The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 397

What noise?

FOURTH GENTLEMAN. The town is empty; on the brow o' the sea Stand ranks of people, and they cry, "A sail!"

Ca.s.sIO. My hopes do shape him for the governor.

Guns heard.

SECOND GENTLEMAN. They do discharge their shot of courtesy- Our friends at least.

Ca.s.sIO. I pray you, sir, go forth, And give us truth who 'tis that is arrived.

SECOND GENTLEMAN. I shall. Exit.

MONTANO. But, good lieutenant, is your general wived?

Ca.s.sIO. Most fortunately: he hath achieved a maid That paragons description and wild fame, One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens, And in the essential vesture of creation Does tire the ingener.

Re-enter second Gentleman.

How now! who has put in?

SECOND GENTLEMAN. 'Tis one Iago, ancient to the general.

Ca.s.sIO. He has had most favorable and happy speed: Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling winds, The gutter'd rocks, and congregated sands, Traitors ensteep'd to clog the guiltless keel, As having sense of beauty, do omit Their mortal natures, letting go safely by The divine Desdemona.

MONTANO. What is she?

Ca.s.sIO. She that I spake of, our great captain's captain, Left in the conduct of the bold Iago, Whose footing here antic.i.p.ates our thoughts A se'nnight's speed. Great Jove, Oth.e.l.lo guard, And swell his sail with thine own powerful breath, That he may bless this bay with his tall ship, Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms, Give renew'd fire to our extincted spirits, And bring all Cyprus comfort.

Enter Desdemona, Emilia Iago, Roderigo, and Attendants.

O, behold, The riches of the ship is come on sh.o.r.e!

Ye men of Cyprus, let her have your knees.

Hall to thee, lady! And the grace of heaven, Before, behind thee, and on every hand, Enwheel thee round!

DESDEMONA. I thank you, valiant Ca.s.sio.

What tidings can you tell me of my lord?

Ca.s.sIO. He is not yet arrived, nor know I aught But that he's well and will be shortly here.

DESDEMONA. O, but I fear- How lost you company?

Ca.s.sIO. The great contention of the sea and skies Parted our fellowship- But, hark! a sail.

A cry within, "A sail, a sail!" Guns heard.

SECOND GENTLEMAN. They give their greeting to the citadel; This likewise is a friend.

Ca.s.sIO. See for the news.

Exit Gentleman.

Good ancient, you are welcome. [To Emilia.] Welcome, mistress.

Let it not gall your patience, good Iago, That I extend my manners; 'tis my breeding That gives me this bold show of courtesy. Kisses her.

IAGO. Sir, would she give you so much of her lips As of her tongue she oft bestows on me, You'ld have enough.

DESDEMONA. Alas, she has no speech.

IAGO. In faith, too much; I find it still when I have list to sleep.

Marry, before your ladyship I grant, She puts her tongue a little in her heart And chides with thinking.

EMILIA. You have little cause to say so.

IAGO. Come on, come on. You are pictures out of doors, Bells in your parlors, wildcats in your kitchens, Saints in your injuries, devils being offended, Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds.

DESDEMONA. O, fie upon thee, slanderer!

IAGO. Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk: You rise to play, and go to bed to work.

EMILIA. You shall not write my praise.

IAGO. No, let me not.

DESDEMONA. What wouldst thou write of me, if thou shouldst praise me?

IAGO. O gentle lady, do not put me to't, For I am nothing if not critical.

DESDEMONA. Come on, a.s.say- There's one gone to the harbor?

IAGO. Ay, madam.

DESDEMONA. I am not merry, but I do beguile The thing I am by seeming otherwise.

Come, how wouldst thou praise me?

IAGO. I am about it, but indeed my invention Comes from my pate as birdlime does from frieze; It plucks out brains and all. But my Muse labors, And thus she is deliver'd.

If she be fair and wise, fairness and wit, The one's for use, the other useth it.

DESDEMONA. Well praised! How if she be black and witty?

IAGO. If she be black, and thereto have a wit, She'll find a white that shall her blackness fit.

DESDEMONA. Worse and worse.

EMILIA. How if fair and foolish?

IAGO. She never yet was foolish that was fair, For even her folly help'd her to an heir.

DESDEMONA. These are old fond paradoxes to make fools laugh i' the alehouse. What miserable praise hast thou for her that's foul and foolish?

IAGO. There's none so foul and foolish thereunto, But does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do.

DESDEMONA. O heavy ignorance! Thou praisest the worst best. But what praise couldst thou bestow on a deserving woman indeed, one that in the authority of her merit did justly put on the vouch of very malice itself?

