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 your 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 judgement in an honest face.

I prithee call him back.

OTHELLO Went he hence now?

DESDEMONA Yes, faith, so humbled

That he hath left part of his grief with me

To suffer with him. Good love, call him back.

OTHELLO

Not now, sweet Desdemon. Some other time.

DESDEMONA

But shall’t be shortly?

OTHELLO The sooner, sweet, for you.

DESDEMONA

Shall’t be tonight at supper?

OTHELLO No, not tonight.

DESDEMONA

Tomorrow dinner, then?

OTHELLO I shall not dine at home.

I meet the captains at the citadel.

DESDEMONA

Why then, tomorrow night, or Tuesday morn,

On Tuesday noon, or night, on Wednesday morn—

I prithee name the time, but let it not

Exceed three days. In faith, he’s penitent,

And yet his trespass, in our common reason—

Save that, they say, the wars must make example

Out of her best—is not almost a fault

T‘incur a private check. When shall he come?

Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my soul

What you would ask me that I should deny,

Or stand so mamm’ring on? What, Michael Cassio,

That came a-wooing with you, and so many a time

When I have spoke of you dispraisingly

Hath ta‘en your part—to have so much to-do

To bring him in? By’r Lady, I could do much.

OTHELLO

Prithee, no more. Let him come when he will.

I will deny thee nothing.

DESDEMONA Why, this is not a boon.

’Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,

Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm,

Or sue to you to do a peculiar profit

To your own person. Nay, when I have a suit

Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed,

It shall be full of poise and difficult weight,

And fearful to be granted.

OTHELLO I will deny thee nothing,

Whereon I do beseech thee grant me this:

To leave me but a little to myself.

DESDEMONA

Shall I deny you? No. Farewell, my lord.

OTHELLO

Farewell, my Desdemona. I’ll come to thee straight.

DESDEMONA

Emilia, come. (To Othello) Be as your fancies teach you.

Whate’er you be, I am obedient.

Exeunt Desdemona and Emilia

OTHELLO

Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul

But I do love thee, and when I love thee not,

Chaos is come again.

IAGO My noble lord.

OTHELLO What dost thou say, Iago?

IAGO

Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady,

Know of your love?

OTHELLO

He did, from first to last. Why dost thou ask?

IAGO

But for a satisfaction of my thought,

No further harm.

OTHELLO Why of thy thought, Iago?

IAGO

I did not think he had been acquainted with her.

OTHELLO

O yes, and went between us very oft.

IAGO Indeed?

OTHELLO

Indeed? Ay, indeed. Discern’st thou aught in that?

Is he not honest?

IAGO Honest, my lord?

OTHELLO Honest? Ay, honest.

IAGO

My lord, for aught I know.

OTHELLO What dost thou think?

IAGO Think, my lord?

OTHELLO

‘Think, my lord?’ By heaven, thou echo‘st me

As if there were some monster in thy thought

Too hideous to be shown! Thou dost mean something.

I heard thee say even now thou liked’st not that,

When Cassio left my wife. What didst not like?

And when I told thee he was of my counsel

In my whole course of wooing, thou cried‘st ‘Indeed?’

And didst contract and purse thy brow together

As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain

Some horrible conceit. If thou dost love me,

Show me thy thought.

IAGO My lord, you know I love you.

OTHELLO I think thou dost,

And for I know thou‘rt full of love and honesty,

And weigh’st thy words before thou giv’st them

breath,

Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more;

For such things in a false disloyal knave

Are tricks of custom, but in a man that’s just,

They’re close dilations, working from the heart

That passion cannot rule.

IAGO For Michael Cassio,

I dare be sworn I think that he is honest.

OTHELLO

I think so too.

IAGO Men should be what they seem,

Or those that be not, would they might seem none.

OTHELLO

Certain, men should be what they seem.

IAGO

Why then, I think Cassio’s an honest man.

OTHELLO Nay, yet there’s more in this.

I prithee speak to me as to thy thinkings,

As thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of thoughts

The worst of words.

IAGO Good my lord, pardon me.

Though I am bound to every act of duty,

I am not bound to that all slaves are free to.

Utter my thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false,

As where’s that palace whereinto foul things

Sometimes intrude not? Who has that breast so pure

But some uncleanly apprehensions

Keep leets and law-days, and in sessions sit

With meditations lawful?

OTHELLO

Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,