Did you by indirect and forced courses Subdue and poison this young maid's affections? Oth. I do beseech you, Send for the lady to the Sagittary, And let her speak of me before her father: The trust, the office, I do hold of you, Duke. Fetch Desdemona bither. Oth. Ancient, conduct them; you best know the place.- [Exeunt IAGO and Attendants. And, till she come, as truly as to heaven I do confess the vices of my blood, So justly to your grave ears 'll present How I did thrive in this fair lady's love, And she in mine. Duke. Say it, Othello. Oth. Her father lov'd me; oft invited me; I ran it through, even from my boyish days, Of hair-breadth scapes i' the imminent deadly breach; And sold to slavery; of my redemption thence, And portance in my travel's history: Wherein of antres vast, and deserts idle, Rough quarries, rocks, and hills whose heads touch heaven, It was my hint to speak, such was the process; And of the Cannibals that each other eat, The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads Do grow beneath their shoulders. These things to hear, Would Desdemona seriously incline: But still the house affairs would draw her thence; And often did beguile her of her tears, She swore,-In faith 'twas strange, 'twas passing strange; 'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful: She wish'd, she had not heard it; yet she wish'd I should but teach him how to tell my story, Here comes the lady, let her witness it. Enter DESDEMONA, IAGO, and Attendants. Duke. I think, this tale would win my daughter too.Good Brabantio, Take up this mangled matter at the best: Men do their broken weapons rather use, Bra. I pray you, hear her speak; If she confess, that she was half the wooer, Light on the man!-Come hither, gentle mistress; Where most you owe obedience? Des. My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty: My life, and education, both do learn me I am hitherto your daughter: But here's my husband; Bra. heart I here do give thee that with all my heart, Duke. Let me speak like yourself; and lay a sentence, When remedies, are past, the griefs are ended, Is the next way to draw new mischief on. What cannot be preserv'd when fortune takes, The robb'd, that smiles, steals something from the thief;; Bra. So let the Turk of Cyprus us beguile: We lose it not, so long as we can smile. He bears the sentence well, that nothing bears Being strong on both sides are equivocal But words are words; I never yet did hear, makes for Cyprus :-Othello, the fortitude of the place is best known to you: And though we have there a substitute of most allowed sufficiency, yet opinion, a sovereign mistress of effects, throws a more safer voice on you: you must therefore be content to slubber the gloss of your new fortunes with this more stubborn and boisterous expedition. Oth. The tyrant custom, most grave senators, I find in hardness; and do undertake Due reference of place, and exhibition; Duke. Be 't at her father's. Bra. If you please,' I'll not have it so. Oth. Nor I. Nor I; I would not there reside, Duke. What would you, Desdemona? Des. That I did love the Moor to live with him, I saw Othello's visage in his mind; By his dear absence: Let me go with him. Oth. Your voices, lords :-'beseech you, let her will Have a free way. Vouch with me, heaven, I therefore beg it not, Nor to comply with heat, the young affects, And heaven defend your good souls, that you think That my disports corrupt and taint my business, Make head against my estimation! Duke. Be it as you shall privately determine, Either for her stay, or going: the affair cries-haste, And speed must answer it; you must hence to-night. Des. To-night, my lord? Duke. Oth. This night. With all my heart, Duke. At nine i' the morning here we 'll meet again. Othello, leave some officer behind, And he shall our commission bring to you; Oth. Please your grace, my ancient; A man he is of honesty, and trust: To his conveyance I assign my wife, With what else needful your good grace shall think Duke. Let it be so.— Good night to every one. And, noble signior, [To BRA If virtue no delighted beauty lack, Your son-in-law is far more fair than black. 1 Sen. Adieu, brave Moor! use Desdemona well. Bra. Look to her, Moor; have a quick eye to see; She has deceiv'd her father, and may thee. [Exeunt Duke, Senators, Officers, &c. |