Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Gentlemen. Oth. Thefe letters give, lago, to the pilot, And by him do my duties to the Senate; That done, I will be walking on the works; Repair there to me. Iago. My good Lord, I'll do't. Oth. This fortification, gentlemen, fhall we fee't? Gent. We'll wait upon your Lordship. [Exeunt. SCENE changes to an Apartment in the Palace. Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILIA. Def. Be thou affured, good Caffio, I will do All my abilities in thy behalf. Emil. Good Madam, do: I know it grieves my As if the caufe were his. [huband, Def. Oh, that's an honest fellow; doubt not, But I will have my Lord and you again As friendly as you were. Caf. Moft bounteous Madam, Whatever fhall become of Michael Caffio, [Caffio, He is never any thing but your true fervant. Def I know't, I thank you; you do love my You have known him long; and, be you well affured, Caf. Ay, but, Lady, That policy may either last so long, Def. Do not doubt that; before Æmilia here, I give thee warrant of thy place. Affure thee, If I do vow a friendfhip, I'll perform it To the last article. My Lord thall never reft; With Caffio's fuit: therefore be merry, Caffio; Than give thy cause away. Enter OTHELLO, and IAGO, at a distance. Emil. Madam, here comes my Lord. Def. Why, ftay, and hear me speak. Gaf. Madam, not now; I am very ill at ease, Unfit for mine own purposes. Def. Well, do your discretion. lago. Hah! I like not that.-----Oth. What doft thou fay? [Exit Caffio. Jago. Nothing, my Lord; or if---1 know not what. Oth. Was not that Caffio, parted from my wife? Iago. Caffio, my Lord? no, fure, I cannot think it, That he would fteal away fo guilty-like, Seeing you coming. Oth. I believe 'twas he. Def. How now, my Lord? I have been talking with a fuitor here, Def. Why, your Lieutenant Caffio. Good my Lord, For if he be not one that truly loves you, I pr'ythee call him back. Oth. Went he hence now? Def. Ay, footh, fo humbled, That he hath left part of his grief with me, Oth. The fooner, fweet, for you. Def. To-morrow dinner then? Def. Why then to-morrow night, or Tuesday morn, Or Tuesday noon, or night, or Wednesday morn: T' incur a private check. When shall he come? Hath ta'en your part, to have fo much to do Def. Why, this is not a boon: 'Tis as I fhould entreat you wear your gloves, Or feed on nourishing meats, or keep you warm; Or fue to you, to do peculiar profit To your own perfon. Nay, when I have fuit VOL. XII. X It fhall be full of poize and difficulty, Oth. I will deny thee nothing. Def. Shall I deny you? no: Farewel, my Lord. Oth. Farewel, my Desdemona, I'll come strait. Def. Emilia, come; be, as your fancies teach you. Whate'er you be, I am obedient. [Exeunt. Manent OTHELLO and IAGO. Oth. Excellent wench!-----Perdition catch my foul, (32) But I do love thee; and when I love thee not, lago. My noble Lord,----- Oth. What doft thou fay, Iago? Iago. Did Michael Caffio, when you wooed my Know of your love? (32) Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my foul, [Lady, But I do love thee, &c.] Though all the printed copies concur in this reading, I think it is very reasonably to be fufpected. Othello is exclaiming here with admiration and rapturous fondness; but wretch can fcarce be admitted to be used, unless in compaflion or contempt. I make no queftion but the Poet wrote; Excellent wench!. -Perdition catch my foul, &c. It is to be observed, that, in Shakespeare's time, wench, lafs, and girl were not ufed in that low and vulgar acceptation as they are at this time of day; but very frequently with dignity. To appeal to a few inftances: -Oh ill-ftarred wench! Pale as thy fmock! Agrip. Royal wench! She made great Cæfar lay his fword to bed, &c. Othello. Antony and Cleopatra. Now boaft thee, Death, in thy poffeffion lyes A lafs unparagoned What, girl though gray Ibid. Do fomething mingle with our younger brown, &c. Ibid. Oth. He did, from first to last; why dost thou ask? lago. But for a fatisfaction of my thought, No farther harm. Oth. Why of thy thought, Iago? Iago. I did not think he'd been acquainted with it. Uth. Oh yes, and went between us very oft. Iago. Indeed! Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed. Is he not honest? Iago. Honeft, my Lord? Oth. Honeft? ay, honest. Iago. My Lord, for aught I know. lago. Think, my Lord !----- Oth. Think, my Lord! why, by Heaven, thou echoelt me; As if there were fome monfter in thy thought, Too hideous to be fhewn. Thou doft mean fome thing; I heard thee fay but now, thou lik'dft not that,---What did'ft not like? And when I told thee, he was of my counfel, In my whole courfe of wooing; thou criedit, indeed? Iago. My Lord! you know I love you. And for I know thou art full of love and honesty, - breath, Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more : For fuch things in a falfe difloyal knave Are tricks of custom; but, in a man that's juft, |