ACT 4. SCENE II. A room in the castle.

by William Shakespeare

　　Enter Othello and Emilia

　　Othello

　　You have seen nothing then?Emilia

　　Nor ever heard, nor ever did suspect.Othello

　　Yes, you have seen Cassio and she together.Emilia

　　But then I saw no harm, and then I heardEach syllable that breath made up between them.Othello

　　What, did they never whisper?Emilia

　　Never, my lord.Othello

　　Nor send you out o' the way?Emilia

　　Never.Othello

　　To fetch her fan, her gloves, her mask, nor nothing?Emilia

　　Never, my lord.Othello

　　That's strange.Emilia

　　I durst, my lord, to wager she is honest,Lay down my soul at stake: if you think other,Remove your thought; it doth abuse your bosom.If any wretch have put this in your head,Let heaven requite it with the serpent's curse!For, if she be not honest, chaste, and true,There's no man happy; the purest of their wivesIs foul as slander.Othello

　　Bid her come hither: go.Exit Emilia

　　She says enough; yet she's a simple bawdThat cannot say as much. This is a subtle whore,A closet lock and key of villanous secretsAnd yet she'll kneel and pray; I have seen her do't.Enter Desdemona with Emilia

　　Desdemona

　　My lord, what is your will?Othello

　　Pray, chuck, come hither.Desdemona

　　What is your pleasure?Othello

　　Let me see your eyes;Look in my face.Desdemona

　　What horrible fancy's this?Othello

　　To Emilia Some of your function, mistress;Leave procreants alone and shut the door;Cough, or cry 'hem,' if any body come:Your mystery, your mystery: nay, dispatch.Exit Emilia

　　Desdemona

　　Upon my knees, what doth your speech import?I understand a fury in your words.But not the words.Othello

　　Why, what art thou?Desdemona

　　Your wife, my lord; your trueAnd loyal wife.Othello

　　Come, swear it, damn thyselfLest, being like one of heaven, the devils themselvesShould fear to seize thee: therefore be double damn'd: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

　　O Desdemona! away! away! away!Desdemona

　　Alas the heavy day! Why do you weep?Am I the motive of these tears, my lord?If haply you my father do suspectAn instrument of this your calling back,Lay not your blame on me: If you have lost him,Why, I have lost him too.Othello

　　Had it pleased heavenTo try me with affliction; had they rain'dAll kinds of sores and shames on my bare head.Steep'd me in poverty to the very lips,Given to captivity me and my utmost hopes,I should have found in some place of my soulA drop of patience: but, alas, to make meA fixed figure for the time of scornTo point his slow unmoving finger at!Yet could I bear that too; well, very well:But there, where I have garner'd up my heart,Where either I must live, or bear no life;The fountain from the which my current runs,Or else dries up; to be discarded thence!Or keep it as a cistern for foul toadsTo knot and gender in! Turn thy complexion there,Patience, thou young and rose-lipp'd cherubin,--Ay, there, look grim as hell!Desdemona

　　I hope my noble lord esteems me honest.Othello

　　O, ay; as summer flies are in the shambles,That quicken even with blowing. O thou weed,Who art so lovely fair and smell'st so sweetThat the sense aches at thee, would thou hadstne'er been born!Desdemona

　　Alas, what ignorant sin have I committed?Othello

　　Was this fair paper, this most goodly book,Made to write 'whore' upon? What committed!Committed! O thou public commoner!I should make very forges of my cheeks,That would to cinders burn up modesty,Did I but speak thy deeds. What committed!Heaven stops the nose at it and the moon winks,The bawdy wind that kisses all it meetsIs hush'd within the hollow mine of earth,And will not hear it. What committed!Impudent strumpet!Desdemona

　　By heaven, you do me wrong.Othello

　　Are you not a strumpet?Desdemona

　　No, as I am a Christian:If to preserve this vessel for my lordFrom any other foul unlawful touchBe not to be a strumpet, I am none.Othello

　　What, not a whore?Desdemona

　　No, as I shall be saved.Othello

　　Is't possible?Desdemona

　　O, heaven forgive us!Othello

　　I cry you mercy, then:I took you for that cunning whore of VeniceThat married with Othello.Raising his voice

　　You, mistress,That have the office opposite to Saint Peter,And keep the gate of hell!Re-enter Emilia

　　You, you, ay, you!We have done our course; there's money for your pains:I pray you, turn the key and keep our counsel.Exit

　　Emilia

　　Alas, what does this gentleman conceive?How do you, madam? how do you, my good lady?Desdemona

　　'Faith, half asleep.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 lady.Desdemona

　　I have none: do not talk to me, Emilia;I cannot weep; nor answer have I none,But what should go by water. Prithee, tonightLay on my bed my wedding sheets: remember;And call thy husband hither.Emilia

　　Here's a change indeed!Exit

　　Desdemona

　　'Tis meet I should be used so, very meet.How have I been behaved, that he might stickThe small'st opinion on my least misuse?Re-enter Emilia with Iago

　　Iago

　　What is your pleasure, madam?How is't with you?Desdemona

　　I cannot tell. Those that do teach young babesDo it with gentle means and easy tasks:He might have chid me so; for, in good faith,I am a child to chiding.Iago

　　What's the matter, lady?Emilia

　　Alas, Iago, my lord hath so bewhored her.Thrown such despite and heavy terms upon her,As true hearts cannot bear.Desdemona

