SCENE III. Before the Castle. Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILIA. Des. Be thou assur'd, good Cassio, I will do All my abilities in thy behalf. Emil. Good madam, do; I know it grieves my husband, As if the case were his. Des. O, that's an honest fellow.-Do not doubt, Cassio, But I will have my lord and you again As friendly as you were. Cas. Bounteous madam, Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio, He's never any thing but your true servant. Des. O, sir, I thank you: You do love my lord: You have known him long; and be you well assur'd, He shall in strangeness stand no further off Than in a politick distance. Cas. Ay, but, lady, Des. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here, 6 I'll watch him tame,] Hawks and other birds are tamed by keeping them from sleep, to which management Shakspeare alludes. His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift; With Cassio's suit: Therefore be merry, Cassio; Than give thy cause away. And hear me speak. Cas. Madam, not now; I am very ill at ease, Unfit for mine own purposes. Des. Well, well, [Exit CASSIO. Ha! I like not that. Oth. What dost thou say? Iago. Nothing, my lord: or if—I know not what. Oth. Was not that Cassio, parted from my wife? Jago. Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guilty-like, Seeing you coming. Oth. I do believe 'twas he. Des. How now, my lord? I have been talking with a suitor here, A man that languishes in your displeasure. Des. 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, 7 His present reconciliation take;] To take his reconciliation, be to accept the submission which he makes in order to be reconciled. may That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning, I pr'ythee, call him back. Oth. Went he hence now? Des. Ay, sooth; so humbled, That he hath left part of his grief with me; time. Des. But shall't be shortly? The sooner, sweet, for you. Oth. Des. To-morrow dinner then? No, not to-night. I shall 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;pray thee, name the time; but let it not I Exceed three days: in faith, he's penitent; And yet his trespass, in our common reason, To incur a private check: When shall he come? 8 and not in cunning,] Cunning, for knowledge. 9 the wars must make examples Out of their best,] The severity of military discipline must not spare the best men of their army, when their punishment may af ford a wholesome example. 1 so mammering on.] To hesitate, to stand in suspense. To bring him in. Trust me, I could do much,Oth. Pr'ythee, no more: let him come when he will; I will deny thee nothing. Des. To your own person: Nay, when I have a suit, And fearful to be granted. Oth. I will deny thee nothing: Whereon, I do beseech thee, grant me this, Des. Shall I deny you? no: Farewell, my lord. Oth. Farewell, my Desdemona: I will come to thee straight. Des. Emilia, come:-Be it as your fancies teach you; Whate'er you be, I am obedient. [Exit, with EMILIA. Oth. Excellent wretch!3 Perdition catch my soul, But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again. Iago. My noble lord, Oth. What dost thou say, Iago? Iago. Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my lady, Know of your love? 2 Oth. He did, from first to last: Why dost thou ask? full of poize-] i. e. of weight. 9 Excellent wretch!] The meaning of the word wretch, is not generally understood. It is now, in some parts of England, a term of the softest and fondest tenderness. It expresses the utmost degree of amiableness, joined with an idea which perhaps all tenderness includes, of feebleness, softness, and want of protection. Iago. But for a satisfaction of my thought; No further harm. Oth. Why of thy thought, Iago? lago. I did not think, he had been acquainted with her. Oth. O, yes; and went between us very oft. Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed:-Discern'st thou aught in that? Is he not honest? Iago. Oth. Honest, my lord? Iago. My lord, for aught I know. Lago. Ay, honest. Think, my lord? Think, my lord! By heaven, he echoes me, As if there were some monster in his thought thing: I heard thee say but now,-Thou lik'dst not that, Some horrible conceit: If thou dost love me, you. Iago. My lord, you know I love Oth. I think, thou dost; And, for I know thou art full of love and honesty, And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st them breath, Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more: For such things, in a false disloyal knave, Are tricks of custom; but, in a man that's just, |