Before the castle.
[Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA]
DESDEMONA
Where should I lose that handkerchief, Emilia?
EMILIA I know not, madam.
DESDEMONA Believe me,
I had rather have lost my purse
Full of crusadoes: and, but my noble Moor
Is true of mind and made of no such baseness
As jealous creatures are, it were enough
To put him to ill thinking.
EMILIA Is he not jealous?
DESDEMONA Who, he?
I think the sun where he was born
Drew all such humours from him.
EMILIA Look, where he comes.
[Enter OTHELLO]
DESDEMONA How is’t with you, my lord
OTHELLO Well, my good lady.
[Aside]
O, hardness to dissemble!–
How do you, Desdemona?
DESDEMONA Well, my good lord.
OTHELLO Give me your hand:
this hand is moist, my lady.
DESDEMONA It yet hath felt no age nor known no sorrow.
OTHELLO This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart:
Hot, hot, and moist:
‘Tis a good hand, a frank one.
DESDEMONA You may, indeed, say so;
For ’twas that hand that gave away my heart.
Come now, your promise.
OTHELLO What promise, chuck?
DESDEMONA
I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you.
OTHELLO
I have a salt and sorry rheum offends me;
Lend me thy handkerchief.
DESDEMONA Here, my lord.
OTHELLO That which I gave you.
DESDEMONA I have it not about me.
OTHELLO Not?
DESDEMONA No, indeed, my lord.
OTHELLO That is a fault. That handkerchief
Did an Egyptian to my mother give;
She was a charmer, and could almost read
The thoughts of people: she told her, while she kept it,
‘Twould make her amiable and subdue my father
Entirely to her love, but if she lost it
Or made gift of it, my father’s eye
Should hold her loathed and his spirits should hunt
After new fancies: she, dying, gave it me;
And bid me, when my fate would have me wive,
To give it her. I did so: and take heed on’t;
To lose’t or give’t away were such perdition
As nothing else could match.
DESDEMONA Indeed! is’t true?
OTHELLO Most veritable; therefore look to’t well.
DESDEMONA Then would to God that I had never seen’t!
OTHELLO Ha! wherefore?
DESDEMONA
Why do you speak so startingly and rash?
OTHELLO Is’t lost? is’t gone?
speak, is it out o’ the way?
DESDEMONA It is not lost; but what an if it were?
OTHELLO How!
DESDEMONA I say, it is not lost.
OTHELLO Fetch’t, let me see’t.
DESDEMONA Why, so I can, sir, but I will not now.
This is a trick to put me from my suit:
Pray you, let Cassio be received again.
OTHELLO Fetch me the handkerchief: my mind misgives.
DESDEMONA Come, come;
You’ll never meet a more sufficient man.
OTHELLO The handkerchief!
DESDEMONA I pray, talk me of Cassio.
OTHELLO The handkerchief!
DESDEMONA A man that all his time
Shared dangers with you,–
OTHELLO The handkerchief!
DESDEMONA In sooth, you are to blame.
OTHELLO Away!
[Exit]
EMILIA Is not this man jealous?
DESDEMONA I ne’er saw this before.
Sure, there’s some wonder in this handkerchief:
EMILIA Look you, Lieutenant Cassio!
[Enter CASSIO and IAGO]
DESDEMONA How now, good Cassio!
what’s the news with you?
CASSIO 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 entirely honour.
DESDEMONA 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.
As I have spoken for you all my best
And stood within the blank of his displeasure
For my free speech! you must awhile be patient:
What I can do I will; let that suffice you.
IAGO Is my lord angry?
EMILIA He went hence but now,
And certainly in strange unquietness.
DESDEMONA Something, sure, of state,
Hath puddled his clear spirit: and in such cases
Men’s natures wrangle with inferior things,
Though great ones are their object.
EMILIA Pray heaven it be state-matters, as you think,
And no conception nor no jealous toy
Concerning you.
DESDEMONA Alas the day! I never gave him cause.
EMILIA 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.
DESDEMONA
Heaven keep that monster from Othello’s mind!
EMILIA Lady, amen.
DESDEMONA
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.
CASSIO I humbly thank your ladyship.
DESDEMONA Come, Emilia
[Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA]
[Enter BIANCA]
BIANCA Save you, friend Cassio!
CASSIO My most fair Bianca? How is it with you?
I’ faith, sweet love, I was coming to your house.
BIANCA And I was going to your lodging, Cassio.
What, keep a week away? seven days and nights?
Eight score eight hours?
CASSIO 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]
Sweet Bianca, make me a copy of this handkerchief
BIANCA O Cassio, whence came this?
CASSIO I know not, sweet: I found it in my chamber.
I like the work well: I’ld have it copied:
Take it, and do’t; and leave me for this time.
BIANCA I pray you, bring me on the way a little,
And say if I shall see you soon at night.
CASSIO ‘Tis but a little way that I can bring you;
For I attend here on the genral.
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