That either makes me, or fordoes me quite. For to deny each article with oath, [Exeunt. Cannot remove, nor choke, the strong conception, A bed-chamber: DESDEMONA in bed That I do groan withal. Thou art to die. asleep. A light burning. SCENE II. Enter OTHEllo. [Takes off his sword. I cannot give it vital growth again, No, Heaven forefend! I would not kill thy soul. Des. Talk you of killing? Oth.Ay, I do. Des. Then heaven Have mercy on me! Oth. Amen, with all my heart! Des. If you say so, I hope you will not kill me. Oth. Humph! Des. And yet I fear you; for you are fatal then, When your eyes roll so. Why I should fear, I know not, Since guiltiness I know not; but yet, I feel, I fear. Des. They are loves I bear to you. Des. That death's unnatural, that kills for loving. Oth. Peace, and be still! Des. I will so; what's the matter? Oth. That handkerchief, which I so lov'd, and gave thee, Thou gav'st to Cassio. Des. No, by my life and soul! Send for the man, and ask him. Oth. Sweet soul, take heed, Take heed of perjury! thou'rt on thy death-bed! Des. Ay, but not yet to die. Oth. Yes, presently! Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin; Des. Then, Lord have mercy on me! Des. And have you mercy too! I never did Send for him hither, I saw the handkerchief. Oth. That he hath us'd thee. Des. He'll not say so. Oth. No, his mouth is stopp'd: Honest Iago hath ta'en order for't. Des. My fear interprets then, what, is he dead? Oth. Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge Had stomach for them all. Des. Alas! he is betray'd, and I undone, Des. O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not! Des. Kill me to-morrow, let me live to-night! Des. But while I say one prayer. [He smothers her. Emil. [Within.] My lord, my lord! what ho! my lord! my lord! Oth. What noise is this? quite dead? - Not dead! not yet I, that am cruel, am yet merciful; I would not have thee linger in thy pain.So, so. lord! Emil. [Within.] What ho! my lord, my Oth. Yes;-'tis Emilia: by and by. - She's dead. Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse Of sun and moon; and that the affrighted globe Should yawn at alteration. Emil. Within.] I do beseech you, I may speak with you, O, good my lord! Oth. I had forgot thee: 0, come in, Emilia! Soft, by and by:-let me the curtains draw. Where art thou? What's the matter with thee now? [Unlocks the door. Enter EMILIA. Emil. O, good my lord, yonder's foul murder done. Oth. What? now? Emil. But now, my lord! Oth. It is the very error of the moon; She comes more near the earth, than she was wont; Emil. Cassio, my lord, has kill'd a young Venetian, Oth. Roderigo kill'd! And Cassio kill'd? Emil. No, Cassio is not kill'd. The Moor has kill'd my mistress: murder! murder! Mon. What is the matter!- How now, general? Emil. Disprove this villain, if thou be'st a man: Oth. Not Cassio kill'd? Then murder's out of tune, Speak, for my heart is full. And sweet revenge grows harsh. Des. 0, falsely, falsely murder'd! Oth. That! what! Emil. Out, and alas! that was my lady's voice: Emil. O, who hath done Des. Nobody; I myself; farewell! Commend me to my kind lord; 0, farewell! [Dies. Oth. You heard her say herself, it was not I. Emil. O, the more angel she, And you the blacker devil! Oth. She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore. Emil. Thou art rash as fire, to say Oth. Thy husband. Emil. That she was false to wedlock? Oth. Ay, with Cassio. Nay, had she been true, If heaven would make me such another world Of one entire and perfect chrysolite, I'd not have sold her for it. Emil. My husband? Oth. Ay, 'twas he that told me first; An honest man he is, and hates the slime Emil. My husband? Oth. What needs this iterance, woman? I say, thy Iago. I told him what I thought; and told no more, Than what he found himself was apt and true. Emil. But did you ever tell him, she was false? Iago. I did. Emil. You told a lie, an odious, damned lie! She false with Cassio! Did you say with Cassio? tongue! Emil. I will not charm my tongue: I am bound to speak; My mistress here lies murder'd in her bed. All. O heavens forefend! Emil. And your reports have set the murder on. 1 scarce did know you, uncle! there lies your niece, Whose breath, indeed, these hands have newly stopp'd; I know, this act shows horrible and grim. Gra. Poor Desdemona! I am glad thy father's dead; Oth. 