The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Ca.s.sIO. Good night, honest Iago. Exit.

IAGO. And what"s he then that says I play the villain?

When this advice is free I give and honest, Probal to thinking, and indeed the course To win the Moor again? For "tis most easy The inclining Desdemona to subdue In any honest suit. She"s framed as fruitful As the free elements. And then for her To win the Moor, were"t to renounce his baptism, All seals and symbols of redeemed sin, His soul is so enfetter"d to her love, That she may make, unmake, do what she list, Even as her appet.i.te shall play the G.o.d With his weak function. How am I then a villain To counsel Ca.s.sio to this parallel course, Directly to his good? Divinity of h.e.l.l!

When devils will the blackest sins put on, They do suggest at first with heavenly shows, As I do now. For whiles this honest fool Plies Desdemona to repair his fortune, And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor, I"ll pour this pestilence into his ear, That she repeals him for her body"s l.u.s.t; And by how much she strives to do him good, She shall undo her credit with the Moor.

So will I turn her virtue into pitch, And out of her own goodness make the net That shall enmesh them all.

Enter Roderigo.

How now, Roderigo!

RODERIGO. I do follow here in the chase, not like a hound that hunts, but one that fills up the cry. My money is almost spent; I have been tonight exceedingly well cudgeled; and I think the issue will be, I shall have so much experience for my pains; and so, with no money at all and a little more wit, return again to Venice.

IAGO. How poor are they that have not patience!

What wound did ever heal but by degrees?

Thou know"st we work by wit and not by witchcraft, And wit depends on dilatory time.

Does"t not go well? Ca.s.sio hath beaten thee, And thou by that small hurt hast cashier"d Ca.s.sio.

Though other things grow fair against the sun, Yet fruits that blossom first will first be ripe.

Content thyself awhile. By the ma.s.s, "tis morning; Pleasure and action make the hours seem short.

Retire thee; go where thou art billeted.

Away, I say. Thou shalt know more hereafter.

Nay, get thee gone. [Exit Roderigo.] Two things are to be done: My wife must move for Ca.s.sio to her mistress- I"ll set her on; Myself the while to draw the Moor apart, And bring him jump when he may Ca.s.sio find Soliciting his wife. Ay, that"s the way; Dull not device by coldness and delay. Exit.

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ACT III. SCENE I.

Before the castle.

Enter Ca.s.sio and some Musicians.

Ca.s.sIO. Masters, play here, I will content your pains; Something that"s brief; and bid "Good morrow, general."

Music.

Enter Clown.

CLOWN. Why, masters, have your instruments been in Naples, that they speak i" the nose thus?

FIRST MUSICIAN. How, sir, how?

CLOWN. Are these, I pray you, wind instruments?

FIRST MUSICIAN. Ay, marry, are they, sir.

CLOWN. O, thereby hangs a tail.

FIRST MUSICIAN. Whereby hangs a tale, sir?

CLOWN. 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, for love"s sake, to make no more noise with it.

FIRST MUSICIAN. Well, sir, we will not.

CLOWN. 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.

FIRST MUSICIAN. We have none such, sir.

CLOWN. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I"ll away.

Go, vanish into air, away! Exeunt Musicians.

Ca.s.sIO. Dost thou hear, my honest friend?

CLOWN. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.

Ca.s.sIO. Prithee, 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 Ca.s.sio entreats her a little favor of speech. Wilt thou do this?

CLOWN. She is stirring, sir. If she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her.

Ca.s.sIO. Do, good my friend. Exit Clown.

Enter Iago.

In happy time, Iago.

IAGO. You have not been abed, then?

Ca.s.sIO. Why, no; the day had broke Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago, To send in to your wife. My suit to her Is that she will to virtuous Desdemona Procure me some access.

IAGO. I"ll send her to you presently; And I"ll devise a mean to draw the Moor Out of the way, that your converse and business May be more free.

Ca.s.sIO. I humbly thank you for"t. [Exit Iago.] I never knew A Florentine more kind and honest.

Enter Emilia.

EMILIA. Good morrow, good lieutenant. I am sorry For your displeasure, but all will sure be well.

The general and his wife are talking of it, And she speaks for you stoutly. The Moor replies That he you hurt is of great fame in Cyprus And great affinity and that in wholesome wisdom He might not but refuse you; but he protests he loves you And needs no other suitor but his likings To take the safest occasion by the front To bring you in again.

Ca.s.sIO. Yet, I beseech you, If you think fit, or that it may be done, Give me advantage of some brief discourse With Desdemona alone.

EMILIA. Pray you, come in.

I will bestow you where you shall have time To speak your bosom freely.

Ca.s.sIO. I am much bound to you.

Exeunt.

SCENE II.

A room in the castle.

Enter Oth.e.l.lo, Iago, and Gentlemen.

OTh.e.l.lO. These letters give, Iago, to the pilot, And by him do my duties to the Senate.

That done, I will be walking on the works; Repair there to me.

IAGO. Well, my good lord, I"ll do"t.

OTh.e.l.lO. This fortification, gentlemen, shall we see"t?

GENTLEMEN. We"ll wait upon your lordship. Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The garden of the castle.

Enter Desdemona, Ca.s.sio, and Emilia.

DESDEMONA. Be thou a.s.sured, good Ca.s.sio, I will do All my abilities in thy behalf.

EMILIA. Good madam, do. I warrant it grieves my husband As if the cause were his.

DESDEMONA. O, that"s an honest fellow. Do not doubt, Ca.s.sio, But I will have my lord and you again As friendly as you were.

Ca.s.sIO. Bounteous madam, Whatever shall become of Michael Ca.s.sio, He"s never anything but your true servant.

DESDEMONA. I know"t: I thank you. You do love my lord: You have known him long; and be you well a.s.sured He shall in strangeness stand no farther off Than in a politic distance.