He shall in strangeness stand no further off
Than in a politick distance.

Cas.

Ay, but, lady,
That policy may either last so long,
Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet,
Or breed itself so out of circumstance,

That, I being absent, and my place supplied,
My general will forget my love and service.

Des. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here,
I give thee warrant of thy place: assure thee,
If I do vow a friendship, I'll perform it

To the last article: my lord shall never rest;
I'll watch him tame, and talk him out of patience;
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.

Enter OTHELLO, and IAGO, at a distance.

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,

3 Hawks are tamed by keeping them from sleep.

That he would steal away so guilty-like,
Seeing you coming.

Oth

I do believe 't was 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,
That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning,
I have no judgment in an honest face:
I pr'y thee, call him back.

Oth.

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.
The sooner, sweet, for
Des. Shall't be to-night at supper?
Oth.

Des. To-morrow dinner then?
Oth.

you.

No, not to-night.

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 4,) is not almost a fault

To incur a private check: When shall he come?

4 Best men.

Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my soul,
What you could ask me, that I should deny,
Or stand so mammering on.

Cassio,

5

What! Michael

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
To bring him in! Trust me, I could do much,
Oth. Pr'y thee, 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 poize and difficulty,

6

And fearful to be granted.

Oth.
Whereon, I do beseech thee, grant me this,
To leave me but a little to myself.

I will deny thee nothing:

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 wench! Perdition catch my soul,

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

What dost thou say, Iago?

Iago. Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my

lady,

Know of your love?

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

ask?

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?

Thou dost mean some

As if there were some monster in his thought

Too hideous to be shown.

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, In-
deed?

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.

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,

Iago.

Men should be what they seem ;

Oth. I think so too.

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.

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

I entreat you then,

Shapes faults that are not,
From one that so imperfectly conjects",

You'd take no notice; nor build yourself a trouble

7 Courts of enquiry.

VOL. X.

3 Conjectures.

D D