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Rot half a grain a day! He lies to the heart.

She was too fond of her most filthy bargain.

OTHELLO.

Ha!

EMILIA.

Do thy worst;

This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven

Than thou wast worthy her.

OTHELLO.

Peace, you were best.

EMILIA.

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 hath kill'd my mistress! Murther, murther!

Enter Montano, Gratiano, Iago, and others.

MONTANO. What is the matter? How now, general?

EMILIA.

O, are you come, Iago? You have done well,

That men must lay their murthers on your neck.

GRATIANO.

What is the matter?

EMILIA.

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.

EMILIA.

But did you ever tell him she was false?

IAGO.

I did.

EMILIA.

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. Go to, charm your tongue.

EMILIA.

I will not charm my tongue; I am bound to speak.

My mistress here lies murther'd in her bed-

ALL.

O heavens forfend!

EMILIA.

And your reports have set the murther on.

OTHELLO.

Nay, stare not, masters; it is true indeed.

GRATIANO.

'Tis a strange truth.

MONTANO.

O monstrous act!

EMILIA.

Villainy, villainy, villainy!

I think upon't, I think, I smell't, O villainy!

I thought so then. I'll kill myself for grief.

O villainy, villainy!

IAGO.

What, are you mad? I charge you, get you home.

EMILIA.

Good gentlemen, let me have leave to speak;

'Tis proper I obey him, but not now.

Perchance, Iago, I will ne'er go home.

OTHELLO.

O! O! O! Falls on the bed.

EMILIA.

Nay, lay thee down and roar;

For thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent

That e'er did lift up eye.

OTHELLO.

[Rises.] O, she was foul!

I scarce did know you, uncle; there lies your niece,

Whose breath indeed these hands have newly stopp'd.

I know this act shows horrible and grim.

GRATIANO.

Poor Desdemon! I am glad thy father's dead.

Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief

Shore his old thread in twain; did he live now,

This sight would make him do a desperate turn,

Yea, curse his better angel from his side,

And fall to reprobation.

OTHELLO.

'Tis pitiful, but yet Iago knows

That she with Cassio hath the act of shame

A thousand times committed. Cassio confess'd it,

And she did gratify his amorous works

With that 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.

EMILIA.

O heaven! O heavenly powers!

IAGO.

'Zounds! Hold your peace.

EMILIA.

'Twill out, 'twill. I peace?

No, I will speak as liberal as the north;

Let heaven and men and devils, let them all,

All, all, cry shame against me, yet I'll speak.

IAGO.

Be wise, and get you home.

EMILIA.

I will not.

Iago offers to stab Emilia.

GRATIANO.

Fie!

Your sword upon a woman?

EMILIA.

O thou dull Moor! That handkerchief thou speak'st of

I found by fortune and did give my husband,

For often with a solemn earnestness,

More than indeed belong'd to such a trifle,

He begg'd of me to steal it.

IAGO.

Villainous whore!

EMILIA.

She give it Cassio? No, alas, I found it,

And I did give't my husband.

IAGO.

Filth, thou liest!

EMILIA.

By heaven, I do not, I do not, gentlemen.

O murtherous coxcomb! What should such a fool

Do with so good a wife?

OTHELLO.

Are there not stones in heaven

But what serve for thunder? Precious villain!

He runs at Iago, but Montano

disarms him. Iago stabs Emilia.

GRATIANO.

The woman falls; sure, he hath kill'd his wife.

EMILIA.

Ay, ay! O, lay me by my mistress' side. Exit Iago.