Venice. A street.
[Enter RODERIGO and IAGO]
RODERIGO
Desdemona married? And to the Moor?
I take it much unkindly
That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse
As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this.
IAGO Abhor me,
Rodrigo, if ever I did dream of such a matter, .
RODERIGO
Thou told’st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.
IAGO Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,
In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,
Off-capp’d to him:
But he evades them, for, ‘Certes,’ says he,
‘I have already chose my officer.’
And what was he?
Forsooth, One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows
More than a spinster; But he, sir, must his lieutenant be,
And I–God bless the mark!–his Moorship’s ancient.
RODERIGO I would not follow him then.
IAGO O, sir, content you;
In following him, I follow but myself;
I am not what I am.
RODERIGO
What a full fortune does the thicklips owe
If he can carry’t thus!
IAGO Let’s to her father’s house. Call up Brabantio,
Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight,
RODERIGO Good! Very good!
IAGO What, ho, Seignor Brabantio!
Look to your house, your daughter and your bags!
Thieves! thieves!
[BRABANTIO appears above, at a window]
BRABANTIO
What is the reason of this terrible summons?
IAGO
‘Zounds, sir, you’re robb’d; you have lost half your soul;
Even now, now, very now, an old black ram
Is topping your white ewe. Arise, I say.
BRABANTIO What, have you lost your wits?
RODERIGO Is all your family within?
BRABANTIO I know thee, Rodrigo
I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors:
My daughter is not for thee.
RODERIGO Patience, good sir.
IAGO Sir, because we come to do you service
and you think we are ruffians, you’ll
have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse;
BRABANTIO What profane wretch art thou?
IAGO I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter
and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.
BRABANTIO Thou art a villain.
IAGO You are–a senator.
RODERIGO Sir, I beseech you,
If’t be your pleasure that your fair daughter,
This night lies in the clasps of a lascivious Moor–
We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs;
But if you know not this, We have your wrong rebuke.
Straight satisfy yourself:
If she be in her chamber
BRABANTIO Strike on the tinder, ho!
[Exit above]
IAGO Rodrigo farewell; for I must leave you:
It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place,
To be produced–as, if I stay, I shall–
Against the Moor:
Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains.
Yet, for necessity of present life,
I must show out a flag and sign of love,
Which is indeed but sign.
That you shall surely find him,
Lead to the Sagittary the raised search;
And there will I be with him. So, farewell.
[Exit]
[Enter, below, BRABANTIO,
and Servants with torches]
BRABANTIO It is too true an evil: gone she is;
Are they married, think you?
RODERIGO Truly, I think they are.
BRABANTIO O, would you had had her!
Do you know where we may apprehend her
and the Moor?
RODERIGO I think I can discover him, if you please,
To get good guard and go along with me.
BRABANTIO Pray you, lead on. I’ll deserve your pains
Get weapons, ho!
And raise some special officers of night.
On, good Roderigo: .
[Exeunt]
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