Othello Page #11

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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 judgment in an honest face:

I prithee, 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 Desdemona; 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 prithee, 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 cheque. 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 a-wooing 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:

Prithee, 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 I deny you? no: farewell, my lord.

OTHELLO:

Farewell, my Desdemona: I'll come to thee straight.

DESDEMONA:

Emilia, come. Be as your fancies teach you;

Whate'er you be, I am obedient.

Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA

OTHELLO:

Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul,

But I do love thee! and when I love thee not,

Chaos is come again.

IAGO:

My noble lord--

OTHELLO:

What dost thou say, Iago?

IAGO:

Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my lady,

Know of your love?

OTHELLO:

He did, from first to last: why dost thou ask?

IAGO:

But for a satisfaction of my thought;

No further harm.

OTHELLO:

Why of thy thought, Iago?

IAGO:

I did not think he had been acquainted with her.

OTHELLO:

O, yes; and went between us very oft.

IAGO:

Indeed!

OTHELLO:

Indeed! ay, indeed: discern'st thou aught in that?

Is he not honest?

IAGO:

Honest, my lord!

OTHELLO:

Honest! ay, honest.

IAGO:

My lord, for aught I know.

OTHELLO:

What dost thou think?

IAGO:

Think, my lord!

OTHELLO:

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 something:

I heard thee say even now, thou likedst not that,

When Cassio left my wife: what didst not like?

And when I told thee he was of my counsel

In my whole course of wooing, thou criedst 'Indeed!'

And didst contract and purse thy brow together,

As if thou then hadst 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.

OTHELLO:

I think thou dost;

And, for I know thou'rt full of love and honesty,

And weigh'st thy words before thou givest 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

They are close delations, working from the heart

That passion cannot rule.

IAGO:

For Michael Cassio,

I dare be sworn I think that he is honest.

OTHELLO:

I think so too.

IAGO:

Men should be what they seem;

Or those that be not, would they might seem none!

OTHELLO:

Certain, men should be what they seem.

IAGO:

Why, then, I think Cassio's an honest man.

OTHELLO:

Nay, yet there's more in this:

I prithee, 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?

OTHELLO:

Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,

If thou but think'st him wrong'd and makest 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--that your wisdom yet,

From one that so imperfectly conceits,

Would take no notice, nor build yourself a trouble

Out of his scattering and unsure observance.

It were not for your quiet nor your good,

Nor for my manhood, honesty, or wisdom,

To let you know my thoughts.

OTHELLO:

What dost thou mean?

IAGO:

Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,

Is the immediate jewel of their souls:

Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;

'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands:

But he that filches from me my good name

Robs me of that which not enriches him

And makes me poor indeed.

OTHELLO:

By heaven, I'll know thy thoughts.

IAGO:

You cannot, if my heart were in your hand;

Nor shall not, whilst 'tis in my custody.

OTHELLO:

Ha!

IAGO:

O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock

The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss

Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;

But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er

Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!

OTHELLO:

O misery!

IAGO:

Poor and content is rich and rich enough,

But riches fineless is as poor as winter

To him that ever fears he shall be poor.

Good heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend

From jealousy!

OTHELLO:

Why, why is this?

Think'st thou I'ld make a lie of jealousy,

To follow still the changes of the moon

With fresh suspicions? No; to be once in doubt

Is once to be resolved: exchange me for a goat,

When I shall turn the business of my soul

To such exsufflicate and blown surmises,

Matching thy inference. 'Tis not to make me jealous

To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,

Is free of speech, sings, plays and dances well;

Where virtue is, these are more virtuous:

Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw

The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt;

For she had eyes, and chose me. No, Iago;

I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;

And on the proof, there is no more but this,--

Away at once with love or jealousy!

IAGO:

I am glad of it; for now I shall have reason

To show the love and duty that I bear you

With franker spirit: therefore, as I am bound,

Receive it from me. I speak not yet of proof.

Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio;

Wear your eye thus, not jealous nor secure:

I would not have your free and noble nature,

Out of self-bounty, be abused; look to't:

I know our country disposition well;

In Venice they do let heaven see the pranks

They dare not show their husbands; their best conscience

Is not to leave't undone, but keep't unknown.

OTHELLO:

Dost thou say so?

IAGO:

She did deceive her father, marrying you;

And when she seem'd to shake and fear your looks,

She loved them most.

OTHELLO:

And so she did.

IAGO:

Why, go to then;

She that, so young, could give out such a seeming,

To seal her father's eyes up close as oak-

He thought 'twas witchcraft--but I am much to blame;

I humbly do beseech you of your pardon

For too much loving you.

OTHELLO:

I am bound to thee for ever.

IAGO:

I see this hath a little dash'd your spirits.

OTHELLO:

Not a jot, not a jot.

IAGO:

I' faith, I fear it has.

I hope you will consider what is spoke

Comes from my love. But I do see you're moved:

I am to pray you not to strain my speech

To grosser issues nor to larger reach

Than to suspicion.

OTHELLO:

I will not.

IAGO:

Should you do so, my lord,

My speech should fall into such vile success

As my thoughts aim not at. Cassio's my worthy friend--

My lord, I see you're moved.

OTHELLO:

No, not much moved:

I do not think but Desdemona's honest.

IAGO:

Long live she so! and long live you to think so!

OTHELLO:

And yet, how nature erring from itself,--

IAGO:

Ay, there's the point: as--to be bold with you--

Not to affect many proposed matches

Of her own clime, complexion, and degree,

Whereto we see in all things nature tends--

Foh! one may smell in such a will most rank,

Foul disproportion thoughts unnatural.

But pardon me; I do not in position

Distinctly speak of her; though I may fear

Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,

May fall to match you with her country forms

And happily repent.

OTHELLO:

Farewell, farewell:

If more thou dost perceive, let me know more;

Set on thy wife to observe: leave me, Iago:

IAGO:

[Going] My lord, I take my leave.

OTHELLO:

Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless

Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.

IAGO:

[Returning] My lord, I would I might entreat

your honour

To scan this thing no further; leave it to time:

Though it be fit that Cassio have his place,

For sure, he fills it up with great ability,

Yet, if you please to hold him off awhile,

You shall by that perceive him and his means:

Note, if your lady strain his entertainment

With any strong or vehement importunity;

Much will be seen in that. In the mean time,

Let me be thought too busy in my fears--

As worthy cause I have to fear I am--

And hold her free, I do beseech your honour.

OTHELLO:

Fear not my government.

IAGO:

I once more take my leave.

Exit

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