The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice Page #4

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have a foolish wife.

O, is that all? What will you

give me now for that

same handkerchief?

What handkerchief?

That which so often you

did bid me to steal.

Give it me.

If it be not for some purpose

of import, give't me again.

Poor lady, she'll run mad.

I have use for it. Leave me.

How now, general?

I swear 'tis better to be much

abused than but to

know't a little.

- My lord!

- Is my lord angry?

He went hence but now, and

certainly in strange unquietness.

- I will go seek him.

- I prithee do so.

There's matter in't indeed

if he be angry.

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

have been born a dog than

answer my waked wrath!

Is't come to this?

Make me to see't, or at the

least so prove it that

the probation bear no hinge

nor loop to hang a doubt on

or woe upon thy life!

Never pray more,

abandon all remorse.

For nothing canst thou to

damnation add greater than that.

O monstrous world!

Take note, take note, o world!

To be direct and honest

is not safe.

By the world i think my wife

be honest, and think she is not.

I think that thou art just, and

think thou art not.

I'll have some proof. Her name,

that was as fresh as dian's

visage, is now begrimed and

black as mine own face.

Would i were satisfied!

How satisfied, my lord?

Would you, the supervisor,

grossly gape on?

Behold her topped?

It is impossible you should

see this.

Were they as prime as goats,

as hot as monkey?

Give me a living reason

she's disloyal!

I lay with cassio lately, and

being trouble with a raging

tooth, i could not sleep.

There are a kind of men so loose

or should 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 hid our loves.

And then, sir, would he gripe

and wring my hand, cry

o sweet creature! Then kiss

me hard as if he plucked up

kisses by the roots that grew

upon my lips, laid his leg o'er

my thigh, and sigh, and kiss

and then cry, cursed fate

that gave thee to the moor!

I'll tear her all to pieces!

Tell me but this. Have you not

sometimes seen a handkerchief

spotted with strawberries in

your wife's hand?

I gave her such a one.

Such a handkerchief, i'm sure

it was your wife's, did i today

see cassio wipe his face.

If it be that

if it be that, or any that was

hers, it speaks against her

with the other proofs.

Now do i see 'tis true.

O, that the slave had

forty thousand lives!

One is too poor, too week

for my revenge!

- Yet be content!

- Blood, blood, blood!

Patience, i say.

Your mind may change.

Never, lago. Like to the pontiac

sea, whose icy current and

compulsive course nev'r keeps

retiring ebb, but keeps due on

to the propontic and the

hellespont.

Even so my bloody thoughts,

with violent pace, shall nev'r

look back, nev'r ebb to humble

love, till that a capable and

wide revenge swallow them up.

Witness that here lago doth

give up the execution of

his wit, hands, heart to

wronged othello's service.

Within these three days let me

here thee say that

cassio's not alive.

My friend is dead. 'tis done

at your request.

But let her live.

Damn her, lewd minx!

O, damn her!

Now art thou my lieutenant.

I am your own forever.

Cassio! Cassio!

Give me your hand.

This hand is moist, my lady.

It hath felt no age nor

known no sorrow.

This argues fruitfulness and

liberal heart. Hot, hot and most.

'Tis a good hand, a frank one.

You may, indeed, say so

for 'twas that hand that

gave away my heart.

A liberal hand.

Come now, your promise.

- What promise, chuck?

- Let cassio be received again.

Lend me thy handkerchief.

I have it not about me.

- Not?

- No, indeed, my lord.

That's a fault. That handkerchief

did an egyptian to my mother

give.

The worms were hallowed that

did breed the silk.

Then would to god that

i had never seen't.

Is't lost? Is't gone?

Speak, is it out of the way?

It is not lost.

But what an if it were?

How?

I say it is not lost.

Fetch't, let me see it!

Why, so i can, but i will

not now.

This is a trick to put me

from my suit.

Pray you let cassio

be received again.

- The handkerchief!

- I pray talking of cassio

the handkerchief!

A man that all his time hath founded

his good fortunes on your love,

- shares dangers with you

- the handkerchief!

Come, come, you'll never

meet a more sufficient man.

Away. Away!

Away!

Cassio, this handkerchief.

Whose is it?

I found it here.

I like the work well.

'Tis very good!

Shall i see you soon at night?

I will see you soon, bianca.

- Come, lieutenant.

- Cassio, handkerchief.

Take it. Have it copied

thee made for it.

Tell you yet once more,

importune desdemona to

put you in your place again.

Sure there's some wonder

in this handkerchief.

'Tis a year or two shows

us a man.

They're all but stomachs,

and we all but food. Cassio!

They eat us hungerly, and

when they're full, they belch us.

How now, good cassio?

What's the news with you?

What trumpet is that same?

Something from venice.

My noble lord, whilest you

were here, overwhelmed with

your grief, cassio came hither.

I shifted him aways, bade him

anon return, and

here speak with me.

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,

where, how, how oft, how

long ago, and when he hath

and is again to cope your wife.

I say, but mark his gesture.

Marry patience, or i shall say

you're all in all in spleen,

and nothing of a man.

Dost thou hear, lago?

I will be found most cunning

in my patience.

But - dost thou hear? -

most bloody.

- How do you know, lieutenant?

- Lago.

Now, if this suit lay in bianca's

power,

how quickly should you speed!

Alas, poor caitiff!

I never knew woman love

man so.

She gives it out that

you shall marry her.

Ay!

I was talking on the sea bank,

and the bauble falls me thus

about my neck

so hangs, and lolls, and

weeps upon me,

so shakes and pulls me!

- Cassio!

- I must leave her company.

What did you mean by that same

handkerchief you gave me even now?

A likely piece of work that

you should find it in your

chamber and know not who

left i t there!

This is some minx's token.

I'll take out no work on't.

Now now, my sweet bianca?

How now?

After her! After her!

Did you see how he laughed

at his vice?

O lago.

Did you see the handkerchief?

Was that mine?

Desdemona gave it him, and

he hath giv'n it his whore.

I had been happy if the general

camp, pioners and all, had

tasted her sweet body.

So i had nothing known.

What sense had i of her

stolen hours of lust?

I saw it not, it harmed me not.

I slept the next night well,

was free and merry!

I found not cassio's kisses

on her lips.

A fine woman, a fair woman,

a sweet woman.

Nay, you must forget that.

Ay, let her rot and perish,

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