The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [892]
Patience, thou young and rose-lipp'd cherubin,
Ay, there, look grim as hell!
DESDEMONA.
I hope my noble lord esteems me honest.
OTHELLO.
O, ay, as summer flies are in the shambles,
That quicken even with blowing. O thou weed,
Who art so lovely fair and smell'st so sweet
That the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst ne'er been born!
DESDEMONA.
Alas, what ignorant sin have I committed?
OTHELLO.
Was this fair paper, this most goodly book,
Made to write "whore" upon? What committed?
Committed? O thou public commoner!
I should make very forges of my cheeks,
That would to cinders burn up modesty,
Did I but speak thy deeds. What committed!
Heaven stops the nose at it, and the moon winks;
The bawdy wind, that kisses all it meets,
Is hush'd within the hollow mine of earth,
And will not hear it. What committed?
Impudent strumpet!
DESDEMONA.
By heaven, you do me wrong.
OTHELLO.
Are not you a strumpet?
DESDEMONA.
No, as I am a Christian.
If to preserve this vessel for my lord
From any other foul unlawful touch
Be not to be a strumpet, I am none.
OTHELLO.
What, not a whore?
DESDEMONA.
No, as I shall be saved.
OTHELLO.
Is't possible?
DESDEMONA.
O, heaven forgive us!
OTHELLO.
I cry you mercy then;
I took you for that cunning whore of Venice
That married with Othello. [Raises his voice.] You, mistress,
That have the office opposite to Saint Peter,
And keep the gate of hell!
Re-enter Emilia.
You, you, ay, you!
We have done our course; there's money for your pains.
I pray you, turn the key, and keep our counsel.
Exit.
EMILIA.
Alas, what does this gentleman conceive?
How do you, madam? How do you, my good lady?
DESDEMONA.
Faith, half asleep.
EMILIA.
Good madam, what's the matter with my lord?
DESDEMONA.
With who?
EMILIA.
Why, with my lord, madam.
DESDEMONA.
Who is thy lord?
EMILIA.
He that is yours, sweet lady.
DESDEMONA.
I have none. Do not talk to me, Emilia;
I cannot weep, nor answer have I none
But what should go by water. Prithee, tonight
Lay on my bed my wedding sheets. Remember,
And call thy husband hither.
EMILIA.
Here's a change indeed!
Exit.
DESDEMONA.
'Tis meet I should be used so, very meet.
How have I been behaved, that he might stick
The small'st opinion on my least misuse?
Re-enter Emilia with Iago.
IAGO.
What is your pleasure, madam? How is't with you?
DESDEMONA.
I cannot tell. Those that do teach young babes
Do it with gentle means and easy tasks.
He might have chid me so, for in good faith,
I am a child to chiding.
IAGO.
What's the matter, lady?
EMILIA.
Alas, Iago, my lord hath so bewhored her,
Thrown such despite and heavy terms upon her,
As true hearts cannot bear.
DESDEMONA.
Am I that name, Iago?
IAGO.
What name, fair lady?
DESDEMONA.
Such as she says my lord did say I was.
EMILIA.
He call'd her whore; a beggar in his drink
Could not have laid such terms upon his callet.
IAGO.
Why did he so?
DESDEMONA.
I do not know; I am sure I am none such.
IAGO.
Do not weep, do not weep. Alas the day!
EMILIA.
Hath she forsook so many noble matches,
Her father and her country and her friends,
To be call'd whore? Would it not make one weep?
DESDEMONA.
It is my wretched fortune.
IAGO.
Beshrew him for't!
How comes this trick upon him?
DESDEMONA.
Nay, heaven doth know.
EMILIA.
I will be hang'd, if some eternal villain,
Some busy and insinuating rogue,
Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office,
Have not devised this slander; I'll be hang'd else.
IAGO.
Fie, there is no such man; it is impossible.
DESDEMONA.
If any such there be, heaven pardon him!
EMILIA.
A halter pardon him! And hell gnaw his bones!
Why should he call her whore? Who keeps her company?
What place? What time? What form? What likelihood?
The Moor's abused by some most villainous knave,
Some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow.
O heaven, that such companions thou'ldst unfold,
And put in every honest hand a whip
To lash