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?

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!- 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 devił !

Oth. She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore.
Emil. Thou dost belie her, and thou art a devil.
Oth. She was false as water.

Emil. Thou art rash as fire, to say

That she was false; O, she was heavenly true!
Oth. Cassio did tup her; ask thy husband else.

O, I were damn'd beneath all depth in hell,
But that I did proceed upon just grounds

To this extremity; Thy husband knew it all.

Emil. My husband?

Oth. Thy husband.

Emil. That she was false to wedlock ?

Oth. Ay, with Cassio.

Nay, had she been true,

If heaven would make me such another world

Of one entire and perfect chrysolite,

I'd not have sold her for it.

Emil. My husband ?

Oth. Ay, 'twas he that told me first; An honest man he is, and hates the slime That sticks on filthy deeds.

Emil. My husband?

Oth. What needs this iterance, woman? I say, thy

husband.

Emi.O mistress! villainy hath made mocks with love!

-My husband say, that she was false ?

Oth. He, woman;

I say, thy husband; Do'st understand the word?
My friend, thy husband, honest, honest Iago.

Emil. If he say so, may his pernicious soul
Rot half a grain a day! he lies to the heart;
She was too fond of her most filthy bargain.
Oth. Ha!

Emil. Do thy worst :

This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven,
Than thou wast worthy her.

Oth. Peace, you were best.

Emil. Thou hast not half the power to do me harm, As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt! As ignorant as dirt! thou hast done a deed, I care not for thy sword; I'll make thee known, Though I lost twenty lives :-Help! help ho! help! The Moor has kill'd my mistress; Murder! murder !

Enter MONTANO, GRATIANO, and IAGO. Mon. What is the matter!-How now, general? Emil. O, are you come, Iago? you have done well, That men must lay their murders on your neck.

Gra. What is the matter?

Emil. Disprove this villain, if thou be'st a man:
He says, thou told'st him that his wife was false :
I know, thou did'st not, thou'rt not such a villain;
Speak, for my heart is full.

Iago. I told him what I thought; and told no more
Than what he found himself was apt and true.
Emil. But did you ever tell him, she was false ?
lago. I did.

Emil. You told a lie; an odious, damned lie; Upon my soul, a lie ; a wicked lie :

She false with Cassio !-Did you say with Cassio ?

Iago. With Cassio, mistress; Go to, charm your tongue. Emi. I will not charm my tongue; I am bound to speak;

My mistress here lies murder'd in her bed.

All. O heavens forefend!

Emil. And your reports have set the murder on.
Oth. Nay, stare not, masters; it is true, indeed.
Gra. 'Tis a strange truth.
Mon. O monstrous act!

Emil. Villainy, villainy, villainy!

I think upon't, I think,-I smell't ;-) villainy!
I thought so then ;-I'll kill myself for grief.-

O villainy, villainy !

Iago. What, are you mad? I charge you, get you home. Emil. Good gentlemen, let me have leave to speak;

'Tis proper I obey him, but not now :

Perchance, lago, I will ne'er go home.

Oth. Ο! Ο!Ο!

[Hanging over his wife.

Emil. Nay, lay thee down, and roar;

For thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent,

That e'er did lift up eye.

Oth. O, she was foul !

[Rising

I scarce did know you, uncle: There lies your niece, Whose breath, indeed, these hands have newly stopp'd: I know, this act shows horrible and grim.

Gra. Poor Desdemona! I am glad thy father's dead;

Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief
Shore his old thread in twain: did he live now,
This sight would make him do a desperate turn,
Yea, curse his better angel from his side,
And fall to reprobation.

Oth. 'Tis pitiful: but yet lago knows,
That she with Cassio hath the act of shame
A thousand times committed; Cassio confess'd it :
And she did gratify his amorous works

With that recognizance and pledge of love

Which I first gave her; I saw it in his hand;
It was a handkerchief, an antique token

My father gave my mother.

Emil. O heaven! O heavenly powers!

Iago. Come, hold your peace.

Emil. 'Twill out, 'twill out ;-I hold my peace, sir? no:

No, I will speak as liberal as the air;

Let heaven, and men, and devils, let them all,

All, all, cry shame against me, yet I'll speak.

Iago. Be wise, and get you home.

Emil. I will not.

Gra. Fye!

[IAGO offers to stab his wife.

Your sword upon a woman?

Emil. O thou dull Moor! That handkerchief thou

speak'st of,

I found by fortune, and did give my husband;
For often, with a solemn earnestness,

(More than, indeed, belong'd to such a trifle,)
He begg'd of me to steal it.

Iago. Villainous whore !

Emil. She give it Cassio! no, alas; I found it,

And I did give't my husband.

Iago. Filth, thou liest.

Emil. By heaven, I do not; I do not, gentlemen: murd'rous coxcomb! what should such a fool

Do with so good a wife? [IAGO stabs EMI.then runs out. Oth. Are there no stones in heaven,

But what serve for the thunder?-Precious villain!

Gra. The woman falls; sure, he has kill'd his wife.
Emil. Ay, ay; O, lay me by my mistress' side !
Gra. He's gone, but his wife's kill'd.

Mont. "Tis a notorious villain. Take you this weapon,

Which I have here recover'd from the Moor:
Come, guard the door without; let him not pass,
But kill him rather; I'll after that same villain,
For 'tis a damned slave. [Exeunt MON. and GRA.

Oth. I am not valiant neither,

But every puny whipster gets my sword :-
But why should honour outlive honesty ?
Let it go all.

Emil. What did thy song bode, lady ?
Hark, can'st thou hear me? I will play the swan,
And die in music ;-Willow, willow, willow. -
Moor, she was chaste; she lov'd thee, cruel Moor;

So come my soul to bliss, as I speak true;

So speaking as I think, I die, -I die.

[Dies