OTH.
Peace, and be still!
DES.
I will so. What's the matter?
OTH.
That handkerchief which I so lov'd, and gave thee,
Thou gav'st to Cassio.
DES.
No, by my life and soul!
Send for the man, and ask him.
OTH.
Sweet soul, take heed,
Take heed of perjury, thou art on thy death-bed.
DES.
Ay, but not yet to die.
OTH.
[Yes,] presently:
Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin;
For to deny each article with oath
Cannot remove nor choke the strong conception
That I do groan withal. Thou art to die.
DES.
[Then Lord] have mercy on me!
OTH.
I say, amen.
DES.
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.
OTH.
By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in 's hand.
O perjur'd woman, thou dost stone my heart,
And [mak'st] me call what I intend to do
A murther, which I thought a sacrifice.
I saw the handkerchief.
DES.
He found it then;
I never gave it him. Send for him hither;
Let him confess a truth.
OTH.
He hath confess'd.
DES.
What, my lord?
OTH.
That he hath us'd thee.
DES.
How? unlawfully?
OTH.
Ay.
DES.
He will not say so.
OTH.
No – his mouth is stopp'd;
Honest Iago hath ta'en order for't.
DES.
O, my fear interprets. What, is he dead?
OTH.
Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge
Had stomach for them all.
DES.
Alas, he is betray'd and I undone!
OTH.
Out, strumpet! weep'st thou for him to my face?
DES.
O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not!
OTH.
Down, strumpet!d
DES.
Kill me to-morrow, let me live to-night!
OTH.
Nay, [an'] you strive –
DES.
But half an hour!
OTH.
Being done, there is no pause.
DES.
But while I say one prayer!
OTH.
It is too late.
Smothers her.
[DES.
O Lord, Lord, Lord!]
EMIL (At the door, [within].)
My lord, my lord!
What ho! my lord, my lord!
OTH.
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.
EMIL [Within.]
What ho! my lord, my lord!
OTH.
Who's there?
EMIL [Within.]
O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you!
OTH.
Yes. – 'Tis Emilia. – By and by. – She's dead.
'Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death;
The noise was high. Hah, 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 th' affrighted globe
Did yawn at alteration.
EMIL [Within.]
I do beseech you
That I may speak with you. O, good my lord!
OTH.
I had forgot thee. O, come in, Emilia. –
Soft, by and by, let me the curtains draw. –
Where art thou?
[Unlocks the door.]
Enter Emilia.
What's the matter with thee now?
EMIL.
O, my good lord, yonder's foul murthers done!
OTH.
What? now?
EMIL.
But now, my lord.
OTH.
It is the very error of the moon,
She comes more nearer earth than she was wont,
And makes men mad.
EMIL.
Cassio, my lord, hath kill'd a young Venetian
Call'd Roderigo.
OTH.
Roderigo kill'd?
And Cassio kill'd?
EMIL.
No, Cassio is not kill'd.
OTH.
Not Cassio kill'd? Then murther's out of tune,
And sweet revenge grows harsh.
DES.
O, falsely, falsely murder'd!
EMIL.
[O Lord], what cry is that?
OTH.
That? what?
EMIL.
Out, and alas, that was my lady's voice.
Help, help, ho, help! O lady, speak again!
Sweet Desdemona, O sweet mistress, speak!
DES.
A guiltless death I die.
EMIL.
O, who hath done this deed?
DES.
Nobody; I myself. Farewell!
Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell!
[Dies.]
OTH.
Why, how should she be murd'red?
EMIL.
Alas! who knows?
OTH.
You [heard] her say herself, it was not I.
EMIL.
She said so; I must needs report the truth.
OTH.
She's like a liar gone to burning hell:
'Twas I that kill'd her.
EMIL.
O, the more angel she,
And you the blacker devil!
OTH.
She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore.
EMIL.
Thou dost belie her, and thou art a devil.
OTH.
She was false as water.
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