Cyprus. Before the Castle.
 Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA, and CLOWN.

Desdemona	Do you know, sirrah, where Lieutenant Cassio lies?

Clown	I dare not say he lies anywhere.

Desdemona	Why, man?

Clown	He is a soldier; and for one to say a soldier lies, 'tis 
	stabbing.

Desdemona	Go to; where lodges he?

Clown	To tell you where he lodges is to tell you where I lie.

Desdemona	Can anything be made of this?

Clown	I know not where he lodges, and for me to devise a lodging 
	and say he lies here, or he lies there, were to lie in mine 
	own throat.

Desdemona	Can you inquire him out, and be edified by report?

Clown	I will catechize the world for him: that is, make 
	questions, and by them answer.

Desdemona	Seek him; bid him come hither. Tell him I have moved my 
	lord in his behalf, and hope all will be well.

Clown	To do this is within the compass of man's wit, and 
	therefore I will attempt the doing it.
												[Exit.
Desdemona	Where should I lose that handkerchief, Emilia?

Emilia	I know not, madam.

Desdemona	Believe me, I had rather have lost my purse
	Full of crusadoes; and but my noble Moor
	Is true of mind, and made of no such baseness
	As jealous creatures are, it were enough
	To put him to ill-thinking.

Emilia									Is he not jealous?

Desdemona	Who, he? I think the sun where he was born
	Drew all such humours from him.

                              Enter OTHELLO.

Emilia								Look where he comes.

Desdemona	I will not leave him now till Cassio
	Be called to him. How is't with you, my lord?

Othello	Well, my good lady. [Aside.] O, hardness to dissemble!
	- How do you, Desdemona?

Desdemona							Well, my good lord.

Othello	Give me your hand. This hand is moist, my lady.

Desdemona	It hath felt no age nor known no sorrow.

Othello	This argues fruitfulness and liberal heart.
	Hot, hot and moist. This hand of yours requires
	A sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer,
	Much castigation, exercise devout;
	For here's a young and sweating devil here
	That commonly rebels. 'Tis a good hand,
	A frank one.

Desdemona					You may indeed say so,
	For 'twas that hand that gave away my heart.

Othello	A liberal hand! The hearts of old gave hands;
	But our new heraldry is hands, not hearts.

Desdemona	I cannot speak of this. Come now, your promise.

Othello	What promise, chuck?

Desdemona	I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you.

Othello	I have a salt and sorry rheum offends me;
	Lend me thy handkerchief.

Desdemona									Here, my lord.

Othello	That which I gave you.

Desdemona							I have it not about me.

Othello	Not?

Desdemona			No, faith, my lord.

Othello							That's a fault. That handkerchief
	Did an Egyptian to my mother give.
	She was a charmer, and could almost read
	The thoughts of people. She told her, while she kept it
	'Twould make her amiable, and subdue my father
	Entirely to her love; but if she lost it,
	Or made a gift of it, my father's eye
	Should hold her loathd, and his spirits should hunt
	After new fancies. She, dying, gave it me,
	And bid me, when my fate would have me wive,
	To give it her. I did so; and take heed on't,
	Make it a darling like your precious eye.
	To lose't, or give't away, were such perdition
	As nothing else could match.

Desdemona									Is't possible?

Othello	'Tis true: there's magic in the web of it.
	A sibyl, that had numbered in the world
	The sun to course two hundred compasses,
	In her prophetic fury sewed the work;
	The worms were hallowed that did breed the silk;
	And it was dyed in mummy, which the skilful
	Conserved of maidens' hearts.

Desdemona								I'faith, is't true?

Othello	Most veritable; therefore look to't well.

Desdemona	Then would to God that I had never seen it!

Othello	Ha, wherefore?

Desdemona	Why do you speak so startingly and rash?

Othello	Is't lost? Is't gone? Speak - is't out o'th' way?

Desdemona	Heaven bless us!

Othello	Say you?

Desdemona	It is not lost; but what an if it were?

Othello	How?

Desdemona	I say it is not lost.

Othello							Fetch't, let me see't.

Desdemona	Why, so I can; but I will not now.
	This is a trick to put me from my suit.
	Pray you let Cassio be received again.

Othello	Fetch me the handkerchief, my mind misgives.

Desdemona	Come, come;
	You'll never meet a more sufficient man.

Othello	The handkerchief!

Desdemona							I pray, talk me of Cassio.

Othello	The handkerchief!

Desdemona						A man that all his time
	Hath founded his good fortunes on your love,
	Shared dangers with you-

Othello	The handkerchief!

Desdemona						I'faith, you are to blame.

Othello	Zounds!
												[Exit.
Emilia	Is not this man jealous?

Desdemona							I ne'er saw this before.
	Sure, there's some wonder in this handkerchief;
	I am most unhappy in the loss of it.

