Othello by William Shakespeare

Act 4 - Scene 2

A room in the castle.

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 heard [p]Each 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, [p]Lay down my soul at
stake: if you think other, [p]Remove your thought; it doth abuse your
bosom. [p]If any wretch have put this in your head, [p]Let heaven
requite it with the serpent's curse! [p]For, if she be not honest,
chaste, and true, [p]There's no man happy; the purest of their
wives [p]Is foul as slander.

Othello : Bid her come hither: go. [p][Exit EMILIA] [p]She says enough; yet
she's a simple bawd [p]That cannot say as much. This is a subtle
whore, [p]A closet lock and key of villanous secrets [p]And yet she'll
kneel and pray; I have seen her do't.

Desdemona : My lord, what is your will?

Othello : Pray, chuck, come hither.

Desdemona : What is your pleasure?

Othello : Let me see your eyes; [p]Look in my face.

Desdemona : What horrible fancy's this?

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

Desdemona : Upon my knees, what doth your speech import? [p]I understand a fury in
your words. [p]But not the words.

Othello : Why, what art thou?

Desdemona : Your wife, my lord; your true [p]And loyal wife.

Othello : Come, swear it, damn thyself [p]Lest, being like one of heaven, the
devils themselves [p]Should fear to seize thee: therefore be double
damn'd: [p]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? [p]Am I the motive of these
tears, my lord? [p]If haply you my father do suspect [p]An instrument
of this your calling back, [p]Lay not your blame on me: If you have
lost him, [p]Why, I have lost him too.

Othello : Had it pleased heaven [p]To try me with affliction; had they
rain'd [p]All kinds of sores and shames on my bare head. [p]Steep'd me
in poverty to the very lips, [p]Given to captivity me and my utmost
hopes, [p]I should have found in some place of my soul [p]A drop of
patience: but, alas, to make me [p]A fixed figure for the time of
scorn [p]To point his slow unmoving finger at! [p]Yet could I bear
that too; well, very well: [p]But there, where I have garner'd up my
heart, [p]Where either I must live, or bear no life; [p]The fountain
from the which my current runs, [p]Or else dries up; to be discarded
thence! [p]Or keep it as a cistern for foul toads [p]To knot and
gender in! Turn thy complexion there, [p]Patience, thou young and
rose-lipp'd cherubin,-- [p]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, [p]That quicken even with
blowing. O thou weed, [p]Who art so lovely fair and smell'st so
sweet [p]That the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst [p]ne'er been
born!

Desdemona : Alas, what ignorant sin have I committed?

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

Desdemona : By heaven, you do me wrong.

Othello : Are you not a strumpet?

Desdemona : No, as I am a Christian: [p]If to preserve this vessel for my
lord [p]From any other foul unlawful touch [p]Be 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: [p]I took you for that cunning whore of
Venice [p]That married with Othello. [p][Raising his voice] [p]You,
mistress, [p]That have the office opposite to Saint Peter, [p]And keep
the gate of hell! [p][Re-enter EMILIA] [p]You, you, ay, you! [p]We
have done our course; there's money for your pains: [p]I pray you,
turn the key and keep our counsel.

Emilia : Alas, what does this gentleman conceive? [p]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; [p]I cannot weep; nor answer
have I none, [p]But what should go by water. Prithee, tonight [p]Lay
on my bed my wedding sheets: remember; [p]And call thy husband
hither.

Emilia : Here's a change indeed!

Desdemona : 'Tis meet I should be used so, very meet. [p]How have I been behaved,
that he might stick [p]The small'st opinion on my least misuse?

Iago : What is your pleasure, madam? [p]How is't with you?

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

Iago : What's the matter, lady?

Emilia : Alas, Iago, my lord hath so bewhored her. [p]Thrown such despite and
heavy terms upon her, [p]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 drink [p]Could 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, [p]Her father and her country
and her friends, [p]To be call'd whore? would it not make one weep?

Desdemona : It is my wretched fortune.

