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And, lo, the happiness! go, and impórtune her. Des. How now, good Cassio? what's the news with you?

Cas. Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you,
That, by your virtuous means, I may again
Exist, and be a member of his love,
Whom I, with all the duty of my heart,
Entirely honour; I would not be delay'd:
If my offence be of such mortal kind,
That neither service past, nor present sorrows,
Nor purpos'd merit in futurity,

Can ransome me into his love again,
But to know so must be my benefit;
So shall I clothe me in a forc'd content,
And shut myself up in some other course,
To fortune's alms.2

Des.

Alas! thrice-gentle Cassio,

My advocation is not now in tune;

My lord is not my lord; nor should I know him,
Were he in favour, as in humour, alter'd.

So help me, every spirit sanctified,

As I have spoken for you all my best;

And stood within the blank of his displeasure,* For my free speech! You must a while be patient: What I can do, I will; and more I will,

Than for myself I dare: let that suffice you.

Iago. Is my lord angry?

Emil.

He went hence but now,

And, certainly, in strange unquietness.

Iago. Can he be angry? I have seen the cannon,

And shut myself up in some other course,

To fortune's alms.] Being discarded from the military line, he purposes to confine or shut himself up, as he formerly had, within the limits of a new profession.

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in favour,] In look, in countenance.

within the blank of his displeasure,] Within the shot of

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When it hath blown his ranks into the air;"
And, like the devil, from his very arm

Puff'd his own brother;-And can he be angry?
Something of moment, then: I will go meet him;
There's matter in't indeed, if he be angry.

state,

Des. I pr'ythee, do so.-Something, sure, of
[Exit IAGO.
Either from Venice; or some unhatch'd practice,
Made démonstrable here in Cyprus to him,—
Hath puddled his clear spirit: and, in such cases,
Men's natures wrangle with inferior things,
Though great ones are their object. 'Tis even so;
For let our finger ache, and it indues'

Our other healthful members ev'n to that sense
Of pain: Nay, we must think, men are not gods;
Nor of them look for such observances

As fit the bridal."-Beshrew me much, Emilia,
I was (unhandsome warrior as I am,')
Arraigning his unkindness with my soul;

But now I find, I had suborn'd the witness,

And he's indited falsely.

Emil. Pray heaven, it be state matters, as you

think;

And no conception, nor no jealous toy,

Concerning you.

5

Des. Alas, the day! I never gave him cause.

I have seen the cannon,

When it hath blown, &c.] In Iago's speech something is suppressed. He means to say, I have seen his ranks blown into the air, and his own brother puff'd from his side,—and mean while have seen him cool and unruffled. And can he now be angry?

R

effect.

some unhatch'd practice,] Some treason that has not taken

7 For let our finger ache, and it indues-] I believe it should be rather, Subdues our other healthful members to a sense of pain.

8

9

JOHNSON.

the bridal.] i. e. the nuptial feast; a Saxon word. - (unhandsome warrior as I am,)] Unhandsome warrior, is evidently unfair assailant.

Emil. But jealous souls will not be answer'd so; They are not ever jealous for the cause,

But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster,
Begot upon itself, born on itself.

Des. Heaven keep that monster from Othello's mind!

Emil. Lady, amen.

Des. I will go seek him.-Cassio walk hereabout: If I do find him fit, I'll move your suit, And seek to effect it to my uttermost. Cas. I humbly thank your ladyship.

[Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA.

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Cas.

What make you from home? How is it with you, my most fair Bianca? I'faith, sweet love, I was coming to your house.

Bian. And I was going to your lodging, Cassio. What! keep a week away? seven days and nights? Eight score eight hours? and lovers' absent hours, More tedious than the dial eight score times? O weary reckoning!

Cas.

Pardon me, Bianca; I have this while with leaden thoughts been press'd; But I shall, in a more continuate time,'

Strike off this score of absence.

Sweet Bianca, [Giving her DESDEMONA'S Handkerchief.

Take me this work out.2

Bian. O, Cassio, whence came this? This is some token from a newer friend. To the felt absence now I feel a cause:

— in a more continuate time,] A more continuate time is time less interrupted, time which I can call more my own.

2 Take me this work out.] The meaning is not, "Pick out the work, and leave the ground plain;" but, “ Copy this work in another handkerchief."

Is it come to this? Well, well.

Cas.

Woman, go to! Throw your vile guesses in the devil's teeth, From whence you have them. You are jealous now, That this is from some mistress, some remembrance: No, in good troth, Bianca.

Bian.

Why, whose is it? Cas. I know not, sweet: I found it in my chamber. I like the work well; ere it be demanded,

(As like enough, it will,) I'd have it copied: Take it, and do't; and leave me for this time. Bian. Leave you! wherefore?

Cas. I do attend here on the general; And think it no addition, nor my wish, To have him see me woman'd.

I

Bian.

Why, I pray you?

But that you

do not love me.

Cas. Not that I love you not.
Bian.

pray you, bring me on the way a little; And say, if I shall see you soon at night.

Cas. 'Tis but a little way, that I can bring you,

For I attend here: but I'll see you soon.

Bian. 'Tis very good; I must be circumstanc'd. [Exeunt.

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I must be circumstanc'd.] Rather, I must give way to circumstances.

What,

Iago.

To kiss in private?

Oth.

An unauthoriz'd kiss.

Iago. Or to be naked with her friend abed,
An hour, or more, not meaning any harm?
Oth. Naked abed, Iago, and not mean harm?
It is hypocrisy against the devil:*

They that mean virtuously, and yet do so,

The devil their virtue tempts, and they tempt heaven. Iago. So they do nothing, 'tis a venial slip:

But if I give my wife a handkerchief,

Oth. What then?

Iago. Why, then 'tis hers, my lord; and, being hers,

She may, I think, bestow't on any man.

Oth. She is protectress of her honour too; May she give that?

lago. Her honour is an essence that's not seen; They have it very oft, that have it not:

But, for the handkerchief,

Oth. By heaven, I would most gladly have forgot it:

Thou said'st,-O, it comes o'er my memory,
As doth the raven o'er the infected house,
Boding to all,'-he had my handkerchief.
Iago. Ay, what of that?
Oth.

That's not so good, now. Iago. What, if I had said, I had seen him do you wrong?

Or heard him say,-As knaves be such abroad,

4 It is hypocrisy against the devil:] Hypocrisy against the devil, means hypocrisy to cheat the devil. As common hypocrites cheat men, by seeming good, and yet living wickedly, these men would cheat the devil, by giving him flattering hopes, and at last avoiding the crime which he thinks them ready to commit. JOHNSON.

5- boding to all-] The raven was thought to be a constant attendant on a house, in which there was infection.

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