Othello - William Shakespeare (autobiographies to read TXT) 📗

billeted:
Away, I say; thou shalt know more hereafter:
Nay, get thee gone. Exit Roderigo.
Two things are to be done:
My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress;
I’ll set her on;
Myself the while to draw the Moor apart,
And bring him jump when he may Cassio find
Soliciting his wife: ay, that’s the way
Dull not device by coldness and delay. Exit. Act III Scene I

Before the castle.

Enter Cassio and some Musicians. Cassio

Masters, play here; I will content your pains;
Something that’s brief; and bid “Good morrow, general.” Music.

Enter Clown. Clown Why masters, have your instruments been in Naples, that they speak i’ the nose thus? First Musician How, sir, how! Clown Are these, I pray you, wind-instruments? First Musician Ay, marry, are they, sir. Clown O, thereby hangs a tail. First Musician Whereby hangs a tale, sir? Clown 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, for love’s sake, to make no more noise with it. First Musician Well, sir, we will not. Clown 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. First Musician We have none such, sir. Clown Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I’ll away: go; vanish into air; away! Exeunt Musicians. Cassio Dost thou hear, my honest friend? Clown No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you. Cassio Prithee, 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? Clown She is stirring, sir: if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her. Cassio Do, good my friend. Exit Clown. Enter Iago. In happy time, Iago. Iago You have not been a-bed, then? Cassio

Why, no; the day had broke
Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago,
To send in to your wife: my suit to her
Is, that she will to virtuous Desdemona
Procure me some access.

Iago

I’ll send her to you presently;
And I’ll devise a mean to draw the Moor
Out of the way, that your converse and business
May be more free.

Cassio

I humbly thank you for’t. Exit Iago.
I never knew
A Florentine more kind and honest.

Enter Emilia. Emilia

Good morrow, good Lieutenant: I am sorry
For your displeasure; but all will sure be well.
The general and his wife are talking of it;
And she speaks for you stoutly: the Moor replies,
That he you hurt is of great fame in Cyprus,
And great affinity, and that in wholesome wisdom
He might not but refuse you; but he protests he loves you
And needs no other suitor but his likings
To take the safest occasion by the front
To bring you in again.

Cassio

Yet, I beseech you,
If you think fit, or that it may be done,
Give me advantage of some brief discourse
With Desdemona alone.

Emilia

Pray you, come in;
I will bestow you where you shall have time
To speak your bosom freely.

Cassio I am much bound to you. Exeunt. Scene II

A room in the castle.

Enter Othello, Iago, and Gentlemen. Othello

These letters give, Iago, to the pilot;
And by him do my duties to the senate:
That done, I will be walking on the works;
Repair there to me.

Iago Well, my good lord, I’ll do’t. Othello This fortification, gentlemen, shall we see’t? Gentlemen We’ll wait upon your lordship. Exeunt. Scene III

The garden of the castle.

Enter Desdemona, Cassio, and Emilia. Desdemona

Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do
All my abilities in thy behalf.

Emilia

Good madam, do: I warrant it grieves my husband,
As if the case were his.

Desdemona

O, that’s an honest fellow. Do not doubt, Cassio,
But I will have my lord and you again
As friendly as you were.

Cassio

Bounteous madam,
Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,
He’s never any thing but your true servant.

Desdemona

I know’t; I thank you. You do love my lord:
You have known him long; and be you well assured
He shall in strangeness stand no further off
Than in a polite distance.

Cassio

Ay, but, lady,
That policy may either last so long,
Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet,
Or breed itself so out of circumstance,
That, I being absent and my place supplied,
My general will forget my love and service.

Desdemona

Do not doubt that; before Emilia here
I give thee warrant of thy place: assure thee,
If I do vow a friendship, I’ll perform it
To the last article: my lord shall never rest;
I’ll watch him tame and talk him out of patience;
His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift;
I’ll intermingle every thing he does
With Cassio’s suit: therefore be merry, Cassio;
For thy solicitor shall rather die
Than give thy cause away.

Emilia Madam, here comes my lord. Cassio Madam, I’ll take my leave. Desdemona Why, stay, and hear me speak. Cassio

Madam, not now: I am very ill at ease,
Unfit for mine own purposes.

Desdemona Well, do your discretion. Exit Cassio. Enter Othello and Iago. Iago Ha! I like not that. Othello What dost thou say? Iago Nothing, my lord: or if⁠—I know not what. Othello Was not that Cassio parted from my wife? Iago

Cassio, my lord! No, sure, I cannot think it,
That he would steal away so guilty-like,
Seeing you coming.

Othello I do believe ’twas he. Desdemona

How now, my lord!
I have been talking with a suitor here,
A man that languishes in your displeasure.

Othello Who is’t you mean? Desdemona

Why, your lieutenant, Cassio. Good my lord,
If I have any grace or power to move you,
His present reconciliation take;
For if he be not one that truly loves you,
That errs in ignorance and not in cunning,
I have no judgment in an honest face:
I prithee, call him back.

Othello Went he hence now? Desdemona

Ay, sooth; so humbled
That he hath left part of his grief with me,
To suffer with him. Good love,