ACT 3. SCENE IV. Before the castle.

by William Shakespeare

　　Enter Desdemona, EMILIA, and Clown

　　Desdemona

　　Do you know, sirrah, where Lieutenant Cassio lies?Clown

　　I dare not say he lies any where.Desdemona

　　Why, man?Clown

　　He's a soldier, and for one to say a soldier lies,is stabbing.Desdemona

　　Go to: where lodges he?Clown

　　To tell you where he lodges, is to tell you where I lie.Desdemona

　　Can any thing be made of this?Clown

　　I know not where he lodges, and for me to devise alodging and say he lies here or he lies there, wereto lie in mine own throat.Desdemona

　　Can you inquire him out, and be edified by report?Clown

　　I will catechise the world for him; that is, makequestions, and by them answer.Desdemona

　　Seek him, bid him come hither: tell him I havemoved my lord on his behalf, and hope all will be well.Clown

　　To do this is within the compass of man's wit: andtherefore I will attempt the doing it.Exit

　　Desdemona

　　Where should I lose that handkerchief, Emilia?Emilia

　　I know not, madam.Desdemona

　　Believe me, I had rather have lost my purseFull of crusadoes: and, but my noble MoorIs true of mind and made of no such basenessAs jealous creatures are, it were enoughTo put him to ill thinking.Emilia

　　Is he not jealous?Desdemona

　　Who, he? I think the sun where he was bornDrew all such humours from him.Emilia

　　Look, where he comes.Desdemona

　　I will not leave him now till CassioBe call'd to him.Enter Othello

　　How is't with you, my lordOthello

　　Well, my good lady.Aside

　　O, hardness to dissemble!--How do you, Desdemona?Desdemona

　　Well, my good lord.Othello

　　Give me your hand: this hand is moist, my lady.Desdemona

　　It yet hath felt no age nor known no sorrow.Othello

　　This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart:Hot, hot, and moist: this hand of yours requiresA sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer,Much castigation, exercise devout;For here's a young and sweating devil here,That commonly rebels. 'Tis a good hand,A frank one.Desdemona

　　You may, indeed, say so;For 'twas that hand that gave away my heart.Othello

　　A liberal hand: the hearts of old gave hands;But our new heraldry is hands, not hearts.Desdemona

　　I cannot speak of this. Come now, your promise.Othello

　　What promise, chuck?Desdemona

　　I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you.Othello

　　I have a salt and sorry rheum offends me;Lend me thy handkerchief.Desdemona

　　Here, my lord.Othello

　　That which I gave you.Desdemona

　　I have it not about me.Othello

　　Not?Desdemona

　　No, indeed, my lord.Othello

　　That is a fault.That handkerchiefDid an Egyptian to my mother give;She was a charmer, and could almost readThe thoughts of people: she told her, whileshe kept it,'Twould make her amiable and subdue my fatherEntirely to her love, but if she lost itOr made gift of it, my father's eyeShould hold her loathed and his spirits should huntAfter new fancies: she, dying, gave it me;And bid me, when my fate would have me wive,To give it her. I did so: and take heed on't;Make it a darling like your precious eye;To lose't or give't away were such perditionAs nothing else could match.Desdemona

　　Is't possible?Othello

　　'Tis true: there's magic in the web of it:A sibyl, that had number'd in the worldThe sun to course two hundred compasses,In her prophetic fury sew'd the work;The worms were hallow'd that did breed the silk;And it was dyed in mummy which the skilfulConserved of maidens' hearts.Desdemona

　　Indeed! is't true?Othello

　　Most veritable; therefore look to't well.Desdemona

　　Then would to God that I had never seen't!Othello

　　Ha! wherefore?Desdemona

　　Why do you speak so startingly and rash?Othello

　　Is't lost? is't gone? speak, is it outo' the way?Desdemona

　　Heaven bless us!Othello

　　Say you?Desdemona

　　It is not lost; but what an if it were?Othello

　　How!Desdemona

　　I say, it is not lost.Othello

　　Fetch't, let me see't.Desdemona

　　Why, so I can, sir, but I will not now.This is a trick to put me from my suit:Pray you, let Cassio be received again.Othello

　　Fetch me the handkerchief: my mind misgives.Desdemona

　　Come, come;You'll never meet a more sufficient man.Othello

　　The handkerchief!Desdemona

　　I pray, talk me of Cassio.Othello

　　The handkerchief!Desdemona

　　A man that all his timeHath founded his good fortunes on your love,Shared dangers with you,--Othello

