Des. Where should I lose that handkerchief, Æmilia?

Emil. I know not, madam.

620

Des. Believe me, I had rather have lost my purse. Full of cruzadoes: And, but my noble Moor

Is true of mind, and made of no such baseness
As jealous creatures are, it were enough

To put him to ill thinking.

Emil. Is he not jealous?

Des. Who, he? I think, the sun, where he was born,

Drew all such humours from him.

Emil. Look, where he comes.

Des. I will not leave him now, 'till Cassio be 630 Call'd to him.-How is it with you, my lord?

Enter OTHELLO.

Oth. Well, my good lady :-[ Aside.] O, hardness to dissemble!

How do you, Desdemona ?

C Des. Well, my good lord.

Oth. Give me your hand: This hand is moist, my

lady.

Des. It yet hath felt no age, nor known no sɔr

row

Oth. This argues fruitfulness, and liberal heart ;Hot, hot, and moist: This hand of your's requires A sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer, Much castigation, exercise devout; For here's a young and sweating devil here,

Hij

640

That

That commonly rebels. 'Tis a good hand,
A frank one.

Des. You may, indeed, say so;

For 'twas that hand that gave away my heart.

Oth. A liberal hand: The hearts, of old, gave

hands;

But our new heraldry is-hands, not hearts.

Des. I cannot speak of this.

promise.

Oth. What promise, chuck?

Come now, your

649

you.

Des. I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with

Oth. I have a salt and sullen rheum offends me;

Lend me thy handkerchief.

Des. Here, my lord.

Oth. That which I gave you.

Des. I have it not about me.

Oth. Not?

Des. No, indeed, my lord.

Oth. That is a fault: That handkerchief

Did an Ægyptian to my mother give :
She was a charmer, and could almost read

660

The thoughts of people: she told her, while she

kept it,

'Twould make her amiable, and subdue

Entirely to her love; but, if she lost it,

Or made a gift of it, my father's eye

my father

Should hold her loathly, and his spirits should hunt
After 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

Make it a darling like your precious eye;

To lose't, or give't away, were such perdition, 670 As nothing else could match.

Oth. 'Tis true; there's magic in the web of it:
A sibyl, that had number'd in the world
The 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 dy'd in mummy, which the skilful
Conserv'd of maidens' hearts.

Des. Indeed! is it true?

680

Oth. Most veritable; therefore look to it well.
Des. Then would to heaven, that I had never seen it!
Oth. Ha! wherefore?

Des. Why do you speak so startingly and rash?
Oth. Is it lost? is it gone? speak! is it out of the

way?

Des. Heaven bless us!

Oth. Say you?

Des. It is not lost; But what an if it were?

Oth. Ha!

Des. I say, it is not lost.

Oth. Fetch it, let me see it.

Des. Why, so I can, sir, but I will not now; This is a trick, to put me from my suit

I pray, let Cassio be receiv'd again.

690

Oth. Fetch me that handkerchief; my mind mis

gives.

Des. Come, come;

Hiij

You'll

You'll never meet a more sufficient man.

Oth. The handkerchief

Des. I pray, talk me of Cassio.

Oth. The handkerchief

700

Des. A man that, all his time,

Hath founded his good fortunes on your love;

Shar'd dangers with you

Oth. The handkerchief

Des. Insooth, you are to blame.

Oth. Away!

Emil. Is not this man jealous?

Des. I ne'er saw this before.

[Exit OTHELLO.

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

710

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

Enter IAGO, and CASSIO.

lago. There is no other way; 'tis she must do't; And, lo, the happiness! go, and importune her. Des. How now, good Cassio, what's the news with you?

Cas. Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you,

That, by your virtuous means, I may again

Exist, and be a member of his love,
Whom I, with all the duty of my heart,
Entirely honour; I would not be delay'd:
If my offence be of such mortal kind,

720

That

That neither service past, nor present sorrows,
Nor purpos'd 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 forc'd content,

And shut myself up in some other course,
To fortune's alms.

Des. 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 best;

And stood within the blank of his displeasure,

730

For my free speech! You must a while be patient: What I can do, I will; and more I will,

Than for myself I dare; let that suffice you. 740 lago. Is my lord angry?

Emil. He went hence but now,

And, certainly, in strange unquietness.

lago. 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 arm

Puff'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. [Exit.
Des. I pr'ythee, do so.-Something, sure, of state,-
Either from Venice; or some unhatch'd practice,
Made demonstrable here in Cyprus to him— 752
Hath puddled his clear spirit: and, in such cases,

Men's