Made to write whore upon? What committed!"
Committed!-0, thou public commoner!
I should make very forges of my cheeks,
That would to cinders burn up modesty,
Did I but speak thy deeds.-What committed!
Heaven stops the nose at it, and the moon winks;
The bawdy wind, that kisses all it meets,

Is hushed within the hollow mine of earth,
And will not hear it.

Impudent strumpet!
Des.

What committed!

By Heaven, you do me wrong.

Oth. Are not you a strumpet?
Des.

No, as I am a Christian.

If to preserve this vessel for my lord,2
From any other foul, unlawful touch,
Be-not to be a strumpet, I am none.
Oth. What, not a whore?
Des.

Oth. Is it possible?

Des. O Heaven, forgive us!
Oth.

No, as I shall be saved.

I cry you mercy, then

I took you for that cunning whore of Venice,
That married with Othello.-You, mistress,

Re-enter EMILIA.

That have the office opposite to saint Peter,

And keep the gate of hell; you! you! ay, you!

We have done our course; there's money for your

pains;

I pray you, turn the key, and keep our counsel. [Exit. Emil. Alas, what does this gentleman conceive? How do you, madam? how do you, my good lady? Des. 'Faith, half asleep.

Emil. Good madam, what's the matter with my lord?

Des. With who?

1 This and the three following lines are not in the first quarto.

2 This expression is from Sacred Writ:-"To possess his vessel in sanctification."

Emil.

Why, with my lord, madam.

Des. Who is thy lord?1

Emil.

He that is yours, sweet lady.
Des. I have none. Do not talk to me, Emilia;
I cannot weep; nor answer I have none,

But what should go by water. 'Pr'ythee, to-night
Lay on my bed my wedding-sheets,-remember;-
And call thy husband hither.

Emil. Here is a change indeed!

[Exit.

Des. 'Tis meet I should be used so, very meet.
How have I been behaved, that he might stick
The small'st opinion on my great'st abuse ?2

Re-enter EMILIA, with IAGO.

Iago. What is your pleasure, madam?

with you?

How is it

Des. I cannot tell. Those that do teach young

babes,

Do it with gentle means, and easy tasks.

He might have chid me so; for, in good faith,

I am a child to chiding.

Iago.

What's the matter, lady?

Emil. Alas, Iago, my lord hath so bewhored her,
Thrown such despite and heavy terms upon her,

As true hearts cannot bear.

Des. Am I that name, Iago?

Iago.
What name, fair lady?
Des. Such as she says my lord did say I was.
Emil. He called her whore; a beggar in his drink
Could not have laid such terms upon his callet.3
Iago. Why did he so?

Des. I do not know; I am sure, I am none such.
Iago. Do not weep, do not weep. Alas, the day!
Emil. Has she forsook so many noble matches,

1 This and the following speech are not in the quarto.

2 This is the reading of the quarto; which Dr. Johnson thought preferable to the reading of the folio-on my least misuse.

3 A callet is a trull, a drab. The word is of great antiquity in the English language.

Her father and her country, and her friends,

To be called-whore? would it not make one weep?

Des. It is my wretched fortune.

Iago.

How comes this trick upon

Beshrew him for it!

him?

Des. Nay, Heaven doth know. Emil. I will be hanged, if some eternal villain, Some busy and insinuating rogue,

Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, Have not devised this slander. I'll be hanged else. Iago. Fie, there is no such man; it is impossible. Des. If any such there be, Heaven pardon him! Emil. A halter pardon him! and hell gnaw his bones!

Why should he call her-whore? who keeps her company?

What place? what time? what form? what likelihood?
The Moor's abused by some most villanous knave,1
Some base, notorious knave, some scurvy fellow.
O Heaven, that such companions thou'dst unfold;
And put in every honest hand a whip,

2

To lash the rascal naked through the world,
Even from the east to the west!

Iago.

