Content thyself awhile.-By the mass,' 'tis morning; Pleasure, and action, make the hours seem short. Retire thee; go where thou art billeted. Away, I say; thou shalt know more hereafter; Nay, get thee gone. [Exit ROD.] Two things are to be done, My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress; I'll set her on; Myself, the while, to draw the Moor apart, [Exit. ACT III. SCENE I. Before the Castle. Enter CASSIO and some Musicians. Cas. Masters, play here, I will content your pains, Something that's brief; and bid-good morrow, gen[Music. eral.4 Enter Clown. Clo. Why, masters, have your instruments been at Naples, that they speak i' the nose thus? I Mus. How, sir, how! Clo. Are these, I pray you, called wind instruments? 1 Mus. Ay, marry, are they, sir. Clo. O, thereby hangs a tail. 1 The folio reads, In troth; an alteration made in the playhouse copy by the interference of the master of the revels. 2 Some modern editions read, "Myself the while will draw." 3 i. e. just at the time. 4 It was usual for friends to serenade a new-married couple on the morning after the celebration of the marriage, or to greet them with a morning-song to bid them good-morrow. 1 Mus. Whereby hangs a tale, sir? Clo. Marry, sir, by many a wind-instrument that I know. But, masters, here's money for you; and the general so likes your music, that he desires you of all loves,1 to make no more noise with it. 1 Mus. Well, sir, we will not. Clo. If you have any music that may not be heard, to't again; but, as they say, to hear music, the general does not greatly care. 1 Mus. We have none such, sir. Clo. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away. Go; vanish into air; away. 2 [Exeunt Musicians. Cas. Dost thou hear, my honest friend? Clo. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you. Cas. Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillet. There's a poor piece of gold for thee; if the gentlewoman that attends the general's wife be stirring, tell her there's one Cassio entreats her a little favor of speech. Wilt thou do this? Clo. She is stirring, sir; if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her. Enter IAGO. [Exit. Cas. Do, good my friend.-In happy time, Iago. Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago, Procure me some access. Iago. I'll send her to you presently; And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor [Exit. Cas. I humbly thank you for't. I never knew A Florentine more kind and honest.3 1 i. e. for love's sake. We have this adjuration again in The Merry Wives of Windsor. 2 See Hamlet, Act v. Sc. i. Sc. i. p. 371. 3 Cassio was, undoubtedly, a Florentine, as appears by the first scene of the play, where he is expressly called one. Iago was a Venetian. VOL. VII. 57 Enter EMILIA. 1 Emil. Good morrow, good lieutenant; I am sorry For your displeasure; but all will soon be well. 'The general, and his wife, are talking of it; And she speaks for you stoutly. The Moor replies, That he you hurt, is of great fame in Cyprus, And great affinity; and that, in wholesome wisdom, He might not but refuse you. But, he protests, he loves you; And needs no other suitor, but his likings, To take the saf'st occasion by the front,2 Cas. Yet, I beseech you,- If you think fit, or that it may be done,- 4 Oth. These letters give, Iago, to the pilot; Iago. Well, my good lord, I'll do't. Oth. This fortification, gentlemen,-shall we see't ? Gent. We'll wait upon your lordship. [Exeunt. Cassio means to say, I never experienced more honesty and kindness even in one of my own countrymen. 1 i. e. the displeasure you have incurred from Othello. 2 This line is wanting in the folio. 3 This speech is omitted in the first quarto. 4 Thus the quarto 1622; folio, "to the senate." SCENE III. Before the Castle. Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILIA. Des. Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do Emil. Good madam, do; I know it grieves my As if the case1 were his. Des. O, that's an honest fellow. Do not doubt, Cassio, But I will have my lord and you again As friendly as you were. Cas. Bounteous madam, Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio, He's never any thing but your true servant. Des. O sir, I thank you. You do love my lord; You have known him long; and be you well assured He shall in strangeness stand no further off Than in a politic distance. Cas. Ay, but, lady, That, I being absent, and my place supplied, Des. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here, To the last article: my lord shall never rest; I'll intermingle every thing he does With Cassio's suit. Therefore be merry, Cassio; Than give thy cause away. 1 Folio reads, “As if the cause were his." 2 Thus the quarto of 1622. The folio reads, "I know't, I thank you.' 3 Hawks and other birds are tamed by keeping them from sleep. And hear me speak. Cas. Madam, not now; I am very ill at ease Unfit for mine own purposes. Des. Do your discretion. Iago. Well, well, [Exit CASSIO. Ha! 1 like not that. Oth. What dost thou say? Iago. Nothing, my lord; or if--I know not what. Oth. Was not that Cassio, parted from my wife? Iago. Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guiltylike, Seeing you coming. Oth. I do believe 'twas he. Des. How now, my lord? I have been talking with a suitor here, A man that languishes in your displeasure. Oