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Othello

Act IV, Scene 2

A room in the castle. Enter OTHELLO and EMILIA
 
OTHELLO
       T    T    T     ,         __    oo
      You have seen | nothing | then?|
 
EMILIA
          ,       ,         ,      ,        ,
      Nor ev|er heard:| nor ev|er did | suspect.
 
OTHELLO
       ,      2         ,   ,   2          ,      ,
      Yes, you have | seen Cas/sio, and | she to|gether.
 
EMILIA
            ,       ,         ,          ,        ,
      But then | I saw | no harm:| and then | I heard,
        ,   ,                  ,           ,       ,           ->
      Each syl/lable | that breath | made up | between || them.
 
OTHELLO
        ,     ,          ,        ,
      What?| Did they | never | whisper?
 
EMILIA
                                          ,            ,  ->
                                         Never || my lord.
 
OTHELLO
            ,         ,      2     ,
      Nor send | you out | of the way?
 
EMILIA
                                        ,
                                       Never.
 
OTHELLO
           ,          ,           ,           ,         ,        ->
      To fetch | her fan,| her gloves,| her mask,| nor noth||ing?
 
EMILIA
       ,    2     ,    oo
      Nev|er my lord.|
 
OTHELLO
                            ___       ___
                           That's | strange.
 
EMILIA
          ,          ,        ,      ,          x
      I durst |(my lord)| to wag|er she | is honest:  ??
             ,         ,         ,       2      ,     ,
      Lay* down | my soul | at stake:| if you think | other,
          ,            ,           ,       ,          ,      ->
      Remove | your thought.| It doth | abuse | your bos||om:
       ,    2     ,           ,          ,          ,
      If | any wretch | have put | this in | your head,
             x         ,          ,         ,           ,
      Let heaven | requite | it with | the serp|ent's curse,
           ,        ,        ,          ,           ,
      For if | she be | not hon|est, chaste,| and true,
               ,    ,   ,             ,         2        ,
      There's^no | man hap/py. the | purest | of their wives
           ,         ,
      Is foul | as sland|er.
 
OTHELLO
                             ,       2      ,        ,
                            Bid | her come hith|er: go.
 
[Exit EMILIA]
            ,       ,      ,             ,        ,
      She says | enough:| yet she's | a simp|le bawd
            ,       ,         ,        3  3   ,        ,
      That can|not say | as much.| This is a sub|tle whore:
          ,       ,         ,        ,    2     ,       2->
      A clos|et lock | and key | of vil|lanous se||crets,    ??
           ,             ,           ,     2       ,          x
      And yet | she'll kneel,| and pray:| I have seen | her do it.
 
[Enter DESDEMONA with EMILIA]
 
DESDEMONA
           ,          ,          ,
      My lord,| what is | your will?
 
OTHELLO
        ,          ,           ,
      Pray you | chuck come | hither.
 
DESDEMONA
        ,              ,        o
      What is | your pleas|ure?    (tri with prev two)
 
OTHELLO
       ,        ,           ,     ,             __
      Let me | see your | eyes: look / in my | face.
 
DESDEMONA
            ,    2    ,         ,
      What hor|rible fan|cy's this?
 
OTHELLO
        ,    2         ,         ,
      Some of your | function | mistress:  (tri with prev)
        ,    ,               ,          ,          ,
      Leave pro/creants | alone,| and shut | the door:
        ,          T   T    .  T   ,      ,
      Cough, or | cry hem, if an|ybod|y come:
             ,    ,          ,   2    ,         ,
      Your myst|ery,| your myst|ery: may | dispatch.
 
[Exit EMILIA]
 
DESDEMONA
Upon my knee, what doth your speech import? I understand a fury in your words.
 
OTHELLO
Why, what art thou?
 
DESDEMONA
Your wife my lord: your true and loyal wife.
 
OTHELLO
Come swear it: damn thyself, lest being like one of heaven, the devils themselves should fear to seize thee: therefore be double damned: swear thou art honest.
 
DESDEMONA
Heaven doth truly know it.
 
OTHELLO
Heaven truly knows, that thou art false as hell.
 
DESDEMONA
To whom my lord?
With whom? How am I false?
 
OTHELLO
Ah Desdemona, away, away, away.
 