'Tis pitiful: but yet fago knows, A thousand times committed: Cassio confess'd it: Emil. O heaven! O heavenly powers! Emil.'Twill out, 'twill out;-I hold my peace,sir? no; No, I will speak as liberal as the air; Let heaven, and men, and devils, let them all, Emil. I will not. [Iago offers to stab his wife. Your sword upon a woman? Emil. O thou dull Moor! that handkerchief thou I found by fortune, and did give my husband; (More than, indeed, belong'd to such a trifle,) He begg'd of me to steal it. Iago. Villainous whore! Emil. She give it Cassio! no, alas; I found it Emil. By heaven, I do not! I do not, gentlemen! O murd'rous coxcomb! what should such a fool Do with so good a wife? [Iago stabs Emilia, then runs out. Oth. Are there no stones in heaven, But what serve for the thunder?- Precious villain! Gra. The woman falls; sure, he has kill'd his wife. Emil. Ay, ay; 0, lay me by my mistress' side! Gra. He's gone, but his wife's kill'd. Mon. 'Tis a notorious villain. Take you this weapon, Which I have here recover'd from the Moor, Come, guard the door without; let him not pass, But kill him rather; I'll after that same villain, For 'tis a damned slave. [Exeunt Montano and Gratiano. Oth. I am not valiant neither, Emil. What did thy song bode, lady? [Dies. Oth. I have another weapon in this chamber, It is a sword of Spain, the ice-brook's temper; O, here it is: Uncle, I must come forth. Gra.[Within.]If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear; Thou hast no weapon, and perforce must suffer. Oth. Look in upon me then, and speak with me, Or, naked as I am, I will assault thee! Re-enter GRATIANO. Gra. What is the matter? Oth. Behold! I have a weapon; Upon a soldier's thigh; I have seen the day, - O cursed, cursed slave!-Whip me, ye devils, Enter LODOVICO, MONTANO, CASSIo carried in a chair. man ? Oth. That's he, that was Othello; here I am. Lod. Where is that viper? bring the villain forth! Oth. I look down towards his feet;-but that's a fable: If that thou be'st a devil, I cannot kill thee. [Othello wounds Iago. Lod. Wrench his sword from him. Iago. I bleed, sir; but not kill'd. Oth. I am not sorry neither; I'd have thee live: For, in my sense, 'tis happiness to die. Lod. O thou Othello, that was once so good, An honourable murderer, if you will; Cas. Dear general, I never gave you cause, From this time forth I never will speak word. Gra. Torments will ope your lips. Oth. Well, thou dost best. Lod. Sir, you shall understand what hath befall'n, Which, as I think, you know not: here is a letter, Found in the pocket of the slain Roderigo; And here, another: the one of them imports The death of Cassio to be untertook By Roderigo. Oth. O villain! Cas. Most heathenish, and most gross! Oth. O the pernicious caitiff!— Cas. I found it in my chamber: And he himself confess'd, but even now, That there he dropp'd it, for a special purpose, Which wrought to his desire. Oth. O fool! fool! fool! Cas. There is, besides, in Roderigo's letter, Lod. You must forsake this room, and go with us; I have done the state some service, and they know it: Where a malignant and a turban'd Turk Lord. O bloody period! Gra. All, that's spoke, is marr'd. [Stabs himself. Lod. O Spartan dog, More fell than anguish, hunger, or the sea! Oth. I kiss'd thee, ere I kill'd thee; - no way but For they succeed to you.-To you, lord governor, [Exeunt. LEIPSIC, PRINTED BY B. G. TEUBNER. THE END. |