thee: if the gentlewoman that attends the General's wife be ftirring, tell her there's one Caffio entreats of her a little favour of fpeech. Wilt thou do this?

Clown. She is ftirring, Sir, if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notifie unto her.

[Exit Clown,

Cas. Why, no; the day had broke before we parted.
I have made bold to fend in to your wife;
My fuit is, that she will to Desdemona
Procure me fome access.

Jago. I'll fend her presently:

And I'll devife a mean to draw the Moor

Out of the way, that your converfe and business
May be more free.

Caf. I humbly thank you for't. I never knew
A Florentine more kind and honest.

To him enter Emilia.

Emil. Good-morrow, good lieutenant, I am forry For your displeasure; but all will fure be well.

The General and his wife are talking of it:

And she speaks for you ftoutly. The Moor replies;
That he you hurt is of great fame is Cyprus,

And great affinity; and that in wisdom

He might not but refuse you. But he protests he loves you,

And needs no other fuitor but his likings,

To bring you in again.

Caf. Yet, I beseech you,

[Exit.

Give me advantage of some brief discourse
With Desdemona alone.

Emil. Pray you come in,

I will bestow you where you shall have time

To speak your bosom freely.

Caf. I'm much bound to you.

SCENE II.

Enter Othello, Jago, and Gentlemen.

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

Jago. My good lord, I'll do't.

Oth. This fortification, gentlemen, shall we fee't?

Gent. We'll wait upon your lordship.

SCENE III.

An Apartment.

Enter Desdemona, Caffio, and Emilia.

Def. Be thou affur'd, good Caffio, I will do

All my abilities in thy behalf.

[Exeunt.

[Exeunt.

Emil. Good madam, do: I know it grieves my husband As if the cause were his.

Def. Oh that's an honeft fellow; doubt not, Caffio, But I will have my lord and you again

As friendly as you were.

Caf. Most bounteous madam,

Whatever fhall become of Michael Caffio,
He's never any thing but your true servant.

Def. I know't, I thank you; you do love my lord,

You've

You've known him long, and be you well affur'd,
He shall in strangeness stand no farther off
Than in a politick distance.

Caf. Ay, but lady,

That policy may either last so long,
Or feed upon fuch nice and waterish diet,
Or breed it self so out of circumstances,
That I being absent, and my place fupply'd,
My General will forget my love and service.

Def. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here,
I give thee warrant of thy place. Affure thee,
If I do vow a friendship, I'll perform it

To the last article. My lord fhall never rest,
I'll watch him tame, and talk him out of patience;
His bed fhall feem a school, his board a fhrift,
I'll intermingle every thing he do's

With Caffio's fuit: therefore be merry, Cassia,
For thy follicitor fhall rather die,

Than give thy cause away.

SCENE IV.

Enter Othello and Jago.

Emil. Madam, here comes my lord.
Caf. Madam, I'll take my leave.

Def. Why stay, and hear me speak.

Caf. Madam, not now ; I'm very ill at ease.

Unfit for mine own purposes.

Def. Well, do your

your discretion.

Jago. Hah? I like not that.

[Exit Caffio.

Oth. What doft thou say?

Jago. Nothing, my lord; or if----I know not what.

Oth. Was not that Caffio parted from my wife?

Jago.

Jago. Caffio, my lord? no fure, I cannot think it,

That he would fteal away fo guilty-like,

Seeing you coming.

Oth. I believe 'twas he.

Def. How now, my lord?

I have been talking with a fuitor here,

A man that languishes in your displeasure.
Oth. Who is't you mean?

Good my lord,

Def. Why your lieutenant Caffio.
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 pr'ythee call him back.

Oth. Went he hence now?

Def. In footh, fo humbled,

That he hath left part of his grief with me

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

Oth. Not now, fweet Desdemona, fome other time.
Def. But fhall't be shortly?

Oth. Sooner, fweet, for you.

Def. Shall't be to-night, at fupper?

Oth. Not to-night.

Def. To-morrow dinner then?

Oth. I fhall not dine at home:

I meet the captains at the citadel.

Des. Why then to-morrow night, or Tuesday morn,
Or Tuesday noon, or night, or Wednesday morn.
I pr'ythee name the time, but let it not
Exceed three days; in faith he's penitent:
And yet his trefpafs, in our common reafon,
(Save that they say the wars must make example,

Out

Out of their best,) is not almost a fault
T'incurr a private check. When fhall he come?
Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my foul

What you would ask me, that I would deny,

a

Or stand so mutt'ring on? what? Michael Caffio!
That came a wooing with you, and many a time
When I have spoke of you difpraisingly:

Hath ta'en your part, to have fo much to do
To bring him in? truft me, I could do much -

1111

Oth. Pr'ythee no more, let him come when he will, I will deny thee nothing.

Def. Why, this is not a boon:

'Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,

Or feed on nourishing meats, or keep you warm;
Or fue to you, to do peculiar profit

To your own perfon. Nay, when I have fuit,
Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed,
It shall be full of poize and difficulty,
And fearful to be granted.

Oth. I will deny thee nothing.

Whereon I do befeech thee, grant me this,
To leave me but a little to my self.

Def. Shall I deny you? no: farewel, my lord.
Oth. Farewel, my Defdemona, I'll come straight.
Def. Emilia, come; be as your fancies teach you:
Whate'er you be. I am obedient.

* SCENE V.

Manent Othello and Jago.

Oth. Excellent wretch! perdition catch my foul,

But I do love thee; and when I love thee not,
Chaos is come again.

• mamm'ring.

[Exeunt.

Jago.