DESDEMONA
        ,         ,      ,     ,             ,
      Alas | the hea|vy day:| Why do | you weep?
         ,        ,       ,           ,          ,
      Am I | the mot|ive of | these tears | my lord?
          ,      ,        ,       ,       ,
      If hap|ly you | my fath|er do | suspect
          ,       ,         ,          ,         ,
      An inst|rument | of this | your cal|ling back,
       ,              ,         ,     x             ,
      Lay not^|your blame | on me:| If you have | lost him,
      ,          ,         ,
      I have | lost him | too.
 
OTHELLO
                                           ,       ,
                               Had | it pleased | heaven,
          ,         ,        ,         ,            ,
      To try | me with | afflic|tion, had | they rained
       T    T    .   T            ,               ,    ,
      All kinds of sores,| and shames | on my / bare head:
         ,             ,     ,     2     ,      ,
      Steeped me | in pov|erty | to the ve|ry lips.
        x            ,   2    ,      2    ,        ,
      Given to | captiv|ity, me | and my ut|most^hopes,
           ,            ,          ,      ,             ,
      I should | have found | in some | place of | my soul
          ,        ,          ,      ,         ,       2->
      A drop | of pa|tience. But | alas,| to make || me
           ,      ,       ,          ,         ,
      The fix|ed fig|ure for | the time | of scorn,
           ,           ,       ,       ,       ,
      To point | his slow,| unmov|ing fing|er at.
            ,         ,          ,      ,           ,
      Yet could | I bear | that^too,| well, ve|ry well:
            ,           ,          ,        ,        ,
      But there | where^I | have garn|ered up | my heart,
             ,      ,          ,         ,         ,
      Where eith|er I | must live,| or bear | no life,
            ,         ,          ,         ,         ,
      The fount|ain from | the which | my cur|rent runs,
           ,           ,       ,        ,        ,
      Or else | dries^up:| to be | discard|ed thence,
           ,        ,       ,               ,    ,
      Or keep | it as | a cist|ern, for / foul toads
           ,          ,    2      ,       2     ,        ,
      To knot | and gend|er in. Turn | thy complex|ion there:
       ,                ,           ,      ,    ,
      Patience,| thou young | and rose-|lipped cher/ubin,
          ,           ,         ,
      I here | look grim | as hell.   \\
 
DESDEMONA
          ,        ,       ,        ,         ,      2->
      I hope | my nob|le lord | esteems | me ho||nest.
 
OTHELLO
          ,        ,        ,      ,    2        ,
      Oh aye,| as sum|mer flies | are in the | shambles,
             ,        x           ,        ,          ,
      That quick|en even | with blow|ing. Oh | thou weed:
           ,         ,       ,           ,           ,
      Who art | so love|ly fair,| and smellst | so sweet,
                   ,     ,          ,
      That the / sense aches | at thee,    \\
        T     T    T       T    T    T    oo
      Would thou hadst | nere been born.|
 
DESDEMONA
        ,          ,   2     ,         ,       ,       2->
      Alas,| what ig|norant sin | have I | commit||ted?
 
OTHELLO
            ,      ,   ,                    ,       ,
      Was this | fair pap/er, this | most^good|ly book
        T   .   T     T       ,      ,       ,
      Made to write whore | upon?| What com|mitted,
          ,        ,         ,       ,     ,
      Commit|ted? Oh,| thou pub|lic com|moner,
           ,           ,     ,       ,         ,
      I should | make^ve|ry for|ges of | my cheeks,
             ,          ,        ,        ,     ,
      That would | to cind|ers burn | up mod|esty,
          ,         ,           ,       ,       ,
      Did I | but speak | thy deeds.| What com|mitted?
       ,         ,           ,    2                 ,    ,
      Heaven | stops the | nose at it,| and the / moon winks:
           ,       ,          ,       ,         ,
      The baw|dy wind | that kis|ses all | it meets,
            ,         ,         ,        ,         ,
      Is hushed | within | the hol|low mine | of earth
            ,          ,          ,        ,       o
      And will | not hear | it. What | commit|ted?
 
DESDEMONA
            x          ,        ,
      By heaven | you do | me wrong.
 
OTHELLO
                                     ,         ,         ,      ->
                                    Are you | not a || strumpet?
 
