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Lod. Are his wits safe? is he not light of brain? lago. He is that he is; I may not breathe my

censure,

What he might be, -if, what he might, he is not,I would to heaven, he were.

Lod.

What, strike his wife!

Iago. 'Faith, that was not so well; Yet 'would I knew,

That stroke would prove the worst.
Lod.

Is it his use?

Or did the letters work upon his blood,
And new-create this fault?

Iago.

Alas, alas!

It is not honesty in me, to speak

What I have seen and known. You shall observe

him;

And his own courses will denote him so,

That I may save my speech: Do but go after,

And mark how he continues.

Lod. I am sorry, that I am deceiv'd in him.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

A room in the castle.

Enter Othello and Emilia.

Oth. You have seen nothing then? Emil. Nor ever heard; nor ever did suspect. Oth. Yes, you have seen Cassio and she together. Emil. But then I saw no harm: and then I heard Each syllable, that breath made up between them. Oth. What, did they never whisper? Emil.

Never, my lord.

Oth. Nor send you out o'the way?
Emil.

Never.

Oth. To fetch her fan, her gloves, her mask, nor

nothing?

Emil. Never, my lord.

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1 Oth.

That's strange. Emil. 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 hath 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 wives Is foul as slander. Oth.

Bid her come hither :-go.

[Exit Emilia.

She says enough :-yet she's a simple bawd,
That cannot say as much. This is a subtle whore,
A closet-lock-and-key of villainous secrets :
And yet she'll kneel, and pray; I have seen her do't.

Re-enter Emilia, with Desdemona.

Des. My lord, what is your will?
Oth.

Pray, chuck, come hither.

Des. What is your pleasure ?
Oth.

Look in my face.
Des.

Let me see your eyes;

What horrible fancy's this?

Oth. Some of your function, mistress;

[To Emilia.

Leave procreants alone, and shut the door ;
Cough, or cry-hem, if any body come :
Your mystery, your mystery;-nay, despatch.

[Exit Emilia.

Des. Upon my knees, what doth your speech

import ?

But not the words.

I understand a fury in your words,

Oth. Why, what art thou ?

Your wife, my lord; your true

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Come, swear it, damn thyself;

Lest, being like one of heaven, the devils themselves Should fear to seize thee: therefore be double

damn'd,

Swear-thou art honest.
Des.

Heaven doth truly know it.

Oth. Heaven truly knows, that thou art false as

hell.

Des. To whom, my lord? with whom? How am

I false ?

Oth. O Desdemona!-away! away! away!

Des. Alas, the heavy day!-Why do you weep?

Am I the occasion of these tears, my lord?

If, haply, you my father do suspect,

An instrument of this your calling back,

Lay not your blame on me; if you have lost him,

Why, I have lost him too.

Oth.

Had it pleas'd heaven

To try me with affliction; had he rain'd
All 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 part of my soul
A drop of patience: but (alas!) to make me
A fixed figure, for the time of scorn

To point his slow unmoving finger at,-
Ο!Ο!

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 toads
To knot and gender in!-turn thy complexion there!
Patience, thou young and rose-lipp'd cherubim ;
Ay, there, look grim as hell!

Des. I hope, my noble lord esteems me honest.
Oth. 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 sweet,
That the sense aches at thee.-'Would, thou hadst

ne'er been born!

Des. Alas, what ignorant sin have I committed?

* Treasured up.

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