Scene III
Another room in the castle
Enter Othello, Lodovico, Desdemona, Emilia, and Attendants.[6541]
Lod. I do beseech you, sir, trouble yourself no further.[6542]
Oth. O, pardon me; 'twill do me good to walk.[6543]
Lod. Madam, good night; I humbly thank your ladyship.
Des. Your honour is most welcome.
Des. My lord?[6546]
Oth. Get you to bed on the instant; I will be returned[6547][6548]
forthwith: dismiss your attendant there: look it be done.[6548][6549]
forthwith: dismiss your attendant there: look it be done.[6548][6549]
Des. I will, my lord.
[Exeunt Othello, Lodovico, and Attendants.[6550]
Emil. How goes it now? he looks gentler than he did. 10
Des. He says he will return incontinent:
He hath commanded me to go to bed,[6551]
And bade me to dismiss you.
He hath commanded me to go to bed,[6551]
And bade me to dismiss you.
Emil. Dismiss me![6552]
Des. It was his bidding; therefore, good Emilia,
Give me my nightly wearing, and adieu: 15
We must not now displease him.
Give me my nightly wearing, and adieu: 15
We must not now displease him.
Emil. I would you had never seen him![6553]
Des. So would not I: my love doth so approve him,
That even his stubbornness, his checks, his frowns,—[6554]
Prithee, unpin me,—have grace and favour in them.[6555] 20
That even his stubbornness, his checks, his frowns,—[6554]
Prithee, unpin me,—have grace and favour in them.[6555] 20
Emil. I have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed.[6556]
Des. All's one. Good faith, how foolish are our minds![6557]
If I do die before thee, prithee, shroud me[6558]
In one of those same sheets.[6559]
If I do die before thee, prithee, shroud me[6558]
In one of those same sheets.[6559]
Emil. Come, come, you talk.
Des. My mother had a maid call'd Barbara:[6560] 25
She was in love; and he she loved proved mad[6561][6562]
And did forsake her: she had a song of 'willow;'[6561][6563][6564]
An old thing 'twas, but it express'd her fortune,
And she died singing it: that song to-night
Will not go from my mind; I have much to do[6565][6566][6567] 30
But to go hang my head all at one side[6566][6568][6569]
And sing it like poor Barbara. Prithee, dispatch.[6566][6568][6570]
She was in love; and he she loved proved mad[6561][6562]
And did forsake her: she had a song of 'willow;'[6561][6563][6564]
An old thing 'twas, but it express'd her fortune,
And she died singing it: that song to-night
Will not go from my mind; I have much to do[6565][6566][6567] 30
But to go hang my head all at one side[6566][6568][6569]
And sing it like poor Barbara. Prithee, dispatch.[6566][6568][6570]
Emil. A very handsome man.[6566] 35
Emil. I know a lady in Venice would have walked[6566]
barefoot to Palestine for a touch of his nether lip.[6566][6573]
barefoot to Palestine for a touch of his nether lip.[6566][6573]
Des. [Singing] The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree,[6566][6574]
Sing all a green willow;[6566] 40
Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,[6566]
Sing willow, willow, willow:[6566]
The fresh streams ran by her, and murmur'd her moans;[6566]
Sing willow, willow, willow;[6566][6575]
Her salt tears fell from her, and soften'd the stones;—[6566][6576] 45
Lay by these:—[6566][6577][6578]
[Singing] Sing willow, willow, willow;[6566][6577]
Prithee, hie thee; he'll come anon:—[6566][6577]
[Singing] Sing all a green willow must be my garland.[6566]
Let nobody blame him; his scorn I approve,—[6566] 50
Nay, that's not next. Hark! who is't that knocks?[6566][6579]
Sing all a green willow;[6566] 40
Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,[6566]
Sing willow, willow, willow:[6566]
The fresh streams ran by her, and murmur'd her moans;[6566]
Sing willow, willow, willow;[6566][6575]
Her salt tears fell from her, and soften'd the stones;—[6566][6576] 45
Lay by these:—[6566][6577][6578]
[Singing] Sing willow, willow, willow;[6566][6577]
Prithee, hie thee; he'll come anon:—[6566][6577]
[Singing] Sing all a green willow must be my garland.[6566]
Let nobody blame him; his scorn I approve,—[6566] 50
Nay, that's not next. Hark! who is't that knocks?[6566][6579]
Emil. It's the wind.[6580]
Des. [Singing] I call'd my love false love; but what said he then?[6581][6582]
Sing willow, willow, willow:[6575][6581]
If I court moe women, you'll couch with moe men.[6581][6583] 55
So get thee gone; good night. Mine eyes do itch;[6584][6585]
Doth that bode weeping?[6585][6586]
Sing willow, willow, willow:[6575][6581]
If I court moe women, you'll couch with moe men.[6581][6583] 55
So get thee gone; good night. Mine eyes do itch;[6584][6585]
Doth that bode weeping?[6585][6586]
Emil. 'Tis neither here nor there.
