My lord, I would I might entreat your honour

To scan this thing no farther. Leave it to time.

Although ’tis fit that Cassio have his place—

For sure he fills it up with great ability—

Yet, if you please to hold him off a while,

You shall by that perceive him and his means.

Note if your lady strain his entertainment

With any strong or vehement importunity.

Much will be seen in that. In the mean time,

Let me be thought too busy in my fears—

As worthy cause I have to fear I am—

And hold her free, I do beseech your honour.

OTHELLO

Fear not my government.

IAGO I once more take my leave.

Exit

OTHELLO

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 loathe 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.

’Tis destiny unshunnable, like death.

Even then this forked plague is fated to us

When we do quicken.

Enter Desdemona and Emilia

Look where she comes.

If she be false, O then heaven mocks itself!

I’ll not believe’t.

DESDEMONA How now, my dear Othello?

Your dinner, and the generous islanders

By you invited, do attend your presence.

OTHELLO I am to blame.

DESDEMONA

Why do you speak so faintly? Are you not well?

OTHELLO

I have a pain upon my forehead here.

DESDEMONA

Faith, that’s with watching. ’will away again.

Let me but bind it hard, within this hour

It will be well.

OTHELLO Your napkin is too little.

He puts the napkin from him. It drops.

Let it alone. Come, I’ll go in with you.

DESDEMONA

I am very sorry that you are not well.

Exeunt Othello and Desdemona

EMILIA (taking up the napkin)

I am glad I have found this napkin.

This was her first remembrance from the Moor.

My wayward husband hath a hundred times

Wooed me to steal it, but she so loves the token—

For he conjured her she should ever keep it—

That she reserves it evermore about her

To kiss and talk to. I’ll ha’ the work ta’en out,

And give’t Iago. What he will do with it,

Heaven knows, not I.

I nothing, but to please his fantasy.

Enter Iago

IAGO

How now, what do you here alone?

EMILIA

Do not you chide. I have a thing for you.

IAGO

You have a thing for me? It is a common thing.

EMILIA Ha?

IAGO To have a foolish wife.

EMILIA

O, is that all? What will you give me now

For that same handkerchief?

IAGO What handkerchief?

EMILIA What handkerchief?

Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona,

That which so often you did bid me steal.

IAGO Hast stol’n it from her?

EMILIA

No, faith, she let it drop by negligence,

And to th‘advantage I, being here, took’t up.

Look, here ’tis.

IAGO A good wench! Give it me.

EMILIA

What will you do with it, that you have been so earnest

To have me filch it?

IAGO Why, what is that to you?

He takes the napkin

EMILIA

If it 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 acknown 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.

Enter Othello

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 owedst yesterday.

OTHELLO Ha, ha, false to me?

IAGO

Why, how now, general? No more of that.

OTHELLO

Avaunt, be gone. Thou hast set me on the rack.

I swear ’tis better to be much abused

Than but to know’t a little.

IAGO How now, my lord?

OTHELLO

What sense had I of her stol’n hours of lust?

I saw’t not, thought it not; it harmed not me.

I slept the next night well, fed well, was free and

merry.

I found not Cassio’s kisses on her lips.

He that is robbed, not wanting what is stol’n,

Let him not know’t and he’s not robbed at all.

IAGO I am sorry to hear this.

OTHELLO

I had been happy if the general camp,