Complete Plays, The (115 page)

Iago

As I am an honest man, I thought you had received some bodily wound; there is more sense in that than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition: oft got without merit, and lost without deserving: you have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser. What, man! there are ways to recover the general again: you are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice, even so as one would beat his offenceless dog to affright an imperious lion: sue to him again, and he’s yours.

Cassio

I will rather sue to be despised than to deceive so good a commander with so slight, so drunken, and so indiscreet an officer. Drunk? and speak parrot? and squabble? swagger? swear? and discourse fustian with one’s own shadow? O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil!

Iago

What was he that you followed with your sword?
What had he done to you?

Cassio

I know not.

Iago

Is’t possible?

Cassio

I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly; a quarrel, but nothing wherefore. O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, pleasance revel and applause, transform ourselves into beasts!

Iago

Why, but you are now well enough: how came you thus recovered?

Cassio

It hath pleased the devil drunkenness to give place to the devil wrath; one unperfectness shows me another, to make me frankly despise myself.

Iago

Come, you are too severe a moraler: as the time, the place, and the condition of this country stands, I could heartily wish this had not befallen; but, since it is as it is, mend it for your own good.

Cassio

I will ask him for my place again; he shall tell me I am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such an answer would stop them all. To be now a sensible man, by and by a fool, and presently a beast! O strange! Every inordinate cup is unblessed and the ingredient is a devil.

Iago

Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used: exclaim no more against it. And, good lieutenant, I think you think I love you.

Cassio

I have well approved it, sir. I drunk!

Iago

You or any man living may be drunk! at a time, man. I’ll tell you what you shall do. Our general’s wife is now the general: may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces: confess yourself freely to her; importune her help to put you in your place again: she is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested: this broken joint between you and her husband entreat her to splinter; and, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this crack of your love shall grow stronger than it was before.

Cassio

You advise me well.

Iago

I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness.

Cassio

I think it freely; and betimes in the morning I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me: I am desperate of my fortunes if they cheque me here.

Iago

You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant; I must to the watch. Cassio: Good night, honest Iago.

Exit

Iago

And what’s he then that says I play the villain?
When this advice is free I give and honest,
Probal to thinking and indeed the course
To win the Moor again? For ’tis most easy
The inclining Desdemona to subdue
In any honest suit: she’s framed as fruitful
As the free elements. And then for her
To win the Moor — were’t to renounce his baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemed sin,
His soul is so enfetter’d to her love,
That she may make, unmake, do what she list,
Even as her appetite shall play the god
With his weak function. How am I then a villain
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course,
Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
When devils will the blackest sins put on,
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,
As I do now: for whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear,
That she repeals him for her body’s lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good,
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch,
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.

Re-enter Roderigo

How now, Roderigo!

Roderigo

I do follow here in the chase, not like a hound that hunts, but one that fills up the cry. My money is almost spent; I have been to-night exceedingly well cudgelled; and I think the issue will be, I shall have so much experience for my pains, and so, with no money at all and a little more wit, return again to Venice.

Iago

How poor are they that have not patience!
What wound did ever heal but by degrees?
Thou know’st we work by wit, and not by witchcraft;
And wit depends on dilatory time.
Does’t not go well? Cassio hath beaten thee.
And thou, by that small hurt, hast cashier’d Cassio:
Though other things grow fair against the sun,
Yet fruits that blossom first will first be ripe:
Content thyself awhile. By the mass, ’tis morning;
Pleasure and action make the hours seem short.
Retire thee; go where thou art 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

A
CT
III

S
CENE
I. B
EFORE
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

S
CENE
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?

Gentleman

We’ll wait upon your lordship.

Exeunt

S
CENE
III. T
HE
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, call him back.

Othello

Not now, sweet Desdemona; some other time.

Desdemona

But shall’t be shortly?

Othello

The sooner, sweet, for you.

Desdemona

Shall’t be to-night at supper?

Othello

No, not to-night.

Desdemona

To-morrow dinner, then?

Othello