Come, Desdemona: 't is the soldiers' life Iago. Marry, heaven forbid ! Cas. Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part, sir, of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago; my reputation! Iago. As I am an honest man, I thought you had received some bodily wound: there is more offence in that than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving. You have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser. What, man! there are ways to recover the general again. You are but now cast in his mood; a punishment more in policy than in malice: even so as one would beat his offenceless dog, to affright an imperious lion. Sue to him again, and he's your's. Cas. I will rather sue to be despised, than to deceive so good a commander with so slight, so drunken, and so indiscreet an officer. Drunk; and speak parrot; and squabble; swagger; swear; and discourse fustian with one's own shadow!-O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil! Iago. What was he that you followed with your sword? What had he done to you? Cas. I know not. Iago. Is it possible? Cas. I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly: a quarrel, but nothing wherefore.-O that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, revel, pleasure, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts! Iago. Why, but you are now well enough: how came you thus recovered? Cas. It hath pleased the devil drunkenness to give place to the devil wrath: one imperfectness shews me another, to make me frankly despise myself. Iago. Come, you are too severe a moraler. As the time, the place, and the condition of this country stands, I could heartily wish this had not befallen: but since it is as it is, mend it for your own good. Cas. I will ask him for my place again: he shall tell me I am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such an answer would stop them all. To be now a sensible man, by-and-by a fool, and presently a beast! O strange!— Every inordinate cup is unblessed, and the ingredient is a devil. Iago. Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used: exclaim no more against it. And, good lieutenant, I think you think I love you. Cas. I have well approved it, sir.—I drunk! Iago. You or any man living may be drunk at some time, man. I'll tell you what you shail do. Our general's wife is now the general :—I may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces. Confess yourself freely to her; importune her: she'll help to put you in your place again. She is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, that she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested. This broken joint between you and her husband entreat her to splinter; and, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this crack of your love shall grow stronger than it was before. Cas. You advise me well. Iago. I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness. Cas. I think it freely; and betimes in the morning I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me. I am desperate of my fortunes, if they check me here. Iago. You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant: I must to the watch. When this advice is free I give, and honest, And wit depends on dilatory time. Does 't not go well? Cassio hath beaten thee, Pleasure and action make the hours seem short.-- My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress; Myself, the while, to draw the Moor apart, Clo. Why, masters, have your instruments been at Naples, that they speak i' the nose thus? 1st Mus. How, sir, how? Clo. Are these, I pray you, called wind instruments? 1st Mus. Ay, marry are they, sir. Clo. Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument that I know. But, masters, here's money for you: and the general so likes your music, that he desires you, of all loves, to make no more noise with it. 1st Mus. Well, sir, we will not. Clo. If you have any music that may not be heard, to 't again: but, as they say, to hear music the general does not greatly care. 1st Mus. We have none such, sir. Clo. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away. Go; vanish into air; away. [Exeunt Musicians. Cas. Dost thou hear, my honest friend? Clo. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you. Cas. Pr'y thee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor piece of gold for thee: if the gentlewoman that attends the general's wife be stirring, tell her there's one Cassio entreats her a little favour of speech. Wilt thou do this? Clo. She is stirring, sir: if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her. [Exit. Enter IAGO. Cas. Do, good my friend.-In happy time, Iago. Iago. You have not been abed, then? Cas. Why, no: the day had broke Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago, Emil. Good-morrow, good lieutenant. I am sorry For your displeasure; but all will soon be well. He might not but refuse you: but he protests he loves you, And needs no other suitor but his likings That policy may either last so long, Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet, Des. Do not doubt that: before Emilia here, Than give thy cause away. Enter OTHELLO and IAGO, at a distance. Emil. And hear me speak. Cas. Madam, not now: I am very ill at ease; Unfit for mine own purposes. Des. Well, do your discretion. [Exit Cassio. Iago. Ha! I like not that. Oth. What dost thou say? Iago. Nothing, my lord: or if-I know not what. Oth. 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. I morn: pray thee, 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 check. When shall he come? Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my soul What you could 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, Oth. Pr'y thee, no more: let him come when he will: I will deny thee nothing. Des. Why, this is not a boon : "T is as I should entreat you wear your gloves, Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm; Or sue to you to do peculiar profit To your own person. Nay, when I have a suit And fearful to be granted. Oth. I will deny thee nothing: Whereon, I do beseech thee grant me this, To leave me but a little to myself. Des. Shall I deny you? no. Farewell, my lord. Oth. Farewell, my Desdemona: I will come to thee straight. Des. Emilia, come. Be it as your fancies By heaven, he echoes me, As if there were some monster in his thought Too hideous to be shewn.-Thou dost mean something: I heard thee say but now,-Thou lik'dst not that, And didst contract and purse thy brow together, Iago. My lord, you know I love you. And, for I know thou art full of love and honesty, As where's that palace whereinto foul things Keep leets and law-days, and in session sit Oth. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, lago, If thou but think'st him wronged, and mak'st his ear A stranger to thy thoughts. Iago. To spy into abuses; and oft my jealousy Oth. What dost thou mean? Iago. Good name, in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls: thing, nothing; 'T was mine, 't is his, and has been slave to thousands: But he that filches from me my good name, Oth. By heaven, I'll know thy thought. Iago. O beware, my lord, of jealousy: It is the green-eyed monster which doth make The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss, Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger: But O, what damnéd minutes tells he o'er, Who dotes, yet doubts; suspects, yet strongly loves! Oth. 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. Oth. Why! why is this? jealous, "Tis not to make me To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company; |