Speak within door.3

Emil. O, fie upon him! some such squire he was, That turned your wit the seamy side without,

And made you to suspect me with the Moor.

Iago. You are a fool; go to.

Des.

O good Iago, What shall I do to win my lord again?

Good friend, go to him; for, by this light of heaven,
I know not how I lost him. Here I kneel,1--

If e'er my will did trespass 'gainst his love,
Either in discourse of thought," or actual deed;
Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense,

1 The quarto has, "some outrageous knave.”

2 Companion was a term of contempt.

3 “Do not clamor so as to be heard beyond the house."

4 The quarto omits the rest of this speech.

5" Discourse of thought" is the "discursive range of thought." changed it to "discourse or thought.”

Pope

Delighted them in any other form;

Or that I do not yet, and ever did,

And ever will,-though he do shake me off
To beggarly divorcement,-love him dearly,
Comfort forswear me ! Unkindness may do much;
And his unkindness may defeat my life,

But never taint my love. I cannot say, whore;
It does abhor me, now I speak the word;

To do the act that might the addition earn,
Not the world's mass of vanity could make me.
Iago. I pray you, be content; 'tis but his humor.
The business of the state does him offence,
And he does chide with you.'

Des.

If 'twere no other,Iago. It is but so, I warrant you. [Trumpets. Hark, how these instruments summon to supper! And the great messengers of Venice stay.2

Go in, and weep not; all things shall be well.

[Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA.

Enter RODERIGO.

How now, Roderigo?

Rod. I do not find that thou deal'st justly with me. Iago. What in the contrary?

Rod. Every day thou doff'st me with some device, lago; and rather (as it seems to me now) keep'st from me all conveniency, than suppliest me with the least advantage of hope. I will, indeed, no longer endure it; nor am I yet persuaded, to put up in peace what already I have foolishly suffered.

Iago. Will you hear me, Roderigo?

Rod. 'Faith, I have heard too much; for your words and performances are no kin together.

Iago. You charge me most unjustly.

Rod. With nought but truth. I have wasted myself out of my means. The jewels you have had from me,

1 This was the phraseology of the time.

2 Thus the quarto. The folio reads:

“The messengers of Venice stay the meat.”

to deliver to Desdemona, would half have corrupted a votarist. You have told me she has received them, and returned me expectations and comforts of sudden respect and acquittance;1 but I find none.

Iago. Well; go to; very well.

Rod. Very well! go to! I cannot go to, man; nor 'tis not very well. By this hand, I By this hand, I say, it is very scurvy; and begin to find myself fobbed in it.

Iago. Very well. Rod. I tell you 'tis not very well. 'tis not very well. I will make myself known to Desdemona. If she will return me my jewels, I will give over my suit, and repent my unlawful solicitation; if not, assure yourself, I will seek satisfaction of you.

Iago. You have said now.

Rod. Ay, and I have said nothing but what I protest intendment of doing.

Iago. Why, now I see there's mettle in thee; and even, from this instant, do build on thee a better opinion than ever before. Give me thy hand, Roderigo. Thou hast taken against me a most just exception; but yet I protest I have dealt most directly in thy affair. Rod. It hath not appeared.

Iago. I grant, indeed, it hath not appeared; and your suspicion is not without wit and judgment. But, Roderigo, if thou hast that within thee, indeed, which I have greater reason to believe now than ever,-I mean, purpose, courage, and valor,-this night show it. If thou the next night following enjoyest not Desdemona, take me from this world with treachery, and devise engines for my life.2

Rod. Well, what is it? is it within reason, and compass ?

Jago. Sir, there is especial commission come from Venice, to depute Cassio in Othello's place.

Rod. Is that true? why, then Othello and Desdemona return again to Venice.

Iago. O, no; he goes into Mauritania, and takes

1 The folio reads acquaintance. Acquittance is requital.

2 To devise engines seems to mean to contrive instruments of torture, &c.