IAGO. She that was ever fair and never proud, Had tongue at will and yet was never loud, Never lack'd gold and yet went never gay, Fled from her wish and yet said, "Now I may"; She that, being anger'd, her revenge being nigh, Bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly; She that in wisdom never was so frail To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail; She that could think and ne'er disclose her mind, See suitors following and not look behind; She was a wight, if ever such wight were- DESDEMONA. To do what?

IAGO. To suckle fools and chronicle small beer.

DESDEMONA. O most lame and impotent conclusion! Do not learn of him, Emilia, though he be thy husband. How say you, Ca.s.sio? Is he not a most profane and liberal counselor?

Ca.s.sIO. He speaks home, madam. You may relish him more in the soldier than in the scholar.

IAGO. [Aside.] He takes her by the palm; ay, well said, whisper.

With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Ca.s.sio. Ay, smile upon her, do; I will gyve thee in thine own courtship. You say true; 'tis so, indeed. If such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenantry, it had been better you had not kissed your three fingers so oft, which now again you are most apt to play the sir in. Very good. Well kissed! an excellent courtesy! 'tis so, indeed. Yet again your fingers to your lips?

Would they were clyster-pipes for your sake! [Trumpet within.]

The Moor! I know his trumpet.

Ca.s.sIO. 'Tis truly so.

DESDEMONA. Let's meet him and receive him.

Ca.s.sIO. Lo, where he comes!

Enter Oth.e.l.lo and Attendants.

OTh.e.l.lO. O my fair warrior!

DESDEMONA. My dear Oth.e.l.lo!

OTh.e.l.lO. It gives me wonder great as my content To see you here before me. O my soul's joy!

If after every tempest come such calms, May the winds blow till they have waken'd death!

And let the laboring bark climb hills of seas Olympus-high, and duck again as low As h.e.l.l's from heaven! If it were now to die, 'Twere now to be most happy; for I fear My soul hath her content so absolute That not another comfort like to this Succeeds in unknown fate.

DESDEMONA. The heavens forbid But that our loves and comforts should increase, Even as our days do grow!

OTh.e.l.lO. Amen to that, sweet powers!

I cannot speak enough of this content; It stops me here; it is too much of joy.

And this, and this, the greatest discords be Kisses her.

That e'er our hearts shall make!

IAGO. [Aside.] O, you are well tuned now!

But I'll set down the pegs that make this music, As honest as I am.

OTh.e.l.lO. Come, let us to the castle.

News, friends: our wars are done, the Turks are drown'd.

How does my old acquaintance of this isle?

Honey, you shall be well desired in Cyprus; I have found great love amongst them. O my sweet, I prattle out of fashion, and I dote In mine own comforts. I prithee, good Iago, Go to the bay and disembark my coffers.

Bring thou the master to the citadel; He is a good one, and his worthiness Does challenge much respect. Come, Desdemona, Once more well met at Cyprus.

Exeunt all but Iago and Roderigo.

IAGO. Do thou meet me presently at the harbor. Come hither. If thou be'st valiant- as they say base men being in love have then a n.o.bility in their natures more than is native to them- list me.

The lieutenant tonight watches on the court of guard. First, I must tell thee this: Desdemona is directly in love with him.

RODERIGO. With him? Why, 'tis not possible.

IAGO. Lay thy finger thus, and let thy soul be instructed. Mark me with what violence she first loved the Moor, but for bragging and telling her fantastical lies. And will she love him still for prating? Let not thy discreet heart think it. Her eye must be fed; and what delight shall she have to look on the devil? When the blood is made dull with the act of sport, there should be, again to inflame it and to give satiety a fresh appet.i.te, loveliness in favor, sympathy in years, manners, and beauties- all which the Moor is defective in. Now, for want of these required conveniences, her delicate tenderness will find itself abused, begin to heave the gorge, disrelish and abhor the Moor; very nature will instruct her in it and compel her to some second choice. Now sir, this granted- as it is a most pregnant and unforced position- who stands so eminently in the degree of this fortune as Ca.s.sio does? A knave very voluble; no further conscionable than in putting on the mere form of civil and humane seeming, for the better compa.s.s of his salt and most hidden loose affection? Why, none, why, none- a slipper and subtle knave, a finder out of occasions, that has an eye can stamp and counterfeit advantages, though true advantage never present itself- a devilish knave! Besides, the knave is handsome, young, and hath all those requisites in him that folly and green minds look after- a pestilent complete knave, and the woman hath found him already.

RODERIGO. I cannot believe that in her; she's full of most blest condition.

IAGO. Blest fig's-end! The wine she drinks is made of grapes. If she had been blest, she would never have loved the Moor. Blest pudding! Didst thou not see her paddle with the palm of his hand?

Didst not mark that?

RODERIGO. Yes, that I did; but that was but courtesy.