster in his thought
Too hideous to be shown. - Thou dost mean some-

thing: I heard thee

say
but now,

Thou lik’dst not that, When Cassio left my

What did'st not like? And, when I told thee - he was of my counsel In my whole course of wooing, thou cry’dst, In

deed? And did'st contract and purse thy brow together, As if thou then had'st shut

up in thy brain Some horrible conceit: If thou dost love me, Show me thy thought.

Iago. My lord, you know I love you.
Oth.

I think, thou dost : · And, for I know thou art full of love and honesty, And weigh’st thy words before thou giv'st them

breath, Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more: For such things, in a false disloyal knave, Are tricks of custom; but, in a man that's just,

wife;

:

They are close: denotements, working from the

heart,
That passion cannot rule."
Iago.

For. Michael Cassio,
I dare be sworn, I think that he is honest.

Oth. I think so too.
Iago.

Men should be what they seem;
Or, those that be not, 'would they might seem

none !
Oth. Certain, men should be what they seem.
lago.

Why then,
I think that Cassio is an honest man.

Oth. Nay, yet there's more in this :
I

pray thee, speak to me as to thy thinkings,
As thou dost ruminate; and give thy. worst of

thoughts
The worst of words.
Iago.

Good my lord, pardon me;
Though I am bound to every act of duty,
I am not bound to that all slaves are free to..
Utter my thoughts? Why, say, they are vile and

false, –
As where's that palace, whereinto foul things
Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast so pure,
But some uncleanly apprehensions
Keep leets?, and law-days, and in session sit
With meditations lawful?

Oth. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,
If thou but think'st him wrong'd, and mak’st his ear
A stranger to thy thoughts.
Iago.

I do beseech you,
Though I, perchance, am vicious in my guess,
As, I confess, it is my nature's plague
To spy into abuses; and, oft, my jealousy
Shapes faults that are not, I entreat you

then,
From one that so imperfectly conjects,
You'd take no notice; nor build yourself a trouble

la

9 Courts of enquiry. VOL. X.

D D

8 Conjectures.