And wit depends on dilatory time. Pleasure and action make the hours seem short.- My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress; Myself, the while, to draw the Moor apart, ACTI SCENE I.-Before the Castle. Enter CASSIO, and some Musicians. Cas. Masters, play here (I will content your pains) Something that's brief; and bid "Good-morrow, general." [Music. Enter Clown. Clo. Why, masters, have your instruments been at Naples, that they speak i' the nose thus? 1st Mus. How, sir, how? Clo. Are these, I pray you, called wind in struments? 1st Mus. Ay, marry are they, sir. Clo. Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument that I know. But, masters, here's money for you and the general so likes your music, that he desires you, of all loves, to make no more noise with it. 1st Mus. Well, sir, we will not. Clo. If you have any music that may not be heard, to 't again: but, as they say, to hear music the general does not greatly care. 1st Mus. We have none such, sir. Clo. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away. Go; vanish into air; away. [Exeunt Musicians. Cas. Dost thou hear, my honest friend? Clo. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you. Cas. Pr'y thee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor piece of gold for thee: if the gentlewoman that attends the general's wife be stirring, tell her there's one Cassio entreats her a little favour of speech. Wilt thou do this? Clo. She is stirring, sir: if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her. Enter IAGO. [Exit. Cas. Do, good my friend.-In happy time, Iago. Iago. You have not been abed, then? Cas. Why, no: the day had broke Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago, That policy may either last so long Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet, Des. Do not doubt that: before Emilia here, Than give thy cause away. Enter OTHELLO and IAGO, at a distance. Emil. Or Tuesday noon, or night; or Wednesday morn: I pray thee, name the time; but let it not That came a wooing with you; and so many a time, When I have spoke of you dispraisingly, Oth. Pr'y thee, no more: let him come when he will: I will deny thee nothing. Des. Why, this is not a boon : "T is as I should entreat you wear your gloves, Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm; Or sue to you to do peculiar profit To your own person. Nay, when I have a suit Oth. I will deny thee nothing: Whereon, I do beseech thee grant me this, To leave me but a little to myself. Des. Shall I deny you? no. Farewell, my lord. Oth. Farewell, my Desdemona: I will come to thee straight. Des. Emilia, come.-Be it as your fancies teach you: Whate'er you be, I am obedient. [Exit with EMILIA. Oth. Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul But I do love thee! and, when I love thee not, Chaos is come again. By heaven, he echoes me, As if there were some monster in his thought Too hideous to be shewn.-Thou dost mean something: I heard thee say but now,―Thou lik'dst not that, And didst contract and purse thy brow together, Iago. My lord, you know I love you. Oth. 'T was mine, 't is his, and has been slave to thousands: But he that filches from me my good name, Oth. By heaven, I'll know thy thought. O beware, my lord, of jealousy: It is the green-eyed monster which doth make The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss, Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger: But O, what damnéd minutes tells he o'er, Who dotes, yet doubts; suspects, yet strongly loves! Oth. O misery! Jago. Poor and content is rich, and rich enough: But riches, fineless, is as poor as winter, To him that ever fears he shall be poor. Oth. Why! why is this? To such exsufflicate and blown surmises, Matching thy inference. "T is not to make me jealous, To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company; Is free of speech; sings, plays, and dances well: Iago. I am glad of this; for now I shall have reason To shew the love and duty that I bear you In Venice they do let heaven see the pranks They dare not shew their husbands: their best conscience Is not to leave undone, but keep unknown. Iago. She did deceive her father, marrying you; And when she seemed to shake and fear your looks, She loved them most. Not to affect many proposéd matches Oth. Farewell, farewell. If more thou dost perceive, let me know more: Set on thy wife to observe. Leave me, lago. Iago. My lord, I take my leave. [Going. Oth. Why did I marry?-This honest creature, doubtless, Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds. Iago. My lord, I would I might entreat your honour To scan this thing no further: leave it to time. [Exit. Oth. Fear not my government. Iago. I once more take my leave. Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty, And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit, Of human dealings.—If I do prove her haggard, Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings, I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind, To prey at fortune.-Haply for I am black, And have not those soft parts of conversation That chamberers have: or, for I am declined Into the vale of years;-yet that's not much:She's gone; I am abused; and my relief Must be to loath her.-O curse of marriage, That we can call these delicate creatures ours, And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad, And live upon the vapour of a dungeon, Than keep a corner in the thing I love For others' uses. Yet 'tis the plague of great ones; Prerogatived are they less than the base: "T is destiny unshunnable, like death: Even then this forkéd plague is fated to us, When we do quicken.—Desdemona comes: Enter DESDEMONA and EMILIA. If she be false, O then heaven mocks itself!— How now, my dear Othello? |