Oth. Ay.

Des. He will not say so.

Oth. No, his mouth is stopp'd;

Honest Iago hath ta'en order for't.

Des. My fear interprets then, 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!

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.

[He smothers her.

[EMILIA knocks at the Door.

Emil. 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.

[Stabs her with his Dagger.

[EMILIA knocks at the Door.

Emil. What ho!-my lord! my lord !-
Oth. Who's there?

Emil. O, good my lord, I'd 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.-Ha!-no more moving, Still as the grave. Shall she come in? Were't

good?

I think she stirs again:-No.- What's the best?

If she comes 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 the affrighted globe
Should yawn at alteration.

[EMILIA knocks at the Door.

Emil. I do beseech you, I may speak with you, O, good my lord ! Oth. I had forgot thee :-0, come in, Emilia :[Unlocks the Door.

Enter EMILIA.

What's the matter with thee now?

Emil. O, my good lord, yonder's foul murder done. Oth. What? now?

Emil. But now, my lord.

Oth. It is the very error of the moon;

She comes more near the earth than she was wont, And makes men mad.

Emil. Cassio, my lord, hath kill'd a young Vene

tian,

Call'd-Roderigo.

Oth. Roderigo kill'd?

And Cassio kill'd?

Emil. No, Cassio is not kill'd.

Oth Not Cassio kill'd? Then murder's out of

tune,

And sweet revenge grows harsh.

Des. 0, 0, 0,—

Emil. Alas! what cry is that?
Oth. That! what?

Des. O, falsely, falsely murder'd!

Emil. Out, and alas! it is my lady's voice :Help! help, ho! help! - lady, speak again! Sweet Desdemona! O, sweet mistress, speak! Des. A guiltless death I die.

Emil. O who has done

This deed?

Des Nobody; I myself; farewell!

Commend me to my kind lord:-O, farewell!

Oth. Why, how should she be murder'd?
Emil. Alas, who knows?

[She dies,

Oth. You heard her say herself it was not I. Emil. She said so; I must needs report a 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.

Emil. Thou art rash as fire, to say

That she was false; O, she was heavenly true!
Oth. Cassio did use her; ask thy husband else.
O, I were damn'd beneath all depth in hell,
But that I did proceed upon just grounds
To this extremity: Thy husband knew it all,
Emil. My husband!

Oth. Thy husband.

Emil. That she was false to wedlock?

Oth. Ay, with Cassio.

Nay, had she been true,

If Heaven would make me such another world

Of one entire and perfect chrysolite,

I'd not have sold her for it.

Emil. My husband!

Oth. What needs this iteration, woman? I say, thy husband; -Dost understand the word? My friend, thy husband, honest, honest ago. - Emil. If he say so, may his pernicious soul Rot half a grain a day! he lies to the heart; She was too fond of her most filthy bargain. Oth. Ha?

Emil. Do thy worst :

This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven,

Than thou wast worthy her.

Oth. Peace, you were best.

Emil. Thou hast not half that power to do me

harm,

As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt!
As ignorant as dirt' Thou hast done a deed,-
I care not for thy sword; I'll make thee known,
Though I lost twenty lives :-Help! help, ho! help!
The Moor has kill'd my mistress: -Murder! mur-

der!

Enter MONTANO, GRATIANO, and IAGO. Mont. What is the matter?

Emil. My mistress here lies murder'd in her bed.O, are you come, lago? you have done well, That men must lay their murders on your neck. Disprove this villain, if thou be'st a man: He says, thou told'st him that his wife was false; I know thou didst not; thou'rt not such a villain ;Speak, for my heart is full.

Iago. I told him what I thought; and told no more Than what he found himself was apt and true. Emil. But did you ever tell him she was false ? Iago. I did.

Emil. You told a lie; an odious, damned lie;

Upon my soul, a lie; a wicked lie :-
She false with Cassio ! - Did you say, with Cassio ?
Iago. With Cassio, mistress.-
What, are you mad? I charge you, get you home.
Emil. Good gentlemen, let me have leave to speak ;
'Tis proper I obey him, but not now:-
Perchance, Iago, I will ne'er go home.
Oth. O! O! O!

[Falling on the Bed.

Emil. Nay, lay thee down, and roar; For thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent

That e'er did lift up eye.

Oth. O, she was foul!

[Rising.

I scarce did know you, uncle: There lies your niece;

Whose breath, indeed, these hands have newly stopp'd:

I know this act shows terrible and grim.

Gra. Poor Desdemona! I am glad thy father's

dead;

Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief
Shore his old thread in twain.

Oth. 'Tis pitiful: but yet lago knows
That she with Cassio had the act of shame
A thousand times committed; Cassio confess'd it :
And she did gratify his amorous works
With the recognizance and pledge of love
Which I first gave her; I saw it in his hand;
It was a handkerchief, an antique token
My father gave my mother.

Emil. O Heaven! O heavenly powers!
That handkerchief, thou speak'st of,
I found by fortune, and did give my husband;
For often, with a solemn earnestness,
(More than indeed belonged to such a trifle,)
He begg'd of me to steal it.

Iago. Filth, thou liest!

Emil. By Heaven, I do not; I do not, gentlemen. O murd'rous coxcomb! what should such a fool Do with so good a wife !

Oth. Are there no stones in heaven

But what serve for the thunder? - Precious villain!

[OTHELLO makes a pass at IAGO, MONTANO disarms him,-IAGO, at the same time, stabs EMILIA, and runs out.

Mont. Take you this weapon,

Which I have here recover'd from the Moor: Come, guard the door without; let him not pass, But kill him rather: I'll after that same villain.

[Exeunt MONTANO and GRATIANO,

Oth. I am not valiant neither,