Othello | Page 9

sated with his body, she will find the error of her choice: she must have change, she must: therefore put money in thy purse.--If thou wilt needs damn thyself, do it a more delicate way than drowning. Make all the money thou canst; if sanctimony and a frail vow betwixt an erring barbarian and a supersubtle Venetian be not too hard for my wits and all the tribe of hell, thou shalt enjoy her; therefore make money. A pox of drowning thyself! it is clean out of the way: seek thou rather to be hanged in compassing thy joy than to be drowned and go without her.
RODERIGO.?Wilt thou be fast to my hopes, if I depend on the issue?
IAGO.?Thou art sure of me:--go, make money:--I have told thee?often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I hate the Moor: my cause is hearted; thine hath no less reason. Let us be?conjunctive in our revenge against him: if thou canst cuckold him, thou dost thyself a pleasure, me a sport. There are many events in the womb of time which will be delivered. Traverse; go; provide thy money. We will have more of this to-morrow. Adieu.
RODERIGO.?Where shall we meet i' the morning?
IAGO.?At my lodging.
RODERIGO.?I'll be with thee betimes.
IAGO.?Go to; farewell. Do you hear, Roderigo?
RODERIGO.?What say you?
IAGO.?No more of drowning, do you hear?
RODERIGO.?I am changed: I'll go sell all my land.
[Exit.]
IAGO.?Thus do I ever make my fool my purse;?For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane?If I would time expend with such a snipe?But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor;?And it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets?He has done my office: I know not if't be true;?But I, for mere suspicion in that kind,?Will do as if for surety. He holds me well,?The better shall my purpose work on him.?Cassio's a proper man: let me see now;?To get his place, and to plume up my will?In double knavery,--How, how?--Let's see:--?After some time, to abuse Othello's ear?That he is too familiar with his wife:--?He hath a person, and a smooth dispose,?To be suspected; fram'd to make women false.?The Moor is of a free and open nature,?That thinks men honest that but seem to be so;?And will as tenderly be led by the nose?As asses are.?I have't;--it is engender'd:--hell and night?Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light.
[Exit.]
ACT II.
SCENE I. A seaport in Cyprus. A Platform.
[Enter Montano and two Gentlemen.]
MONTANO.?What from the cape can you discern at sea?
FIRST GENTLEMAN.?Nothing at all: it is a high-wrought flood;?I cannot, 'twixt the heaven and the main,?Descry a sail.
MONTANO.?Methinks the wind hath spoke aloud at land;?A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements:?If it hath ruffian'd so upon the sea,?What ribs of oak, when mountains melt on them,?Can hold the mortise? What shall we hear of this?
SECOND GENTLEMAN.?A segregation of the Turkish fleet:?For do but stand upon the foaming shore,?The chidden billow seems to pelt the clouds;?The wind-shak'd surge, with high and monstrous main,?Seems to cast water on the burning Bear,?And quench the guards of the ever-fixed pole;?I never did like molestation view?On the enchafed flood.
MONTANO.?If that the Turkish fleet?Be not enshelter'd and embay'd, they are drown'd;?It is impossible to bear it out.
[Enter a third Gentleman.]
THIRD GENTLEMAN.?News, lads! our wars are done.?The desperate tempest hath so bang'd the Turks?That their designment halts; a noble ship of Venice?Hath seen a grievous wreck and sufferance?On most part of their fleet.
MONTANO.?How! is this true?
THIRD GENTLEMAN.?The ship is here put in,?A Veronessa; Michael Cassio,?Lieutenant to the warlike Moor Othello,?Is come on shore: the Moor himself's at sea,?And is in full commission here for Cyprus.
MONTANO.?I am glad on't; 'tis a worthy governor.
THIRD GENTLEMAN.?But this same Cassio,--though he speak of comfort?Touching the Turkish loss,--yet he looks sadly,?And prays the Moor be safe; for they were parted?With foul and violent tempest.
MONTANO.?Pray heavens he be;?For I have serv'd him, and the man commands?Like a full soldier. Let's to the sea-side, ho!?As well to see the vessel that's come in?As to throw out our eyes for brave Othello,?Even till we make the main and the aerial blue?An indistinct regard.
THIRD GENTLEMAN.?Come, let's do so;?For every minute is expectancy?Of more arrivance.
[Enter Cassio.]
CASSIO.?Thanks you, the valiant of this warlike isle,?That so approve the Moor! O, let the heavens?Give him defence against the elements,?For I have lost him on a dangerous sea!
MONTANO.?Is he well shipp'd?
CASSIO.?His bark is stoutly timber'd, and his pilot?Of very expert and approv'd allowance;?Therefore my hopes, not surfeited to death,?Stand in bold cure.
[Within.] A sail, a sail, a sail!
[Enter a fourth Gentleman.]
CASSIO.?What noise?
FOURTH GENTLEMAN.?The town is empty; on the brow o' the sea?Stand ranks of people, and they cry, "A sail!"
CASSIO.?My hopes do shape him for the governor.
[Guns within.]
SECOND GENTLEMAN.?They do discharge their shot of courtesy:?Our friends at least.
CASSIO.?I pray you, sir, go forth,?And give us truth who 'tis that is arriv'd.
SECOND GENTLEMAN.?I shall.
[Exit.]
MONTANO.?But,