Duke. Whoe'er he be, that in this foul proceeding, Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of herself, And you of her, the bloody book of law You shall yourself read in the bitter letter, After your own sense; yea, though our proper son Stood in your action. Bra. Humbly, I thank your grace. Here is the man, this Moor; whom now, it seems, Hath hither brought. Duke. We are very sorry for❜t.— What in your own part, can you say to this? Bra. Nothing, but this is so. [TO OTHELLO. Oth. Most potent, great, and reverend signiors, Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech, In speaking for myself: Yet, by your gracious pa tience, I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver Of my whole course of love; what drugs, what charms, What conjuration, and what mighty magic, (For such proceedings am I charg'd withal) I won his daughter with. Bra. A maiden never bold; Of spirit so still and quiet, that her motion To fall in love with what she fear'd to look on? I therefore vouch again, That with some mixtures powerful o'er the blood, Duke. To vouch this is no proof, Othello, speak ;— Did you, by indirect and forced courses, Oth. I do beseech you, Send for the lady to the Sagittar, And let her speak of me before her father: The trust, the office, I do hold of you, Duke. Fetch Desdemona hither. Oth. Ancient, conduct them; you best know the place:- [Exeunt IAGO, RODERIGO, LUCA, and GIOVANNI. And, till she come, as truly as to Heaven I do confess the vices of my blood, So justly to your grave ears I'll present Duke. Say it, Othello. Oth. Her father lov'd me; oft invited me; From year to year; the battles, sieges, fortunes, I ran it through, even from my boyish days, Wherein I spake of most disastrous chances, Of hair-breadth 'scapes i' the imminent deadly breach; And sold to slavery; of my redemption thence, Wherein of antres vast, and desarts idle, Rough quarries, rocks, and hills whose heads touch heaven, It was my hent to speak,-such was my process,— And of the Cannibals that each other eat, The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads Do grow beneath their shoulders.-This to hear, Would Desdemona seriously incline: But still the house affairs would draw her thence; She swore,-In faith, 'twas strange, 'twas passing strange; "Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful: She wish'd, she had not heard it; yet she wish'd That Heaven had made her such a man: she thank'd me; And bade me, if I had a friend that lov'd her, I should but teach him how to tell my story, And I lov'd her, that she did pity them. Duke. I think this tale would win my daughter too. Good Brabantio, Take up this mangled matter at the best: Bra. I pray you, hear her speak; If she confess that she was half the wooer, Enter GIOVANNI, IAGO, DESDEMONA, RODERigo, and LUCA. Come hither, gentle mistress : Do you perceive, in all this noble company, Des. My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty: To you, I am bound for life, and education; How to respect you; you are the lord of duty, I am hitherto your daughter: But here's my husband; Bra. Heaven he with you?—I have done :- I here do give thee that with all my heart, I have done :-Proceed to the affairs of state. Duke. The Turk, with a most mighty preparation, makes for Cyprus:-Othello, the fortitude of the place is best known to you: you must therefore be content to slubber the gloss of your new fortunes with this more stubborn and boisterous expedition. Oth. The tyrant custom, most grave senators, I find in hardness; and do undertake Duke. Be't at her father's. Des. Nor I; I would not there reside, Duke. What would you, Desdemona ? Des. That I did love the Moor to live with him, I saw Othello's visage in his mind; By his dear absence: Let me go with him. Oth. Your voices, lords :-'beseech you, let her will. Have a free way.. |