(A passion most unsuiting such a man,) Cassio came hither: I shifted him away, And laid good 'scuse upon your ecstasy;

Bade him anon return, and here speak with me;
The which he promis'd. Do but encave yourself,
And mark the fleers, the gibes, and notable scorns,
That dwell in every region of his face ;
For I will make him tell the tale anew,
And say when he's again to meet your wife;
I say, but mark his gesture. Marry, patience;
Or I shall say, you are all in all in spleen,
And nothing of a man.

Oth.

Dost thou hear, Iago?

That's not amiss

I will be found most cunning in my patience;
But (dost thou hear?) most bloody.

Iago.
But yet keep time in all. Will you withdraw?

[OTHELLO withdraws.

Now will I question Cassio of Bianca,

A housewife, that, by selling her desires,

Buys herself bread and clothes: it is a creature,
That dotes on Cassio,-as 'tis the strumpet's plague,
To beguile many, and be beguil❜d by one;

He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain
From the excess of laughter :-Here he comes:

Re-enter CASSIO.

As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad;
And his unbookish jealousy must construe
Poor Cassio's smiles, gestures, and light behaviour
Quite in the wrong.
How do you now, lieutenant?
Cas. The worser, that you give me the addition,
Whose want even kills me.

Iago. Ply Desdemona well, and you are sure of 't. Now, if this suit lay in Bianca's power,

How quickly should you speed?

[Speaking lower.

2 Title of lieutenant.

Alas,

poor caitiff!

Cas.
Oth. Look, how he laughs already! [Aside.
Iago. I never knew a woman love man so.
Cas. Alas, poor rogue! I think indeed she loves

me.

Oth. Now he denies it faintly, and laughs it out.

Iago. Do you hear, Cassio?

[Aside.

Oth. Now he importunes him To tell it o'er: Go to; well said, well said. [Aside. Iago. She gives it out, that you shall marry her: you intend it?

Do

Cas.

Ha, ha, ha!

Oth. Do you triumph, Roman? do you triumph?

[Aside. Cas. I marry her!-what? a customer 3! I pr'y thee, bear some charity to my wit; do not think it so unwholesome. Ha, ha, ha!

Oth. So, so, so, so: They laugh that win. [Aside. Iago. Why, the cry goes, that you shall marry

her.

Cas. Pr'y thee, say true.

Iago. I am a very villain else.

Cas. This is the monkey's own giving out: she is persuaded I will marry her, out of her own love and flattery, not out of my promise.

Oth. Iago beckons me; now he begins the story.

[Aside. Cas. She was here even now; she haunts me in every place. I was, the other day, talking on the sea-bank with certain Venetians; and thither comes this bauble; by this hand, she falls thus about my neck ;

Oth. Crying, O dear Cassio! as it were: his gesture imports it. [Aside. Cas. So hangs, and lolls, and weeps upon me; ha, ha, ha!

3 A common woman.

Oth. Now he tells, how she invited him to my chamber: O, I see that nose of yours, but not that dog I shall throw it to.

Cas. Well, I must leave her company.

Jago. Before me! look where she comes.

Enter BIANCA.

[Aside.

Cas. What do you mean by this haunting of me? Bian. What did you mean by that same handkerchief, you gave me even now? I was a fine fool to take it. I must take out the whole work?-A likely piece of work, that you should find it in your chamber, and not know who left it there! This is some minx's token, and I must take out the work? There,-give it where you had it, I'll take out no work on 't.

Cas. How now, my sweet Bianca? how now? how now?

Oth. By heaven, that should be my handkerchief!

[Aside.

Bian. An you 'll come to supper to night, you may: an you will not, come when you are next prepared for.

Iago. After her, after her.

Cas. I must, she 'll rail in the street else.

Iago. Will you sup there?

Cas. I intend so.

[Exit.

Iago. Well, I may chance to see you; for I would

very fain speak with you.

Cas. Pr'y thee, come; will you?

Iago. Go to; say no more.

[Exit CASSIO.

Oth. How shall I murder him, Iago?

Iago. Did you perceive how he laughed at his

vice?

Oth. O, Iago!

Iago. And did you see the handkerchief?

Oth. Was that mine?

Iago. Yours, by this hand: and to see how he prizes the foolish woman, your wife! she gave it him, and he hath given it his mistress.

Oth. I would have him nine years a killing :- A fine woman! a fair woman! a sweet woman! Iago. Nay, you must forget that.

Oth. Ay, let her perish to-night; for she shall not live: No, my heart is turned to stone; I strike it, and it hurts my hand. O, the world hath not a sweeter creature: she might lie by an emperor's side.

Iago. Nay, that's not your way.

Oth. Hang her! I do but say what she is: - So delicate with her needle !— An admirable musician! O, she will sing the savageness out of a bear! Of so high and plenteous wit and invention! Iago. She's the worse for all this.

Oth. O, a thousand, a thousand times:-And then, of so gentle a condition +!

Iago. Ay, too gentle.

Oth. Nay, that's certain: But yet the pity of it, Iago! O, Iago, the pity of it, Iago!

Iago. If you are so fond over her iniquity, give her patent to offend; for, if it touch not you, it comes near nobody.

Oth. I will chop her into messes: -Cuckold me! Iago. O, 'tis foul in her.

Oth. With mine officer!
Iago. That's fouler.

Oth. Get me some poison, Iago; this night I'll not expostulate with her, lest her beauty unprovide my mind again: this night, Iago.

Iago. Do it not with poison, strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated.

Oth. Good, good: the justice of it pleases; very good.

VOL. X.

4 Of so sweet a disposition.

FF

Iago. And, for Cassio,-let me be his undertaker: You shall hear more by midnight.

[A Trumpet within. What trumpet is that

same?

Iago. Something from Venice, sure. 'Tis Lodovico,

Come from the duke: and, see, your wife is with him.

Enter LODOVICO, DESDEMONA, and Attendants.

Lod. 'Save you, worthy general!

With all my heart, sir.

Oth.
Lod. The duke and senators of Venice greet you.

[Gives him a Packet.

Oth. I kiss the instrument of their pleasures.

[Opens the Packet, and reads. Des. And what's the news, good cousin Lodovico? Iago. I am very glad to see you, signior; Welcome to Cyprus.

Lod. I thank you: How does lieutenant Cassio? Iago. Lives, sir.

Des. Cousin, there's fallen between him and my lord

An unkind breach: but you shall make all well.
Oth. Are you sure of that?

Des. My lord?

Oth.

This fail you not to do, as you will.

[Reads. Lod. He did not call; he's busy in the paper. Is there division 'twixt thy lord and Cassio? Des. A most unhappy one; I would do much To atone them, for the love I bear to Cassio, Oth. Fire and brimstone !

Des.
Oth.

My lord?

Are you wise?

Reconcile.