Iago. O notable strumpet !-Cassio, may you suspect Who they should be, that have thus mangled you? Cas. No.

Gra. I am sorry, to find you thus: I have been to seek you.

Iago. Lend me a garter: So.-O, for a chair, To bear him easily hence!

Bian. Alas, he faints:-O Cassio! Cassio! Cassio ! Iago. Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trash To be a party in this injury.Patience a while, good Cassio.-Come, come; Lend me a light.-Know we this face, or no? Alas! my friend, and my dear countryman, Roderigo? no:-Yes, sure; O heaven! Roderigo. Gra. What, of Venice ?

Iago. Even he, sir; did you know him?
Gra. Know him? ay.

Iago. Signior Gratiano? I cry you gentle pardon;
These bloody accidents must excuse my manners,
That so neglected you.

Gra. I am glad to see you.

Iago. How do you, Cassio?—O, a chair, a chair!
Gra. Roderigo!

chair.

Iago. He, he, 'tis he :-O, that's well said ;-the [A chair brought in. ‹ Some good man bear him carefully from hence; I'll fetch the general's surgeon.-For you, mistress,[TOBIA. Save you your labour.-He that lies slain here, Cassio, Was my dear friend: What malice was between you? Cas. None in the world; nor do I know the man. Iago. [To BIAN.] What, look you pale ?-O, bear him out o'the air.- [CASSIO and ROD. borne off. Stay you, good gentlemen :-Look you pale, mistress? Do you perceive the gastness of her eye?Nay, if you stare, we shall hear more anon :Behold her well; I pray you, look upon her; Do you see, gentlemen? Nay, guiltiness will speak, Though tongues were out of use.

Enter EMILIA.

Emil. 'Las, what's the matter; what's the matter, husband?

Iago. Cassio hath here been set on in the dark,
By Roderigo, and fellows that are 'scap'd ;
He's almost slain, and Roderigo dead.

Emil. Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio!
Jago. This is the fruit of whoring.-Pr'ythee, Emilia,

Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night-
What, do you shake at that?

Bian. He supp'd at myhouse; but I therefore shake not
Iago. O, did he so? I charge you, go with me.
Emil. Fye, fye upon thee, strumpet!

Bian. I am no strumpet; but of life as honest,
As you that thus abuse me.

Emil. As I? foh! fie upon thee!

Jago. Kind gentlemen, let's go see poor Cassio dress'd; -Come, mistress, you must tell us another tale.Emilia, run you to the citadel,

And tell my lord and lady what has happ'd.-
Will you go on, I pray?-This is the night,
That either makes me, or fordoes me quite. [Exeunt.

Aside.

SCENE II.

A Bedchamber: DESDEMONA in bed asleep. A light burning. Enter OTHELLO.

Oth. It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul,-
Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars!-
It is the cause. 2 Yet I'll not shed her blood;
Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow,
And smooth as monumental alabaster. [Takes off his sword
Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men.
Put out the light, and then put out the light:
If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,
I can again thy former light restore,

Should I repent me :-but once put out thine,
Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature,
I know not where is that Promethean heat,

That can thy light relume. When I have pluck'd thy rose,
I cannot give it vital growth again,

It needs must wither:-I'll smell it on the tree.-
O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade [Kissing her.
Justice to break her sword!-One more, one more.-
Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,
And love thee after :-one more, and this the last :
So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep,

But they are cruel tears: This sorrow's heavenly ;&
It strikes, where it doth love. She wakes-

Des. Who's there? Othello?

Oth. Ay, Desdemona.

Des. Will you come to-bed, my lord?

Oth. Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemona ?

[2] See Illustrations, Vol. IX.

Des. Ay, my lord.

Oth. If you bethink yourself of any crime, Unreconcil'd as yet to heaven and grace, Solicit for it straight.

Des. Alas, my lord, what may you mean by that? Oth. Well, do it, and be brief; I will walk by: I would not kill thy unprepared spirit ; No.-Heaven forefend !—I would not kill thy soul. Des. Talk you of killing? Oth. Ay, I do.

Des. Then, heaven

Have mercy on me!

Oth. Amen, with all my heart!

Des. If you say so, I hope you will not kill me.
Oth. Humph!

Des. And yet I fear you; for you are fatal then, When your eyes roll so: Why I should fear, I know not; Since guiltiness I know not; but yet, I feel, I fear. Oth. Think on thy sins.

Des. They are loves I bear to you.

Oth. Ay, and for that thou diest.

