Othello by William Shakespeare Page A

Nay, if you strive 96 —
    DESDEMONA    But half an hour!
    OTHELLO    Being done 98 , there is no pause.
    DESDEMONA    But while I say one prayer!
    OTHELLO    It is too late.
    Smothers her
    Emilia at the door
    EMILIA    My lord, my lord! What, ho! My lord, my lord!
    Within
    OTHELLO    What noise is this? Not dead? Not yet quite dead?
     I that am cruel am yet merciful:
     I would not have thee linger in thy pain: so, so.
    EMILIA    What, ho? My lord, my lord!
    Within
    OTHELLO    Who’s there?
    EMILIA    O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you!
    Within
    OTHELLO    Yes.— ’Tis Emilia.— By and by 108 .— She’s dead.
     ’Tis like 109 she comes to speak of Cassio’s death.—
     The noise 110 was high. Ha, no more moving?
     Still as the grave. Shall she come in? Were’t good?—
     I think she stirs again. No. What’s best to do?
     If she come in, she’ll sure speak to my wife:
     My wife, my wife! What wife? I have no wife.
     O insupportable! O heavy hour!
     Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse
     Of sun and moon, and that th’affrighted globe
     Did yawn at alteration 118 .
    EMILIA    I do beseech you
    Within
         That I may speak with you, O, good my lord!
    OTHELLO    I had forgot thee.— O, come in, Emilia.—
      Soft 122 , by and by: let me the curtains draw.—
    Draws the bed curtains and unlocks the door
         Where art thou? What’s the matter with thee now?
    Enter Emilia
    EMILIA    O, my good lord, yonder’s foul murders done!
    OTHELLO    What? Now?
    EMILIA    But now, my lord.
    OTHELLO    It is the very error 127 of the moon:
     She comes more nearer earth than she was wont 128 ,
     And makes men mad.
    EMILIA    Cassio, my lord, hath killed a young Venetian
     Called Rodorigo.
    OTHELLO    Rodorigo killed? And Cassio killed?
    EMILIA    No, Cassio is not killed.
    OTHELLO    Not Cassio killed? Then murder’s out of tune,
     And sweet revenge grows harsh 135 .
    DESDEMONA    O, falsely 136 , falsely murdered!
    EMILIA    Alas! What cry is that?
    OTHELLO    That? What?
    EMILIA    Out, and alas! 139 That was my lady’s voice.
     Help, help, ho, help! O lady, speak again!
    Opens the bed curtains
         Sweet Desdemona! O sweet mistress, speak!
    DESDEMONA    A guiltless death I die.
    EMILIA    O, who hath done this deed?
    DESDEMONA    Nobody: I myself. Farewell.
     Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell!
    Dies
    OTHELLO    Why, how should she be murdered?
    EMILIA    Alas, who knows?
    OTHELLO    You hear her say herself it was not I.
    EMILIA    She said so: I must needs report the truth.
    OTHELLO    She’s like a liar gone to burning hell:
     ’Twas I that killed her.
    EMILIA    O, the more angel she, and you the blacker devil!
    OTHELLO    She turned to folly 153 , and she was a whore.
    EMILIA    Thou dost belie 154 her, and thou art a devil.
    OTHELLO    She was false as water.
    EMILIA    Thou art rash as fire, to say
     That she was false: O, she was heavenly true!
    OTHELLO    Cassio did top 158 her: ask thy husband else.
     O, I were damned beneath all depth in hell,
      But 160 that I did proceed upon just grounds
     To this extremity. Thy husband knew it all.
    EMILIA    My husband?
    OTHELLO    Thy husband.
    EMILIA    That she was false to wedlock?
    OTHELLO    Ay, with Cassio. Had she been true,
     If heaven would make me such another world
     Of one entire and perfect chrysolite 167 ,
     I’d not have sold her for it.
    EMILIA    My husband?
    OTHELLO    Ay, ’twas he that told me on 170 her first:
     An honest man he is, and hates the slime 171
     That sticks on filthy deeds 172 .
    EMILIA    My husband?
    OTHELLO    What needs this iterance 174 , woman? I say thy husband.
    EMILIA