Call all-in-all sufficient? this the noble nature,

Whom passion could not shake? whose solid virtue, The shot of accident, nor dart of chance,

Could neither graze nor pierce?

He is much changed.

Iago.
Lo. Are his wits safe? is he not light of brain?
Iago. He is that he is: I may not breathe my

censure.

What he might be,-if, what he might, he is not,I would to Heaven he were.

Lo.

What, strike his wife! Iago. Faith, that was not so well; yet would I

knew

That stroke would prove the worst.

Lo.

Is it his use?

Or did the letters work upon his blood,
And new-create this fault?

Iago.

Alas, alas!

It is not honesty in me to speak

What I have seen and known. You shall observe

him;

And his own courses will denote him so,

That I may save my speech. Do but go after,
And mark how he continues.

Lo. I am sorry that I am deceived in him.

[Exeunt.

SCENE 11.

A room in the castle.

Enter OTHELLO and EMILIA.

Oth. You have seen nothing then?

Emi. Nor ever heard, nor ever did suspect.

Oth. Yes, you have seen Cassio and she together. Emi. But then I saw no harm; and then I heard Each syllable, that breath made up between them. Oth. What, did they never whisper? Emi.

Never, my lord.

Never.

Oth. Nor send you out o' the way?
Emi.

Oth. To fetch her fan, her gloves, her mask, nor

nothing?

Emi. Never, my lord.

Oth.

That's strange.

Emi. I durst, my lord, to wager she is honest; Lay down my soul at stake: if you think other, Remove your thought; it doth abuse your bosom. If any wretch hath put this in your head, Let Heaven requite it with the serpent's curse! For, if she be not honest, chaste, and true, There's no man happy; the purest of their wives Is foul as slander.

Oth.

Bid her come hither; go.

[Exit Emilia.

She says enough; yet she's a simple bawd
That cannot say as much. This is a subtle whore,
A closet lock and key of villanous secrets:

And yet she'll kneel and pray; I have seen her

Leave procreants alone, and shut the door;
Cough, or cry hem, if any body come :
Your mystery, your mystery !-nay, despatch.

[Exit Emilia.

Des. Upon my knees, what doth your speech im

port?

I understand a fury in your words,

But not the words.

Oth. Why, what art thou?

Des.

And loyal wife.

Oth.

Your wife, my lord; your true

Come, swear it; damn thyself;

Lest, being like one of heaven, the devils them

Oth. Heaven truly knows that thou art false as

hell.

Des. To whom, my lord? With whom? How am I false?

Oth. O Desdemona! away! away! away! Des. Alas, the heavy day!-Why do you weep? Am I the occasion of these tears, my lord? If, haply, you my father do suspect An instrument of this your calling back, Lay not your blame on me: if you

him,

Why, I have lost him too.

Oth.

have lost

Had it pleased Heaven

To try me with affliction; had he rain'd
All kinds of sores and shames on my bare head;
Steep'd me in poverty to the very lips;
Given to captivity me and my utmost hopes;
I should have found in some part of my soul
A drop of patience: but, alas! to make me
A fixed figure, for the time of scorn
To point his slow unmoving finger at ;-
O! O!

Yet could I bear that too; well, very well.

1

But there, where I have garner'd 1 up my heart;
Where either I must live, or bear no life;

The fountain from the which my current runs,
Or else dries up; to be discarded thence;
Or keep it as a cistern, for foul toads

Treasured.

To knot and gender in-turn thy complexion

there!

Patience, thou young and rose-lipp'd cherubin ;
Ay, there, look grim as hell!

Des., I hope, my noble lord esteems me honest.
Oth. O, ay; as summer flies are in the shambles,
That quicken even with blowing. O thou weed,
Who art so lovely fair, and smell'st so sweet,
That the sense aches at thee;would, thou hadst
ne'er been born!

Des. Alas, what ignorant sin have I committed ? Oth. Was this fair paper, this most goodly book, Made to write whore upon? What committed! Committed!-0 thou public commoner!

I should make very forges of my cheeks,
That would to cinders burn up modesty,
Did I but speak thy deeds.-What committed!
Heaven stops the nose at it, and the moon winks;
The bawdy wind, that kisses all it meets,

Is hush'd within the hollow mine of earth,
And will not hear it.-What committed !—
Impudent strumpet!

Des.

By heaven, you do me wrong.

No, as I am a Christian :

Oth. Are not you a strumpet?
Des.
If to preserve this vessel for my lord,
From any other foul unlawful touch,
Be not to be a strumpet, I am none.
Oth. What, not a whore?
Des.

Oth. Is it possible?

No, as I shall be saved.