Des. That death's unnatural, that kills for lovingAlas, why gnaw you so your nether lip ?

Some bloody passion shakes your very frame :
These are portents; but yet, I hope, I hope,
They do not point on me.

Oth. Peace, and be still!

Des. I will so. What's the matter?

Oth. That handkerchief which I so lov'd,and gave thee, Thou gav'st to Cassio.

Des. No, by my life and soul;

Send for the man, and ask him.

Oth. Sweet soul, take heed,

Take heed of perjury; thou'rt on thy death-bed.

Des. Ay, but not yet to die.

**

Oth. Yes, presently:

Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin;
For to deny each article with oath,

Cannot remove, nor choke, the strong conception,
That I do groan withal. Thou art to die.

Des. Then, Lord have mercy on me!
Oth. I say, amen.

Des. And have you mercy too!-I never did
Offend you in my life; never lov'd Cassio,
But with such general warranty of heaven
As I might love; I never gave him token.

Oth. By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in his hand. O perjur'd woman! thou dost stone my heart, And mak'st me call, what I intend to do,A murder, which I thought a sacrifice :4 I saw the handkerchief.

Des. He found it then;

I never gave it him :-Send for him hither,
And let him confess a truth.

Oth. He hath confess'd.

Des. What, my lord?
Oth. That he hath-us'd thee.
Des. How? unlawfully?

Oth. Ay.

Des. He'll not say so.

Oth. No, his mouth is stopp'd; Honest Iago hath ta'en order for't.

Des. My fear interprets then,-What, is he dead? Oth. Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge Had stomach for them all.

Des. Alas! he is betray'd, and I undone.

Oth. Out, strumpet! Weep'st thou for him to my face? Des. O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not.

Oth. Down, strumpet!

Des. Kill me to-morrow, let me live to-night
Oth. Nay, if you strive,-

Des. But half an hour.
Oth. Being done,

There is no pause.

Des. But while I say one prayer.

Oth. It is too late. [He smothers her. Emil. [within.] My lord, my lord! What ho! my lord my lord!

Oth. What noise is this?-not dead! not yet quite dead? I, that am cruel, am yet merciful;

I would not have thee linger in thy pain.-
So, so.

Emil. [within.] What ho! my lord, my lord!
Oth. Who's there?

Emil. O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you. Oth. Yes;-'tis Emilia :-by and by.-She's dead. 'Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death; The noise was high.-Ha! no more moving?

[4] This line is difficult. Thou hast hardened my heart and makest me kill thee with the rage of a murderer, when I thought to have sacrificed thee to justice with the calmness of a priest striking a victim.-I am glad that I have ended my revisal of this dreadful scene, it is not to be endured. JOHNS

34*

VOL. VIII.

Still as the grave. Shall she come in? Were't good?
I think, she stirs again :-No.-What's the best?
If she come in, she'll sure speak to my wife :

My wife my wife! what wife?—I have no wife :
O, insupportable! O heavy hour!
Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse
Of sun and moon; and that the affrighted globe
Should yawn at alteration.

Emil. [within.] I do beseech you I may speak with you, O, good my lord!

Oth. I had forgot thee: O, come in, Emilia :— Soft,-by and by :-Let me the curtains draw.— Where art thou? What's the matter with thee now? [Unlocks the door.

Enter EMILIA.

Emil. O, good my lord, yonder's foul murder done. Oth. What? now?

Emil. But now, my lord!

Oth. It is the very error of the moon ;

She comes more near the earth than she was wont,
And makes men mad.

Emil. Cassio, my lord, has kill'd a young Venetian, Call'd-Roderigo.

Oth. Roderigo kill'd!

And Cassio kill'd?

Emil. No, Cassio is not kill'd.

Oth. Not Cassio kill'd? Then murder's out of tune,

And sweet revenge grows harsh.

Des. O, falsely, falsely murder'd !

Emil. Alas! what cry is that?

Oth. That! what?

Emil. Out, and alas ! that was my lady's voice :-
Help help, ho! help!-O lady, speak again !
Sweet Desdemona! O, sweet mistress, speak !
Des. A guiltless death I die.

Emil. O, who hath done this deed?
Des. Nobody; I myself; farewell :
Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell.
Oth. Why, how should she be murder'd?
Emil. Alas, who knows?

[Dies.

Oth. You heard her say herself, it was not I. Emil She said so; I must needs report the truth. Oth. She's, like a liar, gone to burning hell; Twas I that kill'd her.

Emil. O, the more angel she,

And you the blacker devil!