Des. I have heard it said so. O, these men, these men![6587]
Dost thou in conscience think,—tell me, Emilia,—[6587]
That there be women do abuse their husbands[6587] 60
In such gross kind?[6587][6588]
Dost thou in conscience think,—tell me, Emilia,—[6587]
That there be women do abuse their husbands[6587] 60
In such gross kind?[6587][6588]
Emil. There be some such, no question.
Des. Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?[6589]
Emil. Why, would not you?
Des. No, by this heavenly light!
Emil. Nor I neither by this heavenly light; I might[6590][6591]
do't as well i' the dark.[6590][6592] 65
do't as well i' the dark.[6590][6592] 65
Des. Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?[6593]
Des. In troth, I think thou wouldst not.[6596]
Emil. In troth, I think I should; and undo 't when I[6597]
had done. Marry, I would not do such a thing for a joint-ring,[6598] 70
nor for measures of lawn, nor for gowns, petticoats,[6599]
nor caps, nor any petty exhibition; but, for the whole world,—why,[6600]
who would not make her husband a cuckold to[6601]
make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for 't.[6602]
had done. Marry, I would not do such a thing for a joint-ring,[6598] 70
nor for measures of lawn, nor for gowns, petticoats,[6599]
nor caps, nor any petty exhibition; but, for the whole world,—why,[6600]
who would not make her husband a cuckold to[6601]
make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for 't.[6602]
Emil. Why, the wrong is but a wrong i' the world;
and having the world for your labour, 'tis a wrong in your
own world, and you might quickly make it right.
and having the world for your labour, 'tis a wrong in your
own world, and you might quickly make it right.
Des. I do not think there is any such woman. 80
Emil. Yes, a dozen; and as many to the vantage as
would store the world they played for.
But I do think it is their husbands' faults[6605]
If wives do fall: say that they slack their duties[6605]
And pour our treasures into foreign laps,[6605] 85
Or else break out in peevish jealousies,[6605]
Throwing restraint upon us, or say they strike us,[6605][6606]
Or scant our former having in despite,[6605]
Why, we have galls, and though we have some grace,[6605]
Yet have we some revenge. Let husbands know[6605] 90
Their wives have sense like them: they see and smell[6605]
And have their palates both for sweet and sour,[6605]
As husbands have. What is it that they do[6605]
When they change us for others? Is it sport?[6605]
I think it is: and doth affection breed it?[6605] 95
I think it doth: is't frailty that thus errs?[6605]
It is so too: and have not we affections,[6605]
Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?[6605][6607]
Then let them use us well: else let them know,[6605][6608]
The ills we do, their ills instruct us so.[6605][6609] 100
would store the world they played for.
But I do think it is their husbands' faults[6605]
If wives do fall: say that they slack their duties[6605]
And pour our treasures into foreign laps,[6605] 85
Or else break out in peevish jealousies,[6605]
Throwing restraint upon us, or say they strike us,[6605][6606]
Or scant our former having in despite,[6605]
Why, we have galls, and though we have some grace,[6605]
Yet have we some revenge. Let husbands know[6605] 90
Their wives have sense like them: they see and smell[6605]
And have their palates both for sweet and sour,[6605]
As husbands have. What is it that they do[6605]
When they change us for others? Is it sport?[6605]
I think it is: and doth affection breed it?[6605] 95
I think it doth: is't frailty that thus errs?[6605]
It is so too: and have not we affections,[6605]
Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?[6605][6607]
Then let them use us well: else let them know,[6605][6608]
The ills we do, their ills instruct us so.[6605][6609] 100
Des. Good night, good night: heaven me such uses send,[6610]
Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend! [Exeunt.
Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend! [Exeunt.
We’ll remember where you stopped. All chapters