Emilia	'Tis not a year or two shows us a man:
	They are all but stomachs, and we all but food;
	They eat us hungerly, and when they are full
	They belch us.

                          Enter IAGO and CASSIO.

							Look you, Cassio and my husband.

Iago	There is no other way, 'tis she must do't.
	And lo, the happiness! Go and importune her.

Desdemona	How now, good Cassio, what's the news with you?

Cassio	Madam, my former suit. I do beseech you
	That by your virtuous means I may again
	Exist and be a member of his love,
	Whom I, with all the office of my heart,
	Entirely honour. I would not be delayed.
	If my offence be of such mortal kind
	That nor my service past nor present sorrows
	Nor purposed merit in futurity,
	Can ransom me into his love again,
	But to know so must be my benefit;
	So shall I clothe me in a forced content,
	And shut myself up in some other course
	To fortune's alms.

Desdemona						Alas, thrice-gentle Cassio,
	My advocation is not now in tune.
	My lord is not my lord, nor should I know him
	Were he in favour as in humour altered.
	So help me every spirit sanctified,
	As I have spoken for you all my best,
	And stood within the blank of his displeasure
	For my free speech. You must awhile be patient.
	What I can do, I will; and more I will
	Than for myself I dare. Let that suffice you.

Iago	Is my lord angry?

Emilia							He went hence but now,
	And certainly in strange unquietness.

Iago	Can he be angry? I have seen the cannon
	When it hath blown his ranks into the air,
	And, like the devil, from his very arm
	Puffed his own brother - and can he be angry?
	Something of moment then. I will go meet him.
	There's matter in't indeed if he be angry.

Desdemona	I prithee do so.
												[Exit IAGO.
						Something, sure, of state,
	Either from Venice, or some unhatched practice
	Made demonstrable here in Cyprus to him,
	Hath puddled his clear spirit; and in such cases
	Men's natures wrangle with inferior things,
	Though great ones are their object. 'Tis even so;
	For let our finger ache, and it endues
	Our other healthful members even to a sense
	Of pain. Nay, we must think men are not gods,
	Nor of them look for such observancy
	As fits the bridal. Beshrew me much, Emilia,
	I was - unhandsome warrior as I am-
	Arraigning his unkindness with my soul;
	But now I find I had suborned the witness,
	And he's indicted falsely.

Emilia	Pray heaven it be state matters, as you think,
	And no conception nor no jealous toy
	Concerning you.

Desdemona	Alas the day, I never gave him cause.

Emilia	But jealous souls will not be answered so;
	They are not ever jealous for the cause,
	But jealous for they're jealous. It is a monster
	Begot upon itself, born on itself.

Desdemona	Heaven keep the monster from Othello's mind!

Emilia	Lady, amen.

Desdemona	I will go seek him. Cassio, walk hereabout.
	If I do find him fit, I'll move your suit,
	And seek to effect it to my uttermost.

Cassio	I humbly thank your ladyship.
									[Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA.

                              Enter BIANCA.

Bianca	Save you, friend Cassio!

Cassio							What make you from home?
	How is it with you, my most fair Bianca?
	I'faith, sweet love, I was coming to your house.

Bianca	And I was going to your lodging, Cassio.
	What, keep a week away? Seven days and nights?
	Eight score eight hours? And lovers' absent hours,
	More tedious than the dial eight score times!
	O weary reck'ning!

Cassio							Pardon me, Bianca;
	I have this while with leaden thoughts been pressed;
	But I shall in a more convenient time
	Strike off this score of absence.
							   [Giving DESDEMONA's handkerchief.

										Sweet Bianca,
	Take me this work out.

Bianca						O Cassio, whence came this?
	This is some token from a newer friend.
	To the felt absence now I feel a cause.
	Is't come to this? Well, well.

Cassio									Go to, woman;
	Throw your vile guesses in the devil's teeth,
	From whence you have them. You are jealous, now,
	That this is from some mistress, some remembrance.
	No, in good troth, Bianca.

Bianca								Why, whose is it?

Cassio	I know not, neither. I found it in my chamber.
	I like the work well. Ere it be demanded-
	As like enough it will - I would have it copied.
	Take it and do't, and leave me for this time.

Bianca	Leave you? Wherefore?

Cassio	I do attend here on the general,
	And think it no addition, nor my wish,
	To have him see me womaned.

Bianca									Why, I pray you?

Cassio	Not that I love you not.

Bianca							But that you do not love me.
	I pray you, bring me on the way a little
	And say if I shall see you soon at night.

Cassio	'Tis but a little way that I can bring you,
	For I attend here; but I'll see you soon.

Bianca	'Tis very good; I must be circumstanced.
												[Exeunt.