Iago : Beshrew him for't! [p]How comes this trick upon him?

Desdemona : Nay, heaven doth know.

Emilia : I will be hang'd, if some eternal villain, [p]Some busy and
insinuating rogue, [p]Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some
office, [p]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! [p]Why should he call
her whore? who keeps her company? [p]What place? what time? what form?
what likelihood? [p]The Moor's abused by some most villanous
knave, [p]Some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow. [p]O heaven,
that such companions thou'ldst unfold, [p]And put in every honest hand
a whip [p]To lash the rascals naked through the world [p]Even from the
east to the west!

Iago : Speak within door.

Emilia : O, fie upon them! Some such squire he was [p]That turn'd your wit the
seamy side without, [p]And made you to suspect me with the Moor.

Iago : You are a fool; go to.

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

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

Desdemona : If 'twere no other--

Iago : 'Tis but so, I warrant. [p][Trumpets within] [p]Hark, how these
instruments summon to supper! [p]The messengers of Venice stay the
meat; [p]Go in, and weep not; all things shall be well. [p][Exeunt
DESDEMONA and EMILIA] [p][Enter RODERIGO] [p]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; [p]and rather, as it
seems to me now, keepest from me [p]all conveniency than suppliest me
with the least [p]advantage of hope. I will indeed no longer
endure [p]it, nor am I yet persuaded to put up in peace
what [p]already I have foolishly suffered.

Iago : Will you hear me, Roderigo?

Roderigo : 'Faith, I have heard too much, for your words and [p]performances are
no kin together.

Iago : You charge me most unjustly.

Roderigo : With nought but truth. I have wasted myself out of [p]my means. The
jewels you have had from me to [p]deliver to Desdemona would half have
corrupted a [p]votarist: you have told me she hath received
them [p]and returned me expectations and comforts of sudden [p]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 [p]not very well: nay,
I think it is scurvy, and begin [p]to find myself fobbed in it.

Iago : Very well.

Roderigo : I tell you 'tis not very well. I will make myself [p]known to
Desdemona: if she will return me my [p]jewels, I will give over my
suit and repent my [p]unlawful solicitation; if not, assure yourself
I [p]will 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 from [p]this instant
to build on thee a better opinion than [p]ever before. Give me thy
hand, Roderigo: thou hast [p]taken against me a most just exception;
but yet, I [p]protest, I have dealt most directly in thy affair.

Roderigo : It hath not appeared.

Iago : I grant indeed it hath not appeared, and your [p]suspicion is not
without wit and judgment. But, [p]Roderigo, if thou hast that in thee
indeed, which I [p]have greater reason to believe now than ever, I
mean [p]purpose, courage and valour, this night show it: if [p]thou
the next night following enjoy not Desdemona, [p]take me from this
world with treachery and devise [p]engines for my life.

Roderigo : Well, what is it? is it within reason and compass?

Iago : Sir, there is especial commission come from Venice [p]to depute Cassio
in Othello's place.

Roderigo : Is that true? why, then Othello and Desdemona [p]return again to
Venice.

Iago : O, no; he goes into Mauritania and takes away with [p]him the fair
Desdemona, unless his abode be [p]lingered here by some accident:
wherein none can be [p]so determinate as the removing of Cassio.

Roderigo : How do you mean, removing of him?

Iago : Why, by making him uncapable of Othello's place; [p]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. [p]He sups to-night
with a harlotry, and thither will I [p]go to him: he knows not yet of
his horrorable [p]fortune. If you will watch his going thence,
which [p]I will fashion to fall out between twelve and one, [p]you may
take him at your pleasure: I will be near [p]to second your attempt,
and he shall fall between [p]us. Come, stand not amazed at it, but go
along with [p]me; I will show you such a necessity in his
death [p]that you shall think yourself bound to put it on [p]him. It
is now high suppertime, and the night grows [p]to waste: about it.

Roderigo : I will hear further reason for this.

Iago : And you shall be satisfied.

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Next: Act 4 - Scene 3

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