And Cassio high in oath; which, till to-night, More of this matter can I not report:- From him that fled, some strange indignity, Oth. Enter Desdemona, attended. Look, if my gentle love be not rais'd up;— Des. What's the matter, dear? Oth. All's well now, sweeting; Come away to bed. Sir, for your hurts, Myself will be your surgeon: Lead him off. [To Montano, who is led off. Iago, look with care about the town; And silence those whom this vile brawl distracted.Come, Desdemona; 'tis the soldier's life, To have their balmy slumbers wak'd with strife. [Exeunt all but Iago and Cassio. lago. What, are you hurt, lieutenant? Cas. Ay, past all surgery. lago. Marry, heaven forbid! Cas. Reputation, reputation, reputation! 0, have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part, sir, of myself, and what remains is bestial.— My reputation, Iago, my reputation. Iago. As I am an honest man, I thought you had received some bodily wound; there is more offence in that, than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving: You have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser. What, man! there are ways to recover the general again: You are but now cast in his mood,1 a punishment more in policy than in malice; even so as one would beat his offenceless dog, to affright an imperious lion: sue to him again, and he's yours. Cas. I will rather sue to be despised, than to deceive so good a commander, with so slight, so drunken, and so indiscreet an officer. Drunk? and speak parrot?? and squabble? swagger? swear? and discourse fustian with one's own shadow ?-O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee-devil! Iago. What was he that you followed with your sword? What had he done to you? Cas. I know not. Cas. I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly; a quarrel, but nothing wherefore.-0, that men should put an enemy in their mouths, to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, revel, pleasure, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts! Iago. Why, but you are now well enough: How came you thus recovered? Cas. It hath pleased the devil, drunkenness, to give place to the devil, wrath: one unperfectness shows me another, to make me frankly despise myself. lago. Come, you are too severe a moraler: As the time, the place, and the condition of this country stands, I could heartily wish this had not befallen; but, since it is as it is, mend it for your own good. Cas. I will ask him for my place again; he shall (2) Talk idly. (1) Dismissed in his anger. tell me, I am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such an answer would stop them all. To be now a sensible man, by and by a fool, and presently a beast! O strange!-Every inordinate cup is unblessed, and the ingredient is a devil. Iago. Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used; exclaim no more against it. And, good lieutenant, I think, you think I love you. Cas. I have well approved it, sir.—I drunk! Iago. You, or any man living, may be drunk at some time, man. I'll tell you what you shall do. Our general's wife is now the general;—I may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted, and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces :-confess yourself freely to her; importune her; she'll help to put you in your place again: she is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, that she holds it a vice in her goodness, not to do more than she is requested: This broken joint, between you and her husband, entreat her to splinter; and, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this crack of your love shall grow stronger than it was before. Cas. You advise me well. Iago. I protest, in the sincerity of love, and honest kindness. Cas. I think it freely; and, betimes in the morning, I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me: I am desperate of my fortunes, if they check me here. Iago. You are in the right. tenant; I must to the watch. Cas. Good night, honest Iago. Good night, lieu [Exit Cassio. lago. And what's he then, that says, I play the villain? When this advice is free, I give, and honest, (1) Bet or wager. To win the Moor again? For, 'tis most easy In any honest suit; she's fram'd as fruitfull That she may make, unmake, do what she list, And out of her own goodness make the net, Rod. I do follow here in the chace, not like a hound that hunts, but one that fills up the cry. My money is almost spent; I have been to-night exceedingly well cudgelled; and, I think, the issue will be-I shall have so much experience for my pains and so, with no money at all, and a little more wit, return to Venice. : Iago. How poor are they, that have not pa tience! What wound did ever heal, but by degrees? Thou know'st we work by wit, and not by witchcraft; (1) Liberal, bountiful. (2) Even. (3) Tempt. (4) Recalls. And wit depends on dilatory time. Away, I say; thou shalt know more hereafter: Nay, get thee gone. [Exit Rod.] Two things are to be done, My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress; Myself, the while, to draw the Moor apart, [Exit. ACT III. SCENE I-Before the castle. Enter Cassio, and some Musicians. Cas. Masters, play here, I will content your pains. Something that's brief; and bid-good-morrow, [Music general. Enter Clown. Clo. Why, masters, have your instruments been at Naples, that they speak i'the nose thus? 1 Mus. How, sir, how? Clo. Are these, I pray you, called wind instru ments? 1 Mus. Ay, marry, are they, sir. Clo. O, thereby hangs a tail. 1 Mus. Whereby hangs a tale, sir? (1) Just at the time. |