Othello Page #5

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You have a thing for me?

It is a common thing

to have a foolish wife.

O, is that all?

What will you give me for

that handkerchief?

What handkerchief?

What handkerchief?

Why, that the Moor

first gave to Desdemona...

...that which so often you did

bid me steal.

Hast stolen it from her?

No, faith.

She let it drop by negligence.

What will you do with it,

that you've been so earnest...

...to have me filch it?

Trifles light as air...

...are to the jealous confirmations

strong as proofs of holy writ.

This may do something.

My life upon her faith.

If she be false...

...heaven mocks itself.

I'll not believe it.

Look to her, Moor,

if thou hast eyes to see.

She has deceived her father...

...and may thee.

The Moor already changes

with my poison.

Dangerous conceits

are in their natures, poisons.

Which at the first

are scarce found to distaste.

But with a little

act upon the blood...

...burn like the mines of sulfur.

I did say so.

Look!

Not poppy, nor mandragora...

...nor all the drowsy syrups

of the world...

...shall ever medicine thee

to that sweet sleep...

...which thou owedst yesterday.

Why, how now, general!

Avaunt!

Be gone!

Thou hast set me on the rack.

I swear 'tis better to be much abused

than but to know it a little.

How now, my lord!

What sense had I

of her stolen hours of lust?

I saw it not, thought it not,

it harmed not me.

I found not Cassio's kisses

on her lips.

I am sorry to hear this.

I had been happy if the general camp,

pioneers and all...

...had tasted her sweet body,

so I had nothing known.

Now forever farewell the tranquil mind!

Farewell content!

Farewell the plumed troop and

wars that make ambition virtue.

O, farewell!

Othello's occupation's gone.

Is it possible, my lord?

Villain, be sure

thou prove my love a whore!

Be sure of it.

Give me the ocular proof...

...or by the worth

of mine eternal soul...

...thou hadst been better

been born a dog...

...than answer my waked wrath!

Make me to see it...

...or at least, so prove it...

...that the probation bear no hinge...

...nor loop to hang a doubt on...

...or woe upon thy life!

- My noble lord!

If thou dost slander her

and torture me...

...never pray more,

abandon all remorse!

On horror's head, horrors accumulate!

Do deeds to make heaven weep...

...for nothing to damnation

canst thou add greater than that!

O grace!

O heaven defend me!

God buy you!

Take mine office.

To be direct and honest is not safe.

I thank you for this profit.

From hence, I'll love no friend...

...sith love breeds such offense!

Nay, stay!

- Thou shouldst be honest.

- I should be wise...

...for honesty's a fool,

and loses that it works for.

By the world,

I think my wife be honest...

...and I think that she is not.

I think that thou art just

and that thou art not.

I'll have some proof.

Would I were satisfied!

I see, sir,

you are eaten up with passion.

I do repent me that I put it to you.

- You would be satisfied?

- Would? Nay, I will.

And may. But how?

How satisfied?

Would you grossly gape on?

Behold her topped?

O, death and damnation!

It were a tedious difficulty

to bring them to that prospect.

Damn them then!

What shall I say?

Where's satisfaction?

You would not see this...

...were they as prime as goats,

as hot as monkeys...

But yet, I say, if imputation

and strong circumstances...

...which lead directly to the door of

truth will give you satisfaction...

...you might have it.

Give me a living reason she's disloyal.

I do not like the office.

But sith I am entered in this cause...

...pricked to it by foolish honesty

and love, I will go on.

I lay with Cassio lately.

And being troubled with a raging tooth,

I could not sleep.

There are a kind of men

so loose of soul...

...that in their sleeps will

mutter their affairs.

One of this kind is Cassio.

In sleep, I heard him say:

"Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary,

let us hide our loves."

And then, sir, would he grip

and wring my hand...

...cry, "Sweet creature!"

And then kiss me hard...

...as if he plucked kisses from

the roots upon my lips...

...then laid his leg over my thigh...

...and sighed and kissed

and cried:

"Cursed fate

that gave thee to the Moor!"

- O monstrous!

- Nay, this was but his dream.

- Monstrous!

- Nay, yet be wise...

...yet we see nothing done.

She may be honest yet.

Tell me but this:

Did you not see

a handkerchief...

...spotted with strawberries

in your wife's hand?

I gave her such a one.

'Twas my first gift.

I know not that.

But such a handkerchief...

...l'm sure it was your wife's...

...did I today see

Cassio wipe his beard with.

O, if it be that...

Where should I lose

that handkerchief, Emilia?

I know not, madam.

Believe me, I had rather lose

my purse full of crusadoes.

And, but my noble Moor

is true of mind...

...and made of no such baseness as

jealous creatures are...

...it were enough

to put him to ill thinking.

- Is he not jealous?

- Who, he?

How is it with you, my lord?

Well.

- And how do you, my lady?

- Well, my good lord.

That handkerchief did an Egyptian

to my mother give.

She was a charmer and could almost

read the thoughts of people.

She told her while she kept it,

'twould make her amiable...

...and subdue my father entirely

to her love.

But if she lost it

or made a gift of it...

...my father's eye

should hold her loathed...

...and his spirits should hunt

after new fancies.

She dying...

...gave it me...

...and bid me, when my fate would

have me wived...

...I give it her.

I did so.

And take heed on it.

Make it a darling

like your precious eye.

To lose it or give it away...

...were such perdition

as nothing else could match.

Is it possible?

'Tis true.

There's magic in the web of it.

Then would to God I had never seen it!

Wherefore?

Why do you speak

so startingly and rash?

Is it lost? Is it gone?

Is it out of the way?

Heaven bless us!

- Say you?

- It is not lost.

- But what an if it were?

- How?

I say it is not lost!

Fetch it.

Let me see it.

Why, so I can, sir.

But I will not now.

This is a trick

to put me from my suit.

I pray you,

let Cassio be received again.

Fetch me my handkerchief.

My mind misgives.

Come. You'll never meet

a more sufficient man.

- The handkerchief!

- I pray you, talk me of Cassio...

...a man that all his time hath founded

his good fortunes on your love.

The handkerchief!

In faith, you are to blame.

'Zounds!

Is not this man jealous?

I never saw this before.

'Tis not a year or two shows us a man.

They are all but stomachs,

and we all but food.

They eat us hungrily.

And when they are full...

...they belch us.

If I give my wife a handkerchief...

...'tis hers, and being hers...

...she may, I think,

bestow it on any man.

What if I had said

I had seen him do you wrong?

Or heard him say...

Hath he said anything?

He hath, my lord.

But no more than he'll unswear.

- What hath he said?

- Faith, that he...

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