lago. Honest, my lord!

Oth. Honest! ay, honest.

lago. My lord, for aught I know. Oth. What dost thou think?

lago. Think, my lord!

Oth. Think, my lord!-By heaven, he echoes me, As if there were some monster in his thought,

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Too hideous to be shewn.-Thou dost mean some

thing:

I heard thee say but now,-Thou lik’dst not that,
When Cassio left my wife; What did'st not like ?
And, when I told thee-he was of my counsel

In my
whole course of wooing, thou cry'dst, Indeed!
And didst contract and purse thy brow together,
As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain
Some horrible conceit: If thou dost love me,
Shew me thy thought.

lago. My lord, you know I love you.

Oth. I think, thou dost ;

-

200.

And, for I know thou art full of love and honesty, And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st thei breath,

Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more:
For such things, in a false disloyal knave,

Are tricks of custom; but, in a man that's just,
They are close delations, working from the heart,
That passion cannot rule.

lago. For Michael Cassio,

I dare be sworn, I think that he is honest.

Oth. I think so too..

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lago.

Iago. Men should be what they seem;

Or, those that be not, 'would they might seem none ! Oth. Certain, men should be what they seem.

lago. Why then, I think Cassio's an honest man. Oth. Nay, yet there's more in this :

I pray thee, speak to me as to thy thinkings, As thou dost ruminate; and give thy worst of thoughts

The worst of words.

Iago. Good my lord, pardon me;

Though I am bound to every act of duty,

I am not bound to that all slaves are free to.

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Utter my thoughts? Why, say, they are vile and false,

As where's that palace, whereinto foul things
Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast so pure,
But some uncleanly apprehensions

Keep leets, and law-days, and in session sit

With meditations lawful?

Oth. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago, If thou but think'st him wrong'd, and mak'st his ear

A stranger to thy thoughts.

Iago, I do beseech you,

Though I

perchance, am vicious in my guess

(As, I confess, it is my nature's plague

To spy into abuses; and, oft, my jealousy

Shapes faults that are not), that your wisdom yet,
From one that so imperfectly conceits,

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Would take no notice; nor build yourself a trouble Out of his scattering and unsure observance :

It were not for your quiet, nor your good,
Nor for my manhood, honesty, or wisdom,
To let you know my thoughts.

Oth. What dost thou mean?

lago. Good name, in man, and woman, lord,

Is the immediate jewel of their souls:

Who steals my purse, steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;

'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he, that filches from me my good name,

Robs me of that, which not enriches him,

And makes me poor indeed.

Oth. By heaven, I'll know thy thought.

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lago. You cannot, if my heart were in your hand

Nor shall not, whilst 'tis in my custody.

Oth. Ha!

Iago. O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;

It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock The meat it feeds on: That cuckold lives in bliss, Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger; But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er,

Who dotes, yet doubts; suspects, yet strongly loves! Oth. O misery!

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Iago. Poor, and content, is rich, and rich enough; But riches, fineless, is as poor as winter,

To him that ever fears he shall be poor :

Good heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend
From jealousy!

Oth. Why? why is this?

Think'st thou, I'd make a life of jealousy,
To follow still the changes of the moon
With fresh suspicions? No; to be once in doubt,
Is-once to be resolv'd: Exchange me for a goat,
When I shall turn the business of my soul
To such exsuffolate and blown surmises,

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Matching thy inference. 'Tis not to make me jealous,
To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances well;
Where virtue is, these are more virtuous:

Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
The smallest fear, or doubt of her revolt;
For she had eyes, and chose me: No, Iago;
I'll see, before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;
And, on the proof, there is no more but this-
Away at once with love, or jealousy.

280

logo. I am glad of this; for now I shall have

reason

To shew the love and duty that I bear you'
With franker spirit: therefore, as I am bound,
Receive it from me :-I speak not yet of proof.
Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio;
Wear your eye-thus, not jealous, nor secure:
I would not have your free and noble nature,
Out of self-bounty, be abus'd; look to't:
I know our country disposition well;

In Venice they do let heaven see the pranks

They dare not shew their husbands; their best con→

science

Is not to leave undone, but keep unknown.

Oth

Oth. Dost thou say so?

lago. She did deceive her father, marrying you; And, when she seem'd to shake, and fear your looks,

She lov'd them most. :

Oth. And so she did.

Iago. Why, go to, then;

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She that, so young, could give out such a seeming, To seel her father's eyes up, close as oak

He thought 'twas witchcraft: But I am much to blame;

I humbly do beseech you of your pardon,

For too much loving you.

Oth. I am bound to thee for ever.

lago. I see, this hath a little dash'd your spirits.

Oth. Not a jot, not a jot.

lago. Trust me, I fear it has.

I hope, you will consider, what is spoke

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Comes from my love :-But, I do see, you are mov'd;

I am to pray you, not to strain my speech

To grosser issues, nor to larger reach,

Than to suspicion.

Oth. I will not.

Jago. Should you do so, my lord,

My speech should fall into such vile success

As my thoughts aim not at.

friend :

My lord, I see you are mov'd.

Oth. No, not much mov'd :

Cassio's my worthy

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I do not think, but Desdemona's honest.

Gij

Jago