　　The handkerchief!Desdemona

　　In sooth, you are to blame.Othello

　　Away!Exit

　　Emilia

　　Is not this man jealous?Desdemona

　　I ne'er saw this before.Sure, there's some wonder in this handkerchief:I am most unhappy in the loss of it.Emilia

　　'Tis not a year or two shows us a man:They are all but stomachs, and we all but food;To eat us hungerly, and when they are full,They belch us. Look you, Cassio and my husband!Enter Cassio and Iago

　　Iago

　　There is no other way; 'tis she must do't:And, lo, the happiness! go, and importune her.Desdemona

　　How now, good Cassio! what's the news with you?Cassio

　　Madam, my former suit: I do beseech youThat by your virtuous means I may againExist, and be a member of his loveWhom I with all the office of my heartEntirely honour: I would not be delay'd.If my offence be of such mortal kindThat nor my service past, nor present sorrows,Nor purposed merit in futurity,Can ransom me into his love again,But to know so must be my benefit;So shall I clothe me in a forced content,And shut myself up in some other course,To fortune's alms.Desdemona

　　Alas, thrice-gentle Cassio!My advocation is not now in tune;My lord is not my lord; nor should I know him,Were he in favour as in humour alter'd.So help me every spirit sanctified,As I have spoken for you all my bestAnd stood within the blank of his displeasureFor my free speech! you must awhile be patient:What I can do I will; and more I willThan for myself I dare: let that suffice you.Iago

　　Is my lord angry?Emilia

　　He went hence but now,And certainly in strange unquietness.Iago

　　Can he be angry? I have seen the cannon,When it hath blown his ranks into the air,And, like the devil, from his very armPuff'd his own brother:--and can he be angry?Something of moment then: I will go meet him:There's matter in't indeed, if he be angry.Desdemona

　　I prithee, do so.Exit Iago

　　Something, sure, of state,Either from Venice, or some unhatch'd practiseMade demonstrable here in Cyprus to him,Hath puddled his clear spirit: and in such casesMen's natures wrangle with inferior things,Though great ones are their object. 'Tis even so;For let our finger ache, and it induesOur other healthful members even to that senseOf pain: nay, we must think men are not gods,Nor of them look for such observancesAs fit the bridal. Beshrew me much, Emilia,I was, unhandsome warrior as I am,Arraigning his unkindness with my soul;But now I find I had suborn'd the witness,And he's indicted falsely.Emilia

　　Pray heaven it be state-matters, as you think,And no conception nor no jealous toyConcerning you.Desdemona

　　Alas the day! I never gave him cause.Emilia

　　But jealous souls will not be answer'd so;They are not ever jealous for the cause,But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monsterBegot upon itself, born on itself.Desdemona

　　Heaven keep that monster from Othello's mind!Emilia

　　Lady, amen.Desdemona

　　I will go seek him. Cassio, walk hereabout:If I do find him fit, I'll move your suitAnd seek to effect it to my uttermost.Cassio

　　I humbly thank your ladyship.Exeunt Desdemona and EMILIA Enter BIANCA

　　Bianca

　　Save you, friend Cassio!Cassio

　　What make you from home?How is it with you, my most fair Bianca?I' faith, sweet love, I was coming to your house.Bianca

　　And I was going to your lodging, Cassio.What, keep a week away? seven days and nights?Eight score eight hours? and lovers' absent hours,More tedious than the dial eight score times?O weary reckoning!Cassio

　　Pardon me, Bianca:I have this while with leaden thoughts been press'd:But I shall, in a more continuate time,Strike off this score of absence. Sweet Bianca,Giving her Desdemona's handkerchief

　　Take me this work out.Bianca

　　O Cassio, whence came this?This is some token from a newer friend:To the felt absence now I feel a cause:Is't come to this? Well, well.Cassio

　　Go to, woman!Throw your vile guesses in the devil's teeth,From whence you have them. You are jealous nowThat this is from some mistress, some remembrance:No, in good troth, Bianca.Bianca

　　Why, whose is it?Cassio

　　I know not, sweet: I found it in my chamber.I like the work well: ere it be demanded--As like enough it will--I'ld have it copied:Take it, and do't; and leave me for this time.Bianca

　　Leave you! wherefore?Cassio

　　I do attend here on the general;And think it no addition, nor my wish,To have him see me woman'd.Bianca

　　Why, I pray you?Cassio

　　Not that I love you not.Bianca

　　But that you do not love me.I pray you, bring me on the way a little,And say if I shall see you soon at night.Cassio

　　'Tis but a little way that I can bring you;For I attend here: but I'll see you soon.Bianca

　　'Tis very good; I must be circumstanced.Exeunt