How is't with you, my lord?[6107] 30
Oth. Well, my good lady. [Aside] O, hardness to dissemble![6108]
How do you, Desdemona?
Des. Well, my good lord.[6109]
Oth. Give me your hand: this hand is moist, my lady.[6110]
Des. It yet has felt no age nor known no sorrow.[6111]
Oth. This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart: 35
Hot, hot, and moist: this hand of yours requires[6112]
A sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer,[6113]
Much castigation, exercise devout;[6114]
For here's a young and sweating devil here,[6115]
That commonly rebels. 'Tis a good hand, 40
A frank one.[6116]
Des. You may, indeed, say so;
For 'twas that hand that gave away my heart.
Oth. A liberal hand: the hearts of old gave hands;[6117]
But our new heraldry is hands, not hearts.
Des. I cannot speak of this. Come now, your promise.[6118] 45
Oth. What promise, chuck?
Des. I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you.
Oth. I have a salt and sorry rheum offends me;[6119]
Lend me thy handkerchief.[6120]
Des. Here, my lord. 50
Oth. That which I gave you.
Des. I have it not about me.
Des. No, indeed, my lord.[6122]
Oth. That's a fault. That handkerchief[6120][6123] 55
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[6124]
Entirely to her love, but if she lost it[6125] 60
Or made a gift of it, my father's eye
Should hold her loathed and his spirits should hunt[6126]
After new fancies: she dying gave it me,
And bid me, when my fate would have me wive,[6127]
To give it her. I did so: and take heed on't; 65
Make it a darling like your precious eye;
To lose't or give't away were such perdition[6128]
As nothing else could match.
Des. Is't possible?
Oth. 'Tis true: there's magic in the web of it:
A sibyl, that had number'd in the world[6129] 70
The sun to course two hundred compasses,[6130]
In her prophetic fury sew'd the work;[6131]
The worms were hallow'd that did breed the silk;[6132]
And it was dyed in mummy which the skilful[6133]
Conserved of maidens' hearts.
Des. Indeed! is't true?[6134] 75
Oth. Most veritable; therefore look to't well.
Des. Then would to God that I had never seen't![6135]
Oth. Ha! wherefore?
Des. Why do you speak so startingly and rash?[6136]
Oth. Is't lost? is't gone? speak, is it out o' the way?[6137] 80
Oth. Say you?
Des. It is not lost; but what an if it were?[6139]
Des. I say, it is not lost. 85
Oth. Fetch't, let me see it.[6141]
Des. Why, so I can, sir, but I will not now.[6142]
This is a trick to put me from my suit:
Pray you, let Cassio be received again.[6143]
Des. I pray, talk me of Cassio.[6149]
Des. A man that all his time
Hath founded his good fortunes on your love,[6150] 95
Shared dangers with you,—[6151][6152]
Des. I ne'er saw this before.
Sure there's some wonder in this handkerchief:[6156]
I am most unhappy in the loss of it.[6157]
Emil. 'Tis not a year or two shows us a man:
They are all but stomachs and we all but food;[6158] 105
They eat us hungerly, and when they are full[6159]
They belch us. Look you, Cassio and my husband.
Enter Cassio and Iago.[6160]
Iago. There is no other way; 'tis she must do't:[6161]
And, lo, the happiness! go and importune her.
Des. How now, good Cassio! what's the news with you? 110
Cas. Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you
That by your virtuous means I may again[6162]
Exist, and be a member of his love
Whom I with all the office of my heart[6163]
Entirely honour: I would not be delay'd.[6164] 115
If my offence be of such mortal kind
That nor my service past nor present sorrows[6165]
Nor purposed merit in futurity
Can ransom me into his love again,
But to know so must be my benefit; 120
So shall I clothe me in a forced content
And shut myself up in some other course[6166]
To fortune's alms.[6167]
Des. Alas, thrice-gentle Cassio!
My advocation is not now in tune;
My lord is not my lord, nor should I know him 125
Were he in favour as in humour alter'd.
So help me every spirit sanctified,
As I have spoken for you all my best
And stood within the blank of his displeasure[6168]
For my free speech! You must awhile be patient: 130
What I can do I will; and more I will
Than for myself I dare: let that suffice you.
Iago. Is my lord angry?
Emil. He went hence but now,
And certainly in strange unquietness.
Iago. Can he be angry? I have seen the cannon, 135
When it hath blown his ranks into the air,
And, like the devil, from his very arm
Puff'd his own brother; and can he be angry?[6169]
Something of moment then: I will go meet him:
There's matter in't indeed if he be angry. 140
Des. I prithee, do so. [Exit Iago.[6170]
Something sure of state,
Either from Venice or some unhatch'd practice[6171]
Made demonstrable here in Cyprus to him,[6172]
Hath puddled his clear spirit; and in such cases[6173]
Men's natures wrangle with inferior things, 145
Though great ones are their object. 'Tis even so;[6174][6175]
For let our finger ache, and it indues[6174][6176]
Our other healthful members even to that sense[6174][6177]
Of pain: nay, we must think men are not gods,[6174]
Nor of them look for such observancy[6178] 150
As fits the bridal. Beshrew me much, Emilia,
I was, unhandsome warrior as I am,[6179]
Arraigning his unkindness with my soul;
But now I find I had suborn'd the witness,
And he's indicted falsely.[6180] 155
Des. Alas the day, I never gave him cause!
Emil. But jealous souls will not be answer'd so;[6184] 160
They are not ever jealous for the cause,[6185]
But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster[6186][6187]
Begot upon itself, born on itself.[6188]
Des. Heaven keep that monster from Othello's mind![6189]
Emil. Lady, amen. 165
Des. I will go seek him. Cassio, walk hereabout:[6190]
If I do find him fit, I'll move your suit,
And seek to effect it to my uttermost.[6191]
Cas. I humbly thank your ladyship.
[Exeunt Desdemona and Emilia.
Enter Bianca.[6192]
Bian. Save you, friend Cassio!
Cas. What make you from home?[6193] 170
How is it with you, my most fair Bianca?[6194]
I'faith, sweet love, I was coming to your house.[6195]
Bian. And I was going to your lodging, Cassio.
What, keep a week away? seven days and nights?
Eight score eight hours? and lovers' absent hours,[6196] 175
More tedious than the dial eight score times?
O weary reckoning![6197]
Cas. Pardon me, Bianca:
I have this while with leaden thoughts been press'd;[6198]
But I shall in a more continuate time[6199]
Strike off this score of absence. Sweet Bianca,[6200] 180
[Giving her Desdemona's handkerchief.
Take me this work out.
Bian. O Cassio, whence came this?[6201]
This is some token from a newer friend:[6202]
To the felt absence now I feel a cause:[6202]
Is't come to this? Well, well.
Cas. Go to, woman![6203]
Throw your vile guesses in the devil's teeth,[6204] 185
From whence you have them. You are jealous now[6186]
That this is from some mistress, some remembrance:
No, by my faith, Bianca.
Cas. I know not, sweet: I found it in my chamber.[6206]
I like the work well: ere it be demanded— 190
As like enough it will—I'ld have it copied:[6207]
Take it, and do't; and leave me for this time.
Bian. Leave you! wherefore?
Cas. I do attend here on the general;
And think it no addition, nor my wish, 195
To have him see me woman'd.
Cas. Not that I love you not.[6208]
Bian. But that you do not love me.[6209]
I pray you, bring me on the way a little;
And say if I shall see you soon at night.[6210]
Cas. 'Tis but a little way that I can bring you; 200
For I attend here: but I'll see you soon.
Bian. 'Tis very good; I must be circumstanced. [Exeunt.[6211]