　　Am I that name, Iago?Iago

　　What name, fair lady?Desdemona

　　Such as she says my lord did say I was.Emilia

　　He call'd her whore: a beggar in his drinkCould not have laid such terms upon his callat.Iago

　　Why did he so?Desdemona

　　I do not know; I am sure I am none such.Iago

　　Do not weep, do not weep. Alas the day!Emilia

　　Hath she forsook so many noble matches,Her father and her country and her friends,To be call'd whore? would it not make one weep?Desdemona

　　It is my wretched fortune.Iago

　　Beshrew him for't!How comes this trick upon him?Desdemona

　　Nay, heaven doth know.Emilia

　　I will be hang'd, if some eternal villain,Some busy and insinuating rogue,Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office,Have not devised this slander; I'll be hang'd else.Iago

　　Fie, there is no such man; it is impossible.Desdemona

　　If any such there be, heaven pardon him!Emilia

　　A halter pardon him! and hell gnaw his bones!Why should he call her whore? who keeps her company?What place? what time? what form? what likelihood?The Moor's abused by some most villanous knave,Some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow.O heaven, that such companions thou'ldst unfold,And put in every honest hand a whipTo lash the rascals naked through the worldEven from the east to the west!Iago

　　Speak within door.Emilia

　　O, fie upon them! Some such squire he wasThat turn'd your wit the seamy side without,And made you to suspect me with the Moor.Iago

　　You are a fool; go to.Desdemona

　　O good Iago,What shall I do to win my lord again?Good friend, go to him; for, by this light of heaven,I know not how I lost him. Here I kneel:If e'er my will did trespass 'gainst his love,Either in discourse of thought or actual deed,Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense,Delighted them in any other form;Or that I do not yet, and ever did.And ever will--though he do shake me offTo beggarly divorcement--love him dearly,Comfort forswear me! Unkindness may do much;And his unkindness may defeat my life,But never taint my love. I cannot say 'whore:'It does abhor me now I speak the word;To do the act that might the addition earnNot the world's mass of vanity could make me.Iago

　　I pray you, be content; 'tis but his humour:The business of the state does him offence,And he does chide with you.Desdemona

　　If 'twere no other--Iago

　　'Tis but so, I warrant.Trumpets within

　　Hark, how these instruments summon to supper!The messengers of Venice stay the meat;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 dealest justly with me.Iago

　　What in the contrary?Roderigo

　　Every day thou daffest me with some device, Iago;and rather, as it seems to me now, keepest from meall conveniency than suppliest me with the leastadvantage of hope. I will indeed no longer endureit, nor am I yet persuaded to put up in peace whatalready I have foolishly suffered.Iago

　　Will you hear me, Roderigo?Roderigo

　　'Faith, I have heard too much, for your words andperformances are no kin together.Iago

　　You charge me most unjustly.Roderigo

　　With nought but truth. I have wasted myself out ofmy means. The jewels you have had from me todeliver to Desdemona would half have corrupted avotarist: you have told me she hath received themand returned me expectations and comforts of suddenrespect and acquaintance, but I find none.Iago

　　Well; go to; very well.Roderigo

　　Very well! go to! I cannot go to, man; nor 'tisnot very well: nay, I think it is scurvy, and beginto find myself fobbed in it.Iago

　　Very well.Roderigo

　　I tell you 'tis not very well. I will make myselfknown to Desdemona: if she will return me myjewels, I will give over my suit and repent myunlawful solicitation; if not, assure yourself Iwill seek satisfaction of you.Iago

　　You have said now.Roderigo

　　Ay, and said nothing but what I protest intendment of doing.Iago

　　Why, now I see there's mettle in thee, and even fromthis instant to build on thee a better opinion thanever before. Give me thy hand, Roderigo: thou hasttaken against me a most just exception; but yet, Iprotest, I have dealt most directly in thy affair.Roderigo

　　It hath not appeared.Iago

　　I grant indeed it hath not appeared, and yoursuspicion is not without wit and judgment. But,Roderigo, if thou hast that in thee indeed, which Ihave greater reason to believe now than ever, I meanpurpose, courage and valour, this night show it: ifthou the next night following enjoy not Desdemona,take me from this world with treachery and deviseengines for my life.Roderigo

　　Well, what is it? is it within reason and compass?Iago

　　Sir, there is especial commission come from Veniceto depute Cassio in Othello's place.Roderigo

　　Is that true? why, then Othello and Desdemonareturn again to Venice.Iago

　　O, no; he goes into Mauritania and takes away withhim the fair Desdemona, unless his abode belingered here by some accident: wherein none can beso determinate as the removing of Cassio.Roderigo

　　How do you mean, removing of 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

　　Ay, if you dare do yourself a profit and a right.He sups to-night with a harlotry, and thither will Igo to him: he knows not yet of his horrorablefortune. If you will watch his going thence, whichI will fashion to fall out between twelve and one,you may take him at your pleasure: I will be nearto second your attempt, and he shall fall betweenus. Come, stand not amazed at it, but go along withme; I will show you such a necessity in his deaththat you shall think yourself bound to put it onhim. It is now high suppertime, and the night growsto waste: about it.Roderigo

　　I will hear further reason for this.Iago

　　And you shall be satisfied.Exeunt