And live upon the vapour of a dungeon,
Than keep a corner in the thing I love,
For others' uses.-

Desdemona comes:

If she be false, O, then Heaven mocks itself!-
I'll not believe it.

Enter DESDEMONA and EMILIA.

Des. How now, my dear Othello? Your dinner, and the generous islanders By you invited, do attend your presence. Oth. I am to blame.

Des. Why is your speech so faint? are you not well? Oth. I have a pain upon my forehead, here.

Des. Why, that's with watching; 'twill away again; Let me but bind it hard, within this hour It will be well.

Oth. Your napkin is too little;

[He puts the Handkerchief from him, and it drops. Let it alone.-Come, I'll go in with you. Des. I am very sorry, that you are not well.

[Exeunt DESDEMONA and OTHELLO. Emil. I am glad, I have found this napkin; This was her first remembrance from the Moor: My wayward husband hath a hundred times Woo'd me to steal it; but she so loves the token, (For he conjur❜d her, she should ever keep it,) That she reserves it evermore about her,

To kiss and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out,
And give it lago:

What he will do with't, Heaven knows, not I;
I nothing, but to please his fantasy.

Enter IAGO.

Iago. How now! what do you here alone?
Emil. Do not you chide; I have a thing for you.

Iago. You have a thing for me?-it is a common

thing,

Emil. Ha?

Iago. To have a foolish wife.

Emil. O, is that all? What will you give me now For that same handkerchief?

Iago. What handkerchief?

Emil. What handkerchief?

Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona;
That which so often you did bid me steal.
Iago. Hast stolen it from her?

Emil No; but she let it drop by negligence;
And, to the advantage, I, being here, took't up.
Look, here it is.

Lago. A good wench; give it me.

Emil. What will you do with't, that you've been so

earnest

To have me filch it?

Iago. Why, what's that to you?

[Snatching it.

Emil. If't be not for some purpose of import, Give't me again: Poor lady! she'll run mad When she shall lack it.

Iago. Be not you known on't? I have use for it. Go, leave me.

[Exit EMILIA.

I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin,
And let him find it: Trifles, light as air,
Are, to the jealous, confirmations strong

As proofs of holy writ. This may do something.-
The Moor already changes with my poison :
Dangerous conceits are, in their natures, poisons,
Which, at the first, are scarce found to distaste;
But, with a little act upon the blood,

Burn like the mines of sulphur.-I did say so :-
Look, where he comes! Not poppy, nor mandragora,
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,

Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
Which thou ow'dst yesterday.

Enter OTHELLO.

Oth. Ha! ha! false to me? to me?

Iago. Why, how now, general? no more of that. Oth. Avaunt! begone! thou'st set me on the rack:

I swear, 'tis better to be much abus'd,

Than but to know't a little.

Iago. How now, my lord?

Oth. What sense had I of her stol'n hours of lust?
I saw't not, thought it not, it harm'd not me:
I slept the next night well, was free and merry;
I found not Cassio's kisses on her lips:
He, that is robb'd, not wanting what is stol'n,
Let him not know't, and he's not robb'd at all.
Iago. I am sorry to hear this.

Oth. I had been happy, if the general camp,
Pioneers and all, bad tasted her sweet body,
So I had nothing known: O now, for ever,
Farewell the tranquil mind! farewell content!
Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars,
That make ambition virtue, O, farewell!
Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife,
The royal banner,—and all quality,

Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!
And O, ye mortal engines, whose rude throats
The immortal Jove's dread clamours counterfeit,
Farewell! Othello's occupation's gone.

Iago. Is it possible?-My lord,

Oth. [Seizing him.] Villain! be sure thou prove my love a whore;

Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof,

Or, by the worth of mine eternal soul,

Thou hadst been better have been born a dog,
Than answer my wak'd wrath.

Iago. Is't come to this?

Oth. Make me to see't; or, (at the least,) so prove it, That the probation bear no hinge, nor loop,

To hang a doubt on; or, woe upon thy life!
Iago. My noble lord,-

Oth. If thou dost slander her, and torture me,
Never pray more: abandon all remorse;

On horror's head horrors accumulate;

Do deeds to make Heaven weep, all earth amaz'd;
For nothing canst thou to damnation add
Greater than that.

Iago. O grace! O Heaven defend me!

Are you a man? have you a soul, or sense ?Heaven be wi' you; take mine office.-O wretched fool,

That liv'st to make thine honesty a vice !

O monstrous world! Take note, take note, O world,
To be direct and honest, is not safe.-

I thank you for this profit; and, from hence,
I'll love no friend, since love breeds such offence.

[Going.
Oth. Nay, stay:-Thou shouldst be honest.
Iago. I should be wise; for honesty's a fool,
And loses that it works for.
Oth. By the world,

I think my wife be honest, and think she's not:
I think that thou art just, and think thou'rt not;
I'll have some proof: Her name, that was as fresh
As Dian's visage, is now begrim'd, and black
As mine own face.-

'Would I were satisfy'd!

Iago. I see, sir, you are eaten up with passion; I do repent me, that I put it to you.—

You would be satisfy'd?

Oth. Would? nay, I will.

Iago. And may: But, how? how satisfy'd, my lord? Would you, the supervisor, grossly gape on?

Behold her

Oth. Death and damnation! O!

Iago. It were a tedious difficulty, I think,

To bring them to that prospect: Damn them then,
If ever mortal eyes do see them bolster,
More than their own! What then? how then?
What shall I say? Where's satisfaction?
It is impossible, you should see this,

Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys,
As salt as wolves in pride, and fools as gross
As ignorance made drunk. But yet, I say,
If imputation, and strong circumstances,-
Which lead directly to the door of truth,—
Will give you satisfaction, you may have it.
Oth. Give me a living reason she's disloyal.
Iago. I do not like the office:

But, sith I am enter'd in this cause so far,—
Prick'd to't by foolish honesty and love,-
I will go on. I lay with Cassio lately;
And being troubled with a raging tooth,
I could not sleep.

There are a kind of men so loose of soul,

That in their sleeps will mutter their affairs;
One of this kind is Cassio:

In sleep I heard him say,-" Sweet Desdemona,
Let us be wary, let us hide our loves!"

And then, sir, would he gripe, and wring my hand; Cry,--" O, sweet creature!"-and then kiss me hard, As if he pluck'd up kisses by the roots,

That grew upon my lips:

And then

Cry" Cursed fate, that gave thee to the Moor!" Oth. O monstrous! monstrous!

Iago. Nay, this was but his dream.

Oth. But this denoted a foregone conclusion. Iago. "Tis a shrewd doubt, though it be but a dream:

And this may help to thicken other proofs,

That do demonstrate thinly.

Oth. I'll tear her all to pieces.