ACT III DES. Shall I deny you? no: farewell, my Lord.
Sc. III OTн. Farewell, my Desdemona: I'll come to thee
straight.

DES. Emilia, come. Be as your fancies teach you;
Whate'er you be, I am obedient. [exit, with EMILIA.
OTн. Excellent Wretch, perdition catch my soul,

But I do love thee! and, when I love thee not,
Chaos is come again.

IAGO. My noble Lord

Отн.

What dost thou say, Iago?

IAGO. Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my Lady,

Know of your love?

Отн. He did, from first to last: why dost thou ask?
IAGO. But for a satisfaction of my thought;

No further harm.

Отн.

Why of thy thought, Iago?

IAGO. I did not think he had been acquainted with her.
Отн. O, yes; and went between us very oft.

IAGO. Indeed!

90

Oтн. Indeed! ay, indeed: discern'st thou aught in that?
Is he not honest?

Отн. Think, my Lord! By Heaven, he echoes me,
As if there were some monster in his thought
Too hideous to be shewn. Thou dost mean something.
I heard thee say even now, thou lik'dst not that,
When Cassio left my wife: what didst not like?
And, when I told thee he was of my counsel
In

my whole course of wooing, thou criedst Indeed!
And didst contract and purse thy brow together,
As if thou then hadst, shut up in thy brain,
Some horrible conceit! If thou dost love me,
Shew me thy thought.

IAGO. My Lord, you know I love you.

Отн.

I think thou dost;

And, for I know thou 'rt full of love and honesty,

120

Sc. III

And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st them breath, ACT III
Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more :
For such things in a false disloyal knave
Are tricks of custom; but in a man that's just
They are close delations, working from the heart,
That passion cannot rule.

IAGO.

For Michael Cassio,

I dare be sworn-I think that he is honest. ОTH. I think so too.

IAGO.

Men should be what they seem;

Or, those that be not, would they might seem none !
OтH. Certain, men should be what they seem.

IAGO. Why, then I think Cassio's an honest man.
Отн. Nay, yet there's more in this:

I pr'ythee, speak to me as to thy thinkings,

130

As thou dost ruminate; and give thy worst of thoughts
The worst of words.

IAGO.

Good my Lord, pardon me :

Though I am bound to every act of duty,

I am not bound to that all slaves are free to.

Utter my thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false

As where's that palace whereinto foul things

Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast so pure,
But some uncleanly apprehensions

Keep leets and law-days? and in session sit

With meditations lawful?

OTн. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,

If thou but think'st him wrong'd, and mak'st his ear
A stranger to thy thoughts.

IAGO.

I do beseech you,

Though I perchance am vicious in my guess

(As, I confess, it is my nature's plague

To

spy into abuses, and oft my jealousy

Shapes faults that are not) that your wisdom yet,

From one that so imperfectly conceits,

140

Would take no notice; nor build yourself a trouble 150

Out of his scattering and unsure observance.

It were not for your quiet nor your good,
Nor for my manhood, honesty, or wisdom,
To let you know my thoughts.

АСТ III
Sc. III

Отн.
What dost thou mean?
IAGO. Good name in man and woman, dear my Lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls:

Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something,
nothing;

'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands ; But he that filches from me my good name

Robs me of that which not enriches him,

And makes me poor indeed.

Отн. By Heaven, I'll know thy thoughts!

IAGO. You cannot, if my heart were in your hand;

Nor shall not, whilst 'tis in my custody.

ОTн. Ha!

IAGO.

O, beware, my Lord, of Jealousy!

It is the green-ey'd monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on:1 that cuckold lives in bliss

Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;

But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er

;

160

Who doats, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!

Отн. O misery!

IAGO. Poor and content is rich, and rich enough;

But riches fineless is as poor as Winter

To him that ever fears he shall be

poor.

Good Heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend
From jealousy!

Think'st thou I'ld make a life of jealousy,

To follow still the changes of the Moon
With fresh suspicions? No; to be once in doubt
Is once to be resolv'd: exchange me for a goat,
When I shall turn the business of my soul

To such exsufflicate and blown surmises,

170

180

Matching thy inference. 'Tis not to make me jealous
To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,

Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances well;

Where virtue is, these are more virtuous:
Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt;
For she had eyes, and chose me. No, Iago!

1 i.c. dallies with the thoughts that nourish it, as a cat does with a mouse.

I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;
And, on the proof, there is no more but this,
Away at once with love or jealousy!

IAGO. I am glad of it; for now I shall have reason
To shew the love and duty that I bear you
With franker spirit: therefore, as I am bound,
Receive it from me: I speak not yet of proof.
Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio;
Wear your eye thus, not jealous, nor secure :
I would not have your free and noble nature,
Out of self-bounty, be abus'd; look to 't.

I know our country disposition well:

In Venice they do let Heaven see the pranks

190 ACT III

200

They dare not shew their husbands; their best conscience

Is not to leave't undone, but keep 't unknown.

OTH. Dost thou say so?

IAGO. She did deceive her father, marrying you;

And, when she seem'd to shake and fear
She lov'd them most.

Отн.

IAGO.

your looks,

And so she did.

Why, go to, then ;

Sc. III

She that, so young, could give out such a seeming,

To seel her father's eyes up close as oak—

210

He thought 'twas witchcraft- But I am much to

blame;

I humbly do beseech you of your pardon

For too much loving you.

Отн.

I am bound to thee for ever.

IAGO. I see this hath a little dash'd your spirits.

OTH. Not a jot, not a jot.

IAGO.

I'faith, I fear it has.

I hope you will consider what is spoke

Comes from my love. But I do see you 're mov'd:

I am to pray you not to strain my speech

To grosser issues nor to larger reach

Than to suspicion.

OTн. I will not.

IAGO.

Should you do so, my Lord,

My speech should fall into such vile success

220

I do not think but Desdemona's honest.

IAGO. Long live she so! and long live you to think so!
Отн. And yet, how nature erring from itself—
IAGO. Ay, there's the point; as-to be bold with you—
Not to affect many proposed matches

Of her own clime, complexion, and degree,
Whereto we see in all things nature tends ;-
Foh! one may smell, in such, a will most rank,
Foul disproportion, thoughts unnatural.
But pardon me: I do not in position1
Distinctly speak of her; though I may fear
Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,
May fall to match you with her country forms,
And happily repent.

If more thou dost perceive, let me know more;
Set on thy wife to observe: leave me, Iago.
IAGO. My Lord, I take my leave.

230

240

[going.

Oтн. Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless
Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.
IAGO [returning.] My Lord, I would I might entreat
your Honour

To scan this thing no further; leave it to time:
Although 'tis fit that Cassio have his place
(For, sure, he fills it up with great ability)
Yet, if you please to hold him off awhile,
You shall by that perceive him and his means :
Note if your Lady strain his entertainment
With any strong or vehement importunity;
Much will be seen in that. In the mean time
Let me be thought too busy in my fears
(As worthy cause I have to fear I am)
And hold her free, I do beseech your
Oтн. Fear not my government.
IAGO. I once more take my leave.
Oтн. This fellow's of exceeding honesty,

1 positive assertion.

Honour.

250

[exit.