DESDEMONA
      __    ,      ,       ,
      No,| as I | am a | Christian.
       ,           ,           ,       ,         ,
      If to | preserve | this ves|sel for | my lord,
           ,    ,        ,       ,        ,
      From an|y oth|er foul | unlaw|ful touch
          ,        ,       ,        ,        ,
      Be not | to be | a strump|et, I | am none.
 
OTHELLO
        T    T  .   T
      What, not a whore?
 
DESDEMONA
                           ,           ,          ,
                          No, as | I shall | be saved.
 
OTHELLO
       ,       ,     ,
      Is it | possi|ble?
 
DESDEMONA
                                  x         ,
                           Oh | heaven for|give us.
 
OTHELLO
         ,         ,       ,    oo
      I cry | you mer|cy then.|
      <-    ,          ,          ,         ,         ,       o
        I took || you for | that cun|ning whore | of Ven|ice,
            ,         ,       ,       ,     ,
      That mar|ried with | Othel|lo. You | mistress,
             ,         ,       ,    3  3     ,      ,
      That have | the of|fice op|posite to Saint | Peter,
            ,          ,     .   T    T    T         ,
      And keep | the gate | of hell. You, you:| aye^you.
        2       ,           ,              ,      ,           ,
      We have done | our course:| there's mon|ey for | your pains:
          ,          ,         ,          ,            x
      I pray | you turn | the key,| and keep | our counsel.
 
[Exit]
 
EMILIA
        ,      ,               ,      ,         ,
      Alas,| what does | this gent|leman | conceive?
           ,        ,       ,     ,            ,      ,   ->
      How do | you mad|am? How | do you | my good || lady?
 
DESDEMONA
       ___      ,      ,
      Faith,| half a|sleep.
 
EMILIA
                                    ,
                            Good | madam,
         ,          ,        ,         __
      What's the | matter | with my | lord?
 
DESDEMONA
                                                   ,
                                             With who?
 
EMILIA
       ,               ,     ,
      Why, with | my lord,| madam?
 
DESDEMONA
                                    ,             ,
                                   Who is | thy lord?
 
EMILIA
       ,             ,            ,
      He that | is yours,| sweet^la|dy.  \\
 
DESDEMONA
       2       ,        ,      ,        ,    ,
      I have none:| do not | talk to | me E|milia,
         ,        ,         ,         ,        ,
      I can|not weep:| nor ans|wers have | I none,
            ,            ,       ,       ,      2    ,
      But what | should go | by wat|er. prith|ee tonight,
       ,    2      ,        ,           ,        ,
      Lay on my | bed my | wedding | sheets, re|member,
            ,         ,        ,
      And call | thy hus|band hith|er.
 
EMILIA
                                            2    ,          ,
                                      Here's a change | indeed.
 
[Exit]
 
DESDEMONA
             ,         ,          ,         ,      ,
      'Tis meet | I should | be used | so: ve|ry meet.
       ,             ,        ,           ,           ,
      How have | I been | behaved,| that he | might stick
            ,      2  ,       ,        ,         ,
      The smal|lest opin|ion on | my least | misuse?
 
[Enter EMILIA with IAGO]
 
IAGO
        ,    2         ,         ,
      What is your | pleasure | madam?
                                             x           ,
                                       How is it | with you?
 
DESDEMONA
         ,        ,       ,      2       T     T     T
      I can|not tell:| those that do | teach young babes
       ,            ,        ,          ,      ,
      Do it | with gent|le means,| and ea|sy tasks.
           ,            ,        ,              ,    ,
      He might | have chid | me so:| for in / good faith
      ,   2      ,          ,
      I am a | child to | chiding.
 
IAGO
        ,    2       ,        ,
      What is the | matter | lady?   (tri with prev)
 
EMILIA
        ,     x   2       ,          ,       ,
      Alas |(Iago) my | lord hath | so be|whored her,
         T     T   .  T           ,      ,         x
      Thrown such despite,| and heav|y terms | upon her
           ,      T      Tx     T
      As true | hearts cannot bear.
 
DESDEMONA
      T  T   T      ,     ,
      Am I that | name, I|ago?
 
IAGO
        T    T     T     ,
      What name (fair | lady)?  (tri with prev)
 
DESDEMONA
        ,             ,         ,         ,       ,
      Such as | she said | my lord | did say | I was.
 
EMILIA
            ,           ,        ,       ,         ,
      He called | her whore:| a beg|gar in | his drink
             ,           ,      T    T   . T           x
      Could not | have laid | such terms upon | his callat.
 
