Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,
May fall to match you with her country forms,
And (hapily) repent.

Oth.

Farewell, farewell:

If more thou dost perceive, let me know more;
Set on thy wife to observe: Leave me, Iago.
Iago. My lord, I take my leave.

[Going. Oth. Why did I marry?-This honest creature,

doubtless,

Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.
Iago. My lord, I would, I might entreat your honour
To scan this thing no further; leave it to time:
And 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 a while,
You shall by that perceive him and his means:
Note, if your lady strain his entertainment'
With any strong or vehement opportunity;
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 beseesh your honour.
Oth. Fear not my government.

lago. I once more take my leave.

Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty,

[Exit.

And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings: IfI do prove her haggard,2
Though that her jesses 3 were my dear heartstrings,

I Press hard his re-admission to his pay and office. 2 A species of hawk, also a term of reproach applied to a

wanton.

3 Straps of leather by which a hawk is held on the fist.

I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind,
To prey at fortune. Haply, for I am black;
And have not those soft parts of conversation
That chamberers have :-Or, for I am declin'd
Into the vale of years ;-yet that's not much;-
She's gone; I am abus'd; and my relief
Must be to loath her. O curse of marriage,
That we can call these delicate creatures ours,
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad,
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon,

Than keep a corner in the thing I love,
For others' uses. Yet, 'tis the plague of great ones;
Prerogativ'd are they less than the base;

'Tis destiny unshunnable, like death;
Even then this forked plague is fated to us,
When we do quicken. Desdemona comes :

Enter DESDEMONA and EMILIA.

If she be false, O, then heaven mocks itself!—
I'll not believe it.

Des.

How now, my dear Othello?

Your dinner, and the generous islanders

By you invited, do attend your presence.

Oth. I am to blame.

Des. Why is your speech so faint? are you not well?

Oth. I have a pain upon my forehead here.
Des. Faith, that's with watching; 'twill away

again :

Let me but bind it hard, within this hour

It will be well.

4 Men of intrigue. 5 When we begin to live.

Oth.

Your napkin is too little;

[He puts the Handkerchief from him, and it drops.

Let it alone. Come, I'll

go

in with you.

Des. I am very sorry that you are not well.

[Exeunt OTH. and DES.

Emil. I am glad I have found this napkin;
This was her first remembrance from the Moor:
My wayward husband hath a hundred times
Woo'd me to steal it: but she so loves the token,
(For he conjur'd her, she would ever keep it,)
That she reserves it evermore about her,

To kiss, and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out,
And give it Iago:

What he'll do with it, heaven knows, not I;

I nothing, but to please his fantasy.

Enter IAGO.

Iago. How now! what do you here alone?

Emil. Do not you chide; I have a thing for you. Iago. A thing for me?—it is a common thing. Emil. Ha!

Iago. To have a foolish wife.

Emil. O, is that all? What will you give me now For that same handkerchief?

Iago.

Emil. What handkerchief?

What handkerchief?

Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona;
That which so often you did bid me steal.
Iago. Hast stolen it from her ?

"In the north of England this term for a handkerchief is still

used.

Emil. No, faith; she let it drop by negligence; And, to the advantage, I, being here, took't up.

Look, here it is.

Iago.

A good wench; give it me.

Emil. What will you do with it, that you have been so earnest

To have me filch it?

Iago.

Why, what's that to you?

[Snatching it.

Emil. If it be not for some purpose of import, Give it me again: Poor lady! she'll run mad, When she shall lack it.

Iago. Be not you known of't; I have use for it. Go, leave me.

[Exit EMILIA. I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin, And let him find it: Trifles, light as air, Are, to the jealous, confirmations strong As proofs of holy writ. This may do something. 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 sulphur.—I did say so:

Enter OTHELLO.

Look, where he comes! Not poppy, nor mandragora,8

Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,

Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
Which thou ow'dst yesterday.

7 Seem as if you knew nothing of the matter. The mandrake has a soporifick quality.

9 Possessed'st.

Oth. To me?

1

Ha! ha! false to me?

lago. Why, how now, general? no more of that. Oth. Avaunt! be gone! thou hast set me on the

rack:

I swear, 'tis better to be much abus'd,

Than but to know't a little.

Iago.

How now, my lord?

Oth. What sense had I of her stolen hours of lust? I saw it not, thought it not, it harm'd not me:

I slept the next night well, was free and merry;
I found not Cassio's kisses on her lips :

He that is robb'd, not wanting what is stolen,
Let him not know it, and he's not robb'd at all.
Iago. I am sorry to hear this.

Oth. I had been happy, if the general camp,
Pioneers' and all, had tasted her sweet body,
So I had nothing known: O now, for ever,
Farewell the tranquil mind! farewell content!
Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars,
That make ambition virtue! O, farewell!
Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife,
The royal banner; and all quality,

Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!
And O you mortal engines, whose rude throats
The immortal Jove's dread clamours counterfeit,
Farewell! Othello's occupation's gone!

Iago. Is it possible!-My lord,

Oth. Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore;

1 The vilest of the camp. Pioneers were generally degraded soldiers.