Lod. Are his wits fafe? is he not light of brain? Jago. He's what he is; I may not breathe my cen

fure;

What he might be, if what he might he is not,

I would to heaven, he were!

Lod. What, ftrike his wife!

Iago. 'Faith, that was not fo well; yet 'would I knew,

That stroke would prove the worst.

Lod. Is it his use?

Or did the letters work upon his blood,
And new-create this fault?

Iago. Alas, alas !

It is not honesty in me to speak

What I have feen and known. You fhall obferve him,

And his own courses will denote him fo,

That I may fave my speech. Do but go after,

And mark how he continues.

Lod. I'm forry, that I am deceiv'd in him.

[Exeunt.

Changes to an Apartment in the Palace.

Enter Othello and Æmilia,

Oth. OU have feen nothing then?

You

Emil. Nor ever heard, nor ever did fufpect.

Oth. Yes, you have feen Caffio and her together. Emil. But then I faw no harm; and then I heard Each fyllable, that breath made up between them. Oth. What? did they never whisper?

Emil. Never, my Lord.

Oth. Nor send you out o' th'

Emil. Never.

Ff2

Oth. To fetch her fan, her gloves, her mask, nor nothing?

Emil. Never, my Lord.
Oth. That's strange!

Emil. I durft, my Lord, to wager fhe is honeft, Lay down my foul at ftake: if you think other, Remove your thought, it doth abuse your bofom. If any wretch hath put this in your head,

Let heaven requite it with the ferpent's curfe!
For if she be not honeft, chafte and true,
There's no man happy; the purest of their wives
Is foul as flander.

Oth. Bid her come hither, go. [Exit Emilia. She fays enough; yet she's a simple bawd,

That cannot fay as much. This is a fubtle whore,
A closet lock and key of villainous fecrets;
And yet fhe'll kneel, and pray. I've feen her do 't.

SCENE IX.

Enter Defdemona and Emilia.

Def. My Lord, what is your will?

Oth. Pray you, Chuck, come hither.

Def. What is your pleasure?

Oth. Let me fee your eyes. Look in my face.

Def. What horrible fancy's this?

Oth. [To Emilia.] Some of your function, mistress,

Leave procreants alone, and fhut the door,

Cough, or cry, bem, if any body come.

Your mystery, your mystery.Nay, difpatch.

[Exit Emilia.

Def. Upon my knee, what doth your speech import? I understand a fury in your words,

But not your words.

5 But not your words.] This line is added out of the first edi

don.

POPE.

Oth.

Oth. Why? what art thou?

Def. Your wife, my Lord; your true and loyal wife. Oth. Come, fwear it; damn thyself; left, being like one

Of heaven, the devils themselves fhould fear to seize thee.

Therefore be double-damn'd; fwear, thou art honeft.
Def. Heaven doth truly know it.
Oth. Heaven truly knows,

That thou art falfe as hell.

Def. To whom, my Lord?
With whom? How am I falfe?

Oth. Ah, Desdemona! away, away, away-
Def. Alas, the heavy day! why do you weep?
Am I the motive of these tears, my Lord?

If, haply, you my father do fufpect

An inftrument of this your calling back,

Lay not your blame on me; if you have loft him,
Why, I have lost him too.

Oth. Had it pleas'd heavens

To try me with affliction, had they rain'd
All kind of fores and fhames on my bare head,
Steep'd me in poverty to the very lips,

Giv❜n to captivity me and my utmost hopes;
I fhould have found in fome place of my foul
A drop of patience. But alas, to make me
A fixed figure for the hand of scorn
To point his flow unmoving finger at-
Yet could I bear that too, well, very well.
But there, where I have garner'd up my heart,
Where either I muft live, or bear no life,

6

The fountain from the which my current runs,

Or else dries up; to be difcarded thence;

Or keep it as a ciftern, for foul toads

6_garner'd up my heart,] and the fountain are improperly That is, treafured up; the garner conjoined.

Ff3

Το

To knot and gender in- Turn thy complexion there,
Patience, thou young and rofe-lipp'd cherubin;
Ay, here, look grim as hell.

Def. I hope, my noble Lord esteems me honest.
Oth. Oh, ay, as fummer flies are in the fhambles,
That quicken ev'n with blowing. Oh thou weed!
Who art fo lovely fair, and smell'st so sweet,
That the fense akes at thee-

Would, thou hadft ne'er been born!

Def. Alas, what ignorant fin havé 1 committed? Oth. Was this fair paper, this most goodly book, Made to write whore upon? what, what committed? Committed?oh, thou publick commoner! I should make very forges of my cheeks, That would to cynders burn up modefty,

Did but I fpeak thy deeds. What, what committed?
Heaven ftops the nofe at it, and the moon winks;
The bawdy wind, that kiffes all it meets,

Is hufh'd within the hollow mine of earth,
And will not hear 't. What committed?

ftrumpet!

Def. By heaven, you do me wrong.
Oth. Are not you a ftrumpet?
Def. No, as I am a chriftian.

If to preferve this Veffel for my Lord
From any other, foul, unlawful, touch,
Be not to be a ftrumpet, I am none,
Oth. What, not a whore?
Def. No, as I fhall be faved.
Oth. Is't poffible?

Def. Oh, heaven forgive us!

Oth. I cry you mercy, then.

- Impudent

I took you for that cunning whore of Venice,
That married with Othello

7 -Turn thy complexion there, &c.] At fuch an object do thou, Patience, thyfelf change colour; at this do thou, even thou, refy che qub as thou art, look grim as hell,

The old editions and the new have it,

I bere look grim as kell. I was written for aye, and not fince corrected,

SCENE

You, miftrefs,

SCENE X.

Enter Emilia.

That have the office oppofite to St. Peter,

And keep the gate of hell; You! you! ay, you! We have done our courfe, there's mony for your pains; I pray you, turn the key, and keep our counfel.

[Exit. Emil. Alas,.what does this gentleman conceive? How do you, madam? how do you, my good lady? Def. 'Faith, half asleep.

Emil. Good madam, what's the matter with my Lord?

Def. With whom?

Emil. Why, with my Lord, madam!

Def. Who is thy Lord?

Emil. He that is yours, fweet lady.

Def. I have none; do not talk to me, Emilia.

I cannot weep; nor answer have I none,

But what should go by water. Pray, to-night
Lay on my bed my wedding fheets

And call thy husband hither.

Emil. Here's a change indeed!

Remember;

[Exit.

Def. "Tis meet I fhould be used fo, very meet. How have I been behav'd, that he might stick • The small'ft opinion on my leaft mifufe?

The fmall ft opinion on my leaft mifufe?] The old quarto reads,

The fmall'ft opinion on my great'st abufe.

Which I think is better,

F f 4

SCENE