Act IV.

OTHELLO.

97

This is his second fit; he had one yesterday. 60

The lethargy must have his quiet course:

If not, he foams at mouth; and, by and by,
Breaks out to savage madness. Look, he stirs :
Do you withdraw yourself a little while,
He will recover straight; when he is gone,
I would on great occasion speak with you→

[Exit CASSIO. How is it, general? have you not hurt your head? Oth. Dost thou mock me?

lago. I mock you! no, by heaven !

'Would, you would bear your fortunes like a man. Oth. A horned man's a monster, and a beast.

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lago. There's many a beast then in a populous city,

And many a civil monster.

Oth. Did he confess it?

lago. Good sir, be a man;

Think, every bearded fellow, that's but yok'd,
May draw with you: there's millions now alive,
That nightly lie in those unproper beds,

80

Which they dare swear peculiar; your case is better.

O, 'tis the spight of hell, the fiend's arch-mock,

To lip a wanton in a secure couch,

And to suppose her chaste! No, let me know :

And, knowing what I am, I know what she shall be. Oth. O, thou art wise! 'tis certain.

lago. Stand you a while apart; 1

Confine

Confine yourself but in a patient list.

Whilst you were here, ere while, mad with your

grief

(A passion most unsuiting such a man) Cassio came hither: I shifted him away, And laid good 'scuse upon your ecstasy;

90

Bade him anon return, and here speak with me;
The which he promised. Do but encave yourself,
And mark the fleers, the gibes, and notable scorns,.
That dwell in every region of his face;

For I will make him tell the tale anew-
Where, how, how oft, how long ago, and when
He hath, and is again to cope your wife;

I say, but mark his gesture. Marry, patience; 100
Or I shall say, you are all in all in spleen,
And nothing of a man.

Oth. Dost thou hear, Iago?

I will be found most cunning in my patience:

But (dost thou hear?) most bloody.

lago. That's not amiss

But yet keep time in all. Will you withdraw?

[OTHELLO withdraws.

Now will I question Cassio of Bianca,

A housewife, that, by selling her desires,

Buys herself bread and clothes: it is a creature, 110
That dotes on Cassio,-as 'tis the strumpet's plague,
To beguile many, and be beguil'd by one;
He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain
From the excess of laughter :-Here he comes →→→

Enter

Enter CASSIO.`

As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad;
And his unbookish jealousy must construe
Poor Cassio's smiles, gestures, and light behaviour,
Quite in the wrong.-How do you now, lieutenant ?
Cas. The worser, that you give me the addition,
Whose want even kills me.

120

lago. Ply Desdemona well, and you are sure on't. Now, if this suit lay in Bianca's power,

How quickly should you speed?

Cas. Alas, poor caitiff!

Oth. Look, how he laughs already!

[Speaking lower.

[Aside.

lago. I never knew a woman love man so.

Cas. Alas, poor rogue! I think, indeed, she loves

me.

Oth. Now he denies it faintly, and laughs it out.

lago. Do you hear, Cassio?

Oth. Now he importunes him

[Aside.

130

To tell it o'er; Go to; well said, well said. [Aside. Iago. She gives it out, that you shall marry her :

Do you intend it?

Cas. Ha, ha, ha!

Oth. Do you triumph, Roman? do you triumph?

[Aside. Cas. I marry her! what? a customer! I pr'ythee, bear some charity to my wit; do not think it so unwholesome. Ha, ha, ha!

[Aside.

Oth. So, so, so, so: They laugh, that win.

lago. Why, the cry goes, that you shall marry her.

Cas. Pr'ythee, say true.

141

lago. I am a very villain else.

Oth. Have you scor'd me? Well.

[Aside.

Cas. This is the monkey's own giving out: she is persuaded I will marry her, out of her own love and flattery, not out of my promise.

Oth. Iago beckons me; now he begins the story.

[Aside. Cas. She was here even now; she haunts me in every place. I was, the other day, talking on the sea-bank with certain Venetians; and thither comes the bauble; by this hand she falls thus about my neck

152

Oth. Crying, O dear Cassio! as it were: his gesture imports it.

[Aside. Cas. So hangs, and lolls, and weeps upon me; so hales, and pulls me: ha, ha, ha!---

Oth. Now he tells, how she pluck'd him to my chamber: O, I see that nose of yours, but not that dog I shall throw it to.

Cas. Well, I must leave her company.

Fago. Before me! look, where she comes.

Enter BIANCA.

[Aside.

160

Cas. 'Tis such another fitchew! marry, a perfum'd one. What do you mean by thus hunting of

me?

Bian. Let the devil and his dam haunt you! What did you mean by that same handkerchief, you gave me even now? I was a fine fool to take it. I must take out the whole work. A likely piece of work, that you should find it in your chamber, and not know who left it there! This is some minx's token, and I must take out the work? There-give it your hobby-horse: wheresoever you had it, I'll take out no work on't.

173

Cas. How now, my sweet Bianca? how now? how

now?

Oth. By heaven, that should be my handkerchief! [Aside.

Bian. An you'll come to supper to-night, you may : an you will not, come when you are next prepar'd for.

Iago. After her, after her.

Cas. I must, she'll rail in the street else.

Iago. Will you sup there?

Cas. Yes, I intend so,

[Exit.

180

lago. Well, I may chance to see you; for I would

very fain speak with you.

Cas. Pr'ythee, come; Will you?

lago. Go to; say no more.

Oth. How shall I murder him, Iago?

[Exit CASSIO,

Iago. Did you perceive how he laugh'd at his vice?

Oth. O, Iago!

lago. And did you see the handkerchief?

Oth. Was that mine?

190

Jago. Your's, by this hand: and to see how he