Clo. O, thereby hangs a tail.

1 Mus. Whereby hangs a tale, sir?

:

Clo. Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument that I know. But, masters, here's money for you and the general so likes your music, that he desires you, of all loves, to make no more noise with it.

1 Mus. Well, sir, we will not.

Clo. If you have any music that may not be heard, to't again but, as they say, to hear music, the general does not greatly care.

1 Mus. We have none such, sir.

Clo. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away: Go; vanish into air; away. [Exe. Musicians.

Cas. Dost thou hear, my honest friend?

:

Clo. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you. Cas. Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor piece of gold for thee if the gentlewoman, that attends the general's wife, be stirring, tell her, there's one Cassio entreats her a little favour of speech: Wilt thou do this? Clo. She is stirring, sir; if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her. [Exit.

Enter LAGO.

Cas. Do good my friend. In happy time, Iago.
Iago. You have not been a-bed then?
Cas. Why, no; the day had broke

Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago,
To send in to your wife: my suit to her
Is, that she will to virtuous Desdemona
Procure me some access.

Iago. I'll send her to you presently;
And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor
Out of the way, that your converse and business
May be more free.

Cas. I humbly thank you for't. I never knew
A Florentine more kind and honest.2

Enter EMILIA.

Emil. Good-morrow, good lieutenant: I am sorry
For your displeasure; but all will soon be well,
The general, and his wife, are talking of it;
And she speaks for you stoutly: The Moor replies,
That he, you hurt, is of great fame in Cyprus,

[Exit.

And great affinity; and that, in wholesome wisdom, [you; He might not but refuse you: but, he protests, he loves

[2] See Illustrations, Vok X.

i

And needs no other suitor, but his likings,
To take the saf'st occasion by the front,
To bring you in again.

Cas. Yet, I beseech you,

If you think fit, or that it may be done,-
Give me advantage of some brief discourse
With Desdemona alone.

Emil. Pray you, come in;

I will bestow you where you shall have time
To speak your bosom freely.

Cas. I am much bound to you.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

A Room in the Castle. Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Gentlemen.

Oth. These letters give, lago, to the pilot;

And, by him, do my duties to the state:

That done, I will be walking on the works,

Repair there to me.

lago. Well, my good lord, I'll do't.

Oth. This fortification, gentlemen,-shall we see't?

Gent. We'll wait upon your lordship.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

Before the Castle. Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILLA. Des. Be thou assur'd, good Cassio, I will do.

All my abilities in thy behalf.

Emil. Good madam, do. I know it grieves my husband, As if the case were his.

Des. O, that's an honest fellow.-Do not doubt, Cassio, But I will have my lord and you again

As friendly as you were.

Cas. Bounteous madam,

Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,

Ile's never any thing but your true servant.

Des. O, sir, I thank you: You do love my lord : You have known him long; and be you well assur'd, He shall in strangeness stand no further off

Than in a politic 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,
For thy solicitor shall rather die,

Than give thy cause away.

Cassio ;

Enter OTHELLO and IAGO, at distance.

Emil. Madam, here comes

My lord.

Iago. Ha! I like not that.

Oth. What dost thou say

?

ill at ease,

[Exit CASSIO,

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?

Good my lord,

Des. Why, your lieutenant Cassio.
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'ythee, call him back.

[3] He may either of himself think it politic to keep me out of office so long, or he may be satisfied with such slight reasons, or so many accidents may make him think my re-admission at that time improper, that I may be quite forgotten. JOHNSON. [4] It is said that the ferocity of beasts, insuperable and irreclaimable by any other means, is subdued by keeping them from sleep. JOHNSON.

11

VOL. X.

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 you.
Des. Shall't be to-night at supper?
Oth. 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 ;~pray thee, name the time; but let it not

I

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, i
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

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 poise 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.

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

JOHNSON.

Des. Emilia, come :-Be it as your fancies teach you; Whate'er you be, I am obedient.

[Exit, with EMIL. Oth. Excellent wretch ! Perdition catch my soul, But I do love thee! and when I love thee not,

Chaos is come again."

Iago. My noble lord,

Oth. 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?

Is he not honest ?

Iago. Honest, my lord?

Oth. Ay, honest.

Iago. My lord, for aught I know

Oth. What dost thou think?

Iago. Think, my lord?

Oth. 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 something;
I heard thee say but now,-Thou lik'st not that,
When Cassio left my wife; What didst not like ?
And, when I told thee-he was of my counsel

In

my whole course of wooing, thou cry'dst, Indeed?
And didst contract and purse thy brow together,
As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain

Some horrible conceit: If thou dost love me,
Show me thy thought.

[6] 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. Othello considering Desdemona as excelling in beauty and virtue, soft and timorous by her sex, and by her situation absolutely in his power, calls her, excellent wretch! It may be expressed, JOHNSON.

Dear, harmless, helpless excellence.

[7] When my love is for a moment suspended by suspicion, I have nothing in my mind but discord, tumult, perturbation and confusion. JOHNSON.

There is another meaning possible: When I cease to love thee, the world is at an end; i. e. there remains nothing valuable or important. STEEVENS.

He means I think, to say, and ere I cease to love thee, the world itself shall be reduced to its primitive chaos. MALONE.