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His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift;
I'll intermingle every thing he does

With Cassio's suit: Therefore be merry, Cassio;
For thy solicitor shall rather die,

Than give thy cause away.

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And hear me speak.

Cas. Madam, not now; I am very ill at ease,

Unfit for mine own purposes.

Des.

Do your discretion.

Iago.

Well, well,

[Exit CASSIO.

Ha! I like not that.

Oth. What dost thou say?

Iago. Nothing, my lord: or if-I know not what. Oth. Was not that Cassio, parted from my wife? Iago. Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guilty-like,

Seeing you coming.

Oth.

I do believe 'twas he.

Des. How now, my lord?

I have been talking with a suitor here,

A man that languishes in your displeasure.

Oth. Who is't, you mean?

Des. Why, your lieutenant Cassio. Good my lord,

If I have any grace, or power to move you,
His present reconciliation take;"

For, if he be not one that truly loves you,

7 His present reconciliation take;] To take his reconciliation, may be to accept the submission which he makes in order to be reconciled.

That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning,
I have no judgment in an honest face:

I pr'ythee, call him back.

Oth.

8

Went he hence now?

Des. Ay, sooth; so humbled,

That he hath left part of his grief with me;

I suffer with him. Good love, call him back.
Oth. Not now, sweet Desdemona; some other

time.

Des. But shall't be shortly?

Oth.
Des. Shall't be to-night at supper?
Oth.

The sooner, sweet, for

you.

No, not to-night.

Des. To-morrow dinner then?
Oth.

I shall not dine at home;

I meet the captains at the citadel.

Des. Why then, to-morrow night; or Tuesday

morn;

Or Tuesday noon, or night; or Wednesday morn;-
I pray thee, name the time; but let it not
Exceed three days: in faith, he's penitent;
And yet his trespass, in our common reason,
(Save that, they say, the wars must make examples
Out of their best,) is not almost a fault

To incur a private check: When shall he come?
Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my soul,
What you could ask me, that I should deny,
Or stand so mammering on.' What! Michael Cassio,
That came a wooing with you; and many a time,
When I have spoke of you dispraisingly,
Hath ta'en your part; to have so much to do

8 and not in cunning,] Cunning, for knowledge.

9

the wars must make examples

Out of their best,] The severity of military discipline must not spare the best men of their army, when their punishment may afford a wholesome example.

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so mammering on.] To hesitate, to stand in suspense.

To bring him in! Trust me, I could do much,Oth. Pr'ythee, no more: let him come when he will;

I will deny thee nothing.

Des.

Why, this is not a boon ;
"Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,
Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm;
Or sue to you to do peculiar profit

To your own person: Nay, when I have a suit,
Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed,

It shall be full of poize2 and difficulty,

And fearful to be granted.

Oth.

I will deny thee nothing: Whereon, I do beseech thee, grant me this, To leave me but a little to myself.

Des. Shall I deny you? no: Farewell, my lord. Oth. Farewell, my Desdemona: I will come to thee straight.

Des. Emilia, come :-Be it as your fancies teach

you;

Whate'er you be, I am obedient.

[Exit, with EMILIA. Oth. Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul,

But I do love thee! and when I love thee not,

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2

you woo'd

Oth. He did, from first to last: Why dost thou ask?

full of poize] i. e. of weight.

3 Excellent wretch!] The meaning of the word wretch, is not generally understood. It is now, in some parts of England, a term of the softest and fondest tenderness. It expresses the utmost degree of amiableness, joined with an idea which perhaps all tenderness includes, of feebleness, softness, and want of protection.

Iago. But for a satisfaction of my thought;

No further harm.

Oth.

Why of thy thought, Iago?

Iago. I did not think, he had been acquainted

with her.

Oth. O, yes; and went between us very oft.
Iago. Indeed?

Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed :-Discern'st thou aught

in that?

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Think, my lord!

By heaven, he echoes me,

As if there were some monster in his thought
Too hideous to be shown.-Thou dost mean some

thing:

I heard thee say but now,-Thou lik'dst not that,
When Cassio left my wife; What did'st not like?
And, when I told thee he was of my counsel
In my whole course of wooing, thou cry'dst, Indeed?
And did'st contract and purse thy brow together,
As if thou then had'st shut up in thy brain
Some horrible conceit: If thou dost love me,
Show me thy thought.

Iago. My lord, you know I love you.

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Oth. I think, thou dost ; And, for I know thou art full of love and honesty, And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st them breath,

Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more: For such things, in a false disloyal knave,

Are tricks of custom; but, in a man that's just,

They are close denotements, working from the heart, That passion cannot rule.*

Iago.

I dare be sworn, I think that he is honest.

For Michael Cassio,

Men should be what they seem;

Oth. I think so too.

Iago.

Or, those that be not, 'would they might seem none ! Oth. Certain, men should be what they seem. Iago.

I think that Cassio is an honest man.

Oth. Nay, yet there's more in this:

Why then,

I pray thee, speak to me as to thy thinkings,

As thou dost ruminate; and give thy worst of thoughts The worst of words.

Iago.

Good my lord, pardon me ;

Though I am bound to every act of duty,

I am not bound to that all slaves are free to.5 Utter my thoughts? Why, say, they are vile and false,

As where's that palace, whereinto foul things
Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast so pure,
But some uncleanly apprehensions

Keep leets, and law-days, and in session sit
With meditations lawful?

Oth. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago, If thou but think'st him wrong'd, and mak'st his ear A stranger to thy thoughts.

Iago.
I do beseech you,--
Though I, perchance, am vicious in my guess,
As, I confess, it is my nature's plague

To spy into abuses; and, oft, my jealousy

4 They are close denotements, working from the heart, That passion cannot rule.] i. e. indications, or recoveries, not openly revealed, but involuntarily working from the heart, which cannot rule and suppress its feelings.

to that all slaves are free to.] I am not bound to do that, which even slaves are not bound to do.

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