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;
For to deny each article with oath,
Cannot remove, nor choke, the strong conception,
That I do groan withal. Thou art to die.

Des. Then, Lord have mercy on me!
Oth. I

say, amen.
Des. And have you mercy too !-I never did
Offend you in my life; never lov'd Cassio,
But with such general warranty of heaven
As I might love: I never gave him token.

Oth. By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in his hand.
O perjur’d woman! thou dost stone my heart,
And mak'st me call, what I intend to do,---
A murder, which I thought a sacrifice:
I saw the handkerchief.

Des. He found it then;
I never gave it him :---Send for him hither,
And let him confess a truth.

Oth. He hath confess'd.
Des. What, my lord ?
Oth. That he hath---us'd thee.
Des. How? unlawfully ?
Oth. Ay.
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.
Oth. Out, strumpet! Weep'st thou for him to my

face?
Des. O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not.
Oth. Down, strumpet!
Des. Kill me to-morrow, let me live to-night.
Oth. Nay, if you strive,-
Des. But half an hour.

Oth. Being done,
There is no pause.

Des. But while I say one prayer.
Oth. It is too late.

[He smothers her. Emil. [Within.] My lord, my lord! what ho! mý

lord ! my lord! Oth. What noise is this ?---Not dead! not yet quite

dead?
I, that am cruel, am yet merciful;
I would not have thee linger in thy pain.---
So, so.
Emil. [Within.] What ho! my lord, iny

lord! Oth. Who's there? Emil. [Within.] 0, good my lord, I would speak a

word with you. Oth. Yes ;---'tis Emilia :---by and by.---She's dead. 'Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death; The noise was high.---Ha! no more moving? Still as the grave. Shall she come in? Were't good ? I think, she stirs again :---No.---What's the best? If she come in, she'll sure speak to my wife: My wife! my wife! what wife?---I have no wife: O, insupportable! O heavy hour! 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;
And makes men mad.

Emil. Cassio, my lord, has killd a young Venetian,
Call’d---Roderigo.

Oth. Roderigo killd!
And Cassio kill'd ?

Emil. No, Cassio is not kill'd.

Oth. Not Cassio kill'd? Then murder's out of tune,
And sweet revenge grows harsh.

Des. O, falsely, falsely murder'd !
Emil. Alas! what cry is that?
Oth. That! what?

Emil. Out, and alas ! that was my lady's voice :--
Help! help, ho! help!---O lady, speak again!
Sweet Desdemona ! O, sweet mistress, speak!

Des. A guiltless death I die.

Emil. O, who hath done
This deed ?

Des. Nobody; I myself; farewell: Commend me to my kind lord; O, farewell.

[Dies. Oth. Why, how should she be murder'd ? Emil. Alas, who knows? Oth. You heard her say herself, it was not I. Emil. She said so; I must needs report the truth.

Oth. She's, like a liar, gone to burning hell; 'Twas I that kill'd her.

Emil. O, the more angel she,
And you the blacker devil!

Oth. She turn’d to folly, and she was a whore.
Emil. Thou dost belie her, and thou art a devil.
Oth. She was false as water.

Emil. Thou art rash as fire, to say
That she was false ; 0, she was heavenly true!

Oth. Cassio did tup her: ask thy husband else.
O, I were damn'd beneath all depth in hell,
But that I did proceed upon just grounds
To this extremity; Thy husband knew it all.

Emil. My husband ?
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 That sticks on filthy deeds.

Emil. My husband?

Oth. What needs this iterance, woman? I say, thy

husband. Emil. O mistress, villainy hath made mocks with

love ! -
My husband say, that she was false?

Oth. He, woman;
I say, thy husband; Dost understand the word ?
My friend, thy husband, honest, honest Iago.

Emil. If he say so, may his pernicious soul
Rot half a grain a day! he lies to the heart;
She was too fond of her most filthy bargain.

Oth. Ha!

Emil. Do thy worst:
This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven,
Than thou wast worthy her.

Oth. Peace, you were best.

Emil. Thou hast not half the power to do me harm, As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt ! As ignorant as dirt! thou hast done a deed -I care not for thy sword; I'll make thee known, Though I lost twenty lives :—Help! help, ho! help! The Moor has kill'd my mistress; Murder! murder!

Enter MONTANO, GRATIANO, and Iago. Mon. What is the matter !-How now, general ?

Emil. O, are you come, Iago? you have done well, That men must lay their murders on your neck.

Gra. What is the matter?

Emil. Disprove this villain, if thou be’st a man:
He says, thou told'st him that his wife was false:
I know, thou didst not, thou’rt not such a villain;
Speak, for my heart is full.