Cyprus. A street.
[Enter IAGO and RODERIGO]
IAGO
Here, stand behind this bulk; straight will he come:
Wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home:
RODERIGO Be near at hand; I may miscarry in’t.
IAGO Here, at thy hand: be bold, and take thy stand.
[Retires]
IAGO I have rubb’d this young quat almost to the sense,
And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio,
Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,
Every way makes my gain: live Roderigo,
He calls me to a restitution large
Of gold and jewels that I bobb’d from him,
As gifts to Desdemona;
It must not be: if Cassio do remain,
He hath a daily beauty in his life
That makes me ugly; and, besides, the Moor
May unfold me to him; there stand I in much peril:
No, he must die. But so: I hear him coming.
[Enter CASSIO]
RODERIGO I know his gait, ’tis he.–Villain, thou diest!
[Makes a pass at CASSIO]
CASSIO That thrust had been mine enemy indeed,
But that my coat is better than thou know’st
I will make proof of thine.
[Draws, and wounds RODERIGO]
RODERIGO O, I am slain!
IAGO Rodrigo hit, and Cassio yet unharmed.
Then it’s time to lend a hand!
[IAGO from behind wounds
CASSIO in the leg, and exit]
CASSIO I am maim’d for ever.
Help, ho! murder! murder!
[Falls]
CASSIO O, help!
LODOVICO Hark!
RODERIGO O wretched villain!
[Re-enter IAGO, with a light]
IAGO Who’s there?
whose noise is this that cries on murder?
CASSIO Iago? O, I am spoil’d, undone by villains!
Give me some help.
IAGO O me, lieutenant! what villains have done this?
CASSIO I think that one of them is hereabout,
And cannot make away.
IAGO O treacherous villains!
What are you there? come in, and give some help.
RODERIGO O, help me here!
CASSIO That’s one of them.
IAGO O murderous slave! O villain!
[Stabs RODERIGO]
RODERIGO O damn’d Iago! O inhuman dog!
IAGO Kill men i’ the dark!
–Where be these bloody thieves?–
Ho! murder! murder!–
LODOVICO Who is he that cries murder?
IAGO Signior Lodovico?
LODOVICO He, sir.
IAGO I cry you mercy.
Here’s Cassio hurt by villains.
GRATIANO Cassio!
IAGO How is’t, brother!
CASSIO My leg is cut in two.
IAGO Patience awhile, good Cassio. Come, come;
Lend me a light. Know we this face or no?
Alas my friend and my dear countryman
Roderigo! no:–yes, sure: O heaven! Roderigo.
GRATIANO Roderigo!
IAGO He, he ’tis he.
Bear Cassio carefully from hence;
I’ll fetch the general’s surgeon.
EMILIA Iago, ‘Las, what’s the matter?
what’s the matter, husband?
IAGO Cassio hath here been set on in the dark
By Roderigo and fellows that are scaped:
He’s almost slain, and Roderigo dead.
EMILIA Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio!
IAGO Kind gentlemen,
let’s go see poor Cassio dress’d.
Emilia run you to the citadel,
And tell my lord and lady what hath happ’d.
Will you go on? I pray.
[Aside]
This is the night
That either makes me or fordoes me quite.
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