IAGO
           ,        ,
      Why did | he so?   \\
 
DESDEMONA
         ,         ,     2     ,             ,    ,
      I do | not know:| I am sure | I am / none such.
 
IAGO
       ,         ,         T    T   . T         ,
      Do not | weep, do | not weep: alas | the day.
 
EMILIA
        ,     2      ,        ,      ,       ,
      Hath she for|sook so | many | noble | matches?
            ,       ,          ,        ,           ,
      Her fath|er? And | her count|ry? And | her friends?
                 ,     ,       ,              ,          ,
      To be / called whore?| Would it | not make | one weep?
 
DESDEMONA
       ,   2       ,         ,
      It is my | wretched | fortune.
 
IAGO
                                    ,            x
                                Beshrew | him for it:
            ,            ,       ,        2
      How comes | this trick | upon | him?
 
DESDEMONA
                                                    x            ,
                                           Nay*, heaven | doth know.
 
EMILIA
      ,     2        ,           ,     ,        ,
      I will be | hanged, if | some e|ternal | villain,
            ,     ,       ,   ,        ,
      Some bu|sy and | insin|ua|ting rogue,
            ,         ,    2     ,         ,           x
      Some cog|ging, coz|ening slave,| to get | some office,
            ,        ,            ,           2        ,     ,
      Have not | devised | this sland|er: I'll be / hanged else.
 
IAGO
       ,        2      ,         ,         ,     ,
      Fie, there is | no such | man: it | is im|possible.
 
DESDEMONA
         ,      ,           ,      x     ,
      If an|y such | there be,| heaven pard/on him.
 
EMILIA
         ,       ,       ,
      A halt|er pard|on him:
            ,      ,         ___
      And hell | gnaw his | bones.
       ,                ,          ,
      Why should | he call | her whore?
            ,          ,     ,
      Who keeps | her comp|any?
              ,            ,    oo
      What* place?| What^time?|
             ,           ,      ,
      What form?| What like|lihood?
            ,         ,       2       ,     ,   2        ,
      The Moor's | abused | by some^most | villanous | knave,
      <-          ,      ,   2      ,             ,       ,
        Some || base no|torious | knave, some | scurvy | fellow.
            x             ,        ,           ,          ,
      Oh heavens,| that such | compan|ions thou'dst | unfold,
           ,        ,      ,        ,        ,
      And put | in eve|ry hon|est hand | a whip
           ,         ,        ,        ,            ,
      To lash | the ras|cals nak|ed through | the world,
        x               ,      2      ,
      Even from | the east | to the west.
 
IAGO
                                           ,             ,
                                         Speak with|in door.
 
EMILIA
          ,      ,            ,      T     T    .  T
      Oh fie | upon | them: Some | such squire he was
              ,           ,         ,       ,         ,
      That turned | your wit,| the sea|my side | without,
            ,         ,        ,         ,          ,
      And made | you to | suspect | me with | the Moor.
 
IAGO
        ,           ,        ,
      You are | a fool:| go to.
 
DESDEMONA
                                  ,     x
                                Alas | Iago,
             ,        ,       ,         ,       ,
      What shall | I do | to win | my lord | again?
               ,      ,   2           ,          ,           x
      Good* friend,| go to him;| for by | this light | of heaven,
          ,         ,        ,           ,        ,
      I know | not how | I lost | him. Here | I kneel:
          ,         ,          ,      2    ,           ,
      If ere | my will | did tres|pass against | his love,
       ,         2     ,            ,          ,   2    ,
      Either | in discourse | of thought,| or ac|tual deed,
           ,           ,           ,       ,      ,
      Or that | mine^eyes,| mine ears,| or an|y sense
          ,        ,       ,    ,        ,
      Delight|ed them:| or an|y oth|er form.
           ,       ,        ,        ,      ,
      Or that | I do | not^yet,| and ev|er did,
          ,       ,             ,        ,         ,
      And ev|er will,| (though he | do shake | me off
          ,    3  3    ,           ,          ,
      To beg|garly divorce|ment) love | him dear|ly,
      <- ,              ,    ,       ,              ,   ,
        Com||fort for/swear me.| Unkind|ness / may do much,
           ,        ,        ,        ,         ,
      And his | unkind|ness may | defeat | my life,
           ,       ,          ,     2    ,           ,
      But nev|er taint | my love.| I cannot | say* whore,
           ,       ,        ,        ,           ,
      It does | abhor | me now | I speak | the word,
          ,        ,           ,        2   ,        ,
      To do | the act,| that might | the addi|tion earn,
         2       ,        ,        ,    ,           ,
      Not the world's | mass of | vani|ty could | make me.
 
