Othello.

Ay, Desdemona.

Desdemona. Will you come to bed, my lord?

Othello. Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemona ?

Desdemona. Ay, my lord.

Othello. If you bethink yourself of any crime, Unreconcil'd as yet to heaven and grace,

Solicit for it straight.

Desdemona. Alas, my lord, what may you mean by that? Othello. Well, do it, and be brief; I will walk by:

I would not kill thy unprepared spirit ;

No,-Heaven forefend !—I would not kill thy soul.
Desdemona. Talk you of killing?

Desdemona.

Othello.

Have mercy on me!

Othello.

Ay, I do.

Then heaven

Amen, with all my heart!

Desdemona. If you say so, I hope you will not kill me. Othello. Humph!

Desdemona. And yet I fear you; for you are fatal then, When your eyes roll so! why should I fear I know not. Since guiltiness I know not; but yet, I feel I fear.

Othello. Think on thy sins.

Desdemona.

They are loves I bear to you.

Othello. Ay, and for that thou diest.

Desdemona. That death's unnatural, that kills for

loving.

Alas, why gnaw you so your nether lip ?

Some bloody passion shakes your very frame:

These are portents; but yet, I hope, I hope,

They do not point on me.

Othello.

Peace, and be still !

Desdemona. I will so. What's the matter?

Othello. That handkerchief, which I so lov'd, and gave

thee,

Take heed of perjury; thou 'rt on thy death-bed.

Desdemona. Ay, but not yet to die.

Othello.

Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin;

For to deny each article with oath,

Yes, presently;

Cannot remove, nor choke, the strong conception
That I do groan withal. Thou art to die.

Desdemona. Then, Lord have mercy on me!
Othello.

I say, amen.
Desdemona. And have you mercy too! I never did
Offend you in my life; never lov'd Cassio,
But with such general warranty of heaven
As I might love; I never gave him token.

Othello. By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in his hand. O perjur'd woman! thou dost stone my heart,

And mak'st me call, what I intend to do,

27

A murder, which I thought a sacrifice :"
I saw the handkerchief.

Desdemona.

He found it, then;

I never gave it him :-send for him hither,
And let him confess the truth.

Desdemona. My fear interprets then.-What, is he dead? Othello. Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge Had stomach for them all.

Desdemona. Alas! he is betray'd, and I undone.

Othello. Out, strumpet! Weep'st thou for him to my face?

Desdemona. O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not! Othello. Down, strumpet !

Desdemona. Kill me to-morrow; let me live to-night! Othello. Nay, if you strive,—

Emilia (within). My lord, my lord! what, ho! my

lord, my lord!

Othello. What noise is this?—Not dead? not yet quite

dead?

I, that am cruel, am yet merciful;

I would not have thee linger in thy pain.—

So, so.

Emilia (within). What ho! my lord, my lord!
Othello.

Who's there?

Emilia (within). O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you!

Othello. Yes:-'tis Emilia:-by-and-by.-She's dead.'Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death; The noise was high.-Ha! no more moving? Still as the grave.—Shall she come in? Were 't good? I think she stirs again :-no.-What's best to do? If she come in, she'll sure speak to my wife :

My wife! my wife! what wife?—I have no wife.
O, insupportable! O heavy hour!

Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse

Of sun and moon, and that the affrighted globe
Should yawn at alteration.

Emilia (within).

I do beseech you

That I may speak with you, O, good my lord!

Othello. I had forgot thee: O, come in, Emilia :— Soft,-by-and-by:-let me the curtains draw.Where art thou? What's the matter with thee now? [Unlocks the door.

Enter EMILIA.

Emilia. O, good my lord, yonder 's foul murder done! Othello. What, now?

Emilia.

But now, my lord!

Othello. It is the very error of the moon ;

She comes more near the earth than she was wont,
And makes men mad.

Emilia. Cassio, my lord, has kill'd a young Venetian, Call'd Roderigo.

Othello.

And Cassio kill'd?

Emilia.

Roderigo kill'd!

No, Cassio is not kill'd.

Othello. Not Cassio kill'd! Then murder 's out of tune, And sweet revenge grows harsh.

Desdemona. O, falsely, falsely murder'd!

Emilia. Alas! what cry is that?

Othello. That! what?

Emilia. Out, and alas! that was my lady's voice :

Help! help, ho! help!-O lady, speak again!

Sweet Desdemona! O sweet mistress, speak!

Desdemona. A guiltless death I die.
Emilia.

This deed?

O, who hath done

[Dies.

Farewell:

Alas, who knows?

Desdemona. Nobody-I myself. Commend me to my kind lord: O, farewell! Othello. Why, how should she be murder'd? Emilia. Othello. You heard her say herself, it was not I. Emilia. She said so; I must needs report the truth. Othello. She's, like a liar, gone to burning hell: 'Twas I that kill'd her.

Emilia.

O, the more angel she,

And you the blacker devil!

Othello. She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore.
Emilia. Thou dost belie her, and thou art a devil.
Othello. She was false as water.

Emilia.

Thou art rash as fire, to say

That she was false: O, she was heavenly true!

Othello. Cassio did tup her; ask thy husband else.
O, that I were damn'd beneath all depth in hell,
But that I did proceed upon just grounds

To the extremity. Thy husband knew it all.

Emilia. My husband?

Othello. Thy husband.

Emilia. That she was false to wedlock?

Othello. Ay, with Cassio.

Nay, had she been true,28

If heaven would make me such another world

Of one entire and perfect chrysolite,

I'd not have sold her for it.

Emilia. My husband?

Othello.

Ay, 'twas he that told me first;

An honest man he is, and hates the slime
That sticks on filthy deeds.