her; importune her; she'll help to put you in your place again she is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, that she holds it a vice in her goodness, not to do more than she is requested : This broken joint, between you and her husband, entreat her to splinter; and, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this crack of your love shall grow stronger than it was before. 680

Cas. You advise me well.

lago. I protest, in the sincerity of love, and honest kindness.

Cas. I think it freely; and, betimes in the morning, I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me: I am desperate of my fortunes, if they check me here.

lago. You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant; I must to the watch.

Cas. Good night, honest Iago.

689

[Exit CASSIO.

Iago. And what's he then, that says I play the

villain?

When this advice is free I give, and honest,
Probable to thinking, and (indeed) the course
To win the Moor again? For 'tis most easy
The inclining Desdemona to subdue

In any honest suit; she's fram'd as fruitful

As the free elements: And then for her

To win the Moor,—were't to renounce his baptism, All seals and symbols of redeemed sin,~

His soul is so enfetter'd to her love,

700

That she may make, unmake, do what she list,

Even as her appetite shall play the god

With his weak function. How am I then a villain,
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course,

Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
When devils will their blackest sins put on,
They do suggest at first with heavenly shews,
As I do now: For, while this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes,
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
I'll pour this pestilence into his ear,-

That she repeals him for her body's lust;
And, by how much she strives to do him good,
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch;

And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.-How

Enter RODERIGO.

now,

710

Roderigo?

Rod. I do follow here in the chace, not like a hound that hunts, but one that fills up the cry. My money is almost spent; I have been to-night exceedingly well cudgell'd; and, I think, the issue will be-I shall have so much experience for my pains : and so, with no money at all, and a little more wit, return to Venice. 724

lago. How poor are they, that have not patience !-What wound did ever heal, but by degrees? Thou know'st, we work by wit, and not by witch

craft;

And wit depends on dilatory time.

Does't

Does't not go well? Cassio hath beaten thee,

And thou, by that small hurt, hast cashier'd Cassio: Though other things grow fair against the sun, 731 Yet fruits, that blossom first, will first be ripe : Content thyself a while.-By the mass, 'tis morning; Pleasure, and action, make the hours seem short.— Retire thee; go where thou art billeted : ·

Away, I say; thou shalt know more hereafter :Nay, get thee gone.— [Exit RODERIGO.

Two things are to be done,

My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress;
I'll set her on ;

Myself, the while, will draw the Moor apart,
And bring him jump when he may Cassio find
Soliciting his wife :-Ay, that's the way;
Dull not device by coldness and delay.

740

[Exit.

ACT III. SCENE 1.

Before the Castle.

Enter CASSIO, with Musicians.

Cassio.

MASTERS, play here, I will content your pains, Something that's brief; and bid-good-morrow, general. [Musick plays; and enter Clown. Clown. Why, masters, have your instruments been at Naples, that they speak i' the nose thus ?

Mus. How, sir, how!

Fij

Clown.

Clown. Are these, I pray you, call'd wind instru→

ments?

Mus. Ay, marry, are they, sir.
Clown. O, thereby hangs a tail.
Mus. Whereby hangs a tale, sir?

9

Clown. Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument that I know. But, masters, here's money for you: and the general so likes your musick, that he desires you, of all loves, to make no more noise with it.

Mus. Well, sir, we will not.

Clown. If you have any musick that may not be heard, to't again: but, as they say, to hear musick, the general does not greatly care.

Mus. We have none such, sir. Clown. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away: Go; vanish into air; away.

20

[Exeunt Musicians.

Cas. Dost thou hear, my honest friend? Clown. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.

Cas. Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor piece of gold for thee: if the gentlewoman that attends the general's wife, be stirring, tell her, there's one Cassio entreats her a little favour of speech: Wilt

thou do this?

Clown. She is stirring, sir; if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her. [Exit Clown.

Enter IAGO.

Cas. Do, good my friend.-In happy time, Iago.

lago.

lago. You have not been a-bed then?
Cas. Why, no; the day had broke

Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago,
To send in for your wife: My suit to her
Is, that she will to virtuous Desdemona
Procure me some access.

Iago. I'll send her to you presently:

And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor

32

Out of the way, that your converse and business 49 May be more free.

[Exit.

Cas. I humbly thank you for't. I never knew A Florentine more kind and honest.

Enter EMILIA.

Emil. Good morrow, good lieutenant: I am sorry
For your displeasure; but all will soon be well.
The general, and his wife, are talking of it;

And she speaks for you stoutly: The Moor replies,
That he, you hurt, is of great fame in Cyprus,
And great affinity; and that, in wholesome wisdom,
He might not but refuse you: but, he protests, he

loves you;

And needs no other suitor, but his likings,

To take the safest occasion by the front,

To bring you in again.

Cas. Yet, I beseech you,—

If you think fit, or that it may be done,-
Give me advantage of some brief discourse
With Desdemona alone.

50