IAGO
          ,         ,        ,      ,     2       ,
      I pray | you be | content:| 'tis but his | humor:
           ,         ,         ,       ,            ,
      The bus|iness of | the state | does him | offense.
 
DESDEMONA
            ,        ,
      If 'twere | no oth|er.
 
IAGO
                              ,         ,        x
                             Tis | but so,| I warrant.
 
[Trumpets within]
        ,                ,     2     ,     2    ,       o
      Hark how*| these^inst|ruments sum|mon to sup|per:
           ,       ,        ,        ,          ,
      The mes|sengers | of Ve|nice stay | the meat,
          ,         ,     T    T     T          2     ,
      Go^in,| and weep | not: all things | shall be well.
 
[Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA. Enter RODERIGO]
 
How now Roderigo?
 
RODERIGO
I do not find
That thou dealst justly with me.
 
IAGO
What in the contrary?
 
RODERIGO
Every day thou daffts me with some device Iago, and rather, as it seems to me now, keepest from me all conveniency, than suppliest me with the least advantage of hope: I will indeed no longer endure it. Nor am I yet persuaded to put up in peace, what already I have foolishly suffered.
 
IAGO
Will you hear me Roderigo?
 
RODERIGO
I have heard too much: for your words and performances are no kin together.
 
IAGO
You charge me most unjustly.
 
RODERIGO
With nought but truth: I have wasted myself out of my means. The jewels you have had from me to deliver to Desdemona, would half have corrupted a votarist. You have told me she hath received them, and returned me expectations and comforts of sudden respect, and acquaintance, but I find none.
 
IAGO
Well, go to: very well.
 
RODERIGO
Very well go to: I cannot go to, (man) nor 'tis not very well. Nay I think it is scurvy: and begin to find myself fobbed in it.
 
IAGO
Very well.
 
RODERIGO
I tell you, 'tis not very well: I will make myself known to Desdemona. If she will return me my jewels, I will give over my suit, and repent my unlawful solicitation. If not, assure yourself, I will seek satisfaction of you.
 
IAGO
You have said now.
 
RODERIGO
Aye, and said nothing but what I protest intendment of doing.
 
IAGO
Why, now I see there's mettle in thee: and even from this instant to build on thee a better opinion than ever before: give me thy hand Roderigo. Thou hast taken against me a most just exception: but yet I protest I have dealt most directly in thy affair.
 
RODERIGO
It hath not appeared.
 
IAGO
I grant indeed it hath not appeared: and your suspicion is not without wit and judgment. But Roderigo, if thou hast that in thee indeed, which I have greater reason to believe now than ever (I mean purpose, courage, and valor) this night show it. if thou the next night following enjoy not Desdemona, take me from this world with treachery, and devise engines for my life.
 
RODERIGO
Well: what is it? is it within, reason and compass?
 
IAGO
Sir, there is especial commission come from Venice to depute Cassio in Othello's place.
 
RODERIGO
Is that true? why then Othello and Desdemona return again to Venice.
 
IAGO
Oh no: he goes into Mauritania and takes away with him the fair Desdemona, unless his abode be lingered here by some accident. Wherein none can be so determinate, as the removing of Cassio.
 
RODERIGO
How do you mean removing him?
 
IAGO
Why, by making him uncapable of Othello's place: knocking out his brains.
 
RODERIGO
And that you would have me to do.
 
IAGO
Aye: if you dare do yourself a profit, and a right. He sups tonight with a harlotry: and thither will I go to him. He knows not yet of his honorable fortune, if you will watch his going thence (which I will fashion to fall out between twelve and one) you may take him at your pleasure. I will be near to second your attempt, and he shall fall between us. Come, stand not amazed at it, but go along with me: I will show you such a necessity in his death, that you shall think yourself bound to put it on him. It is now high suppertime: and the night grows to waste, about it.
 
RODERIGO
I will hear further reason for this.
 
IAGO
And you shall be satisfied.
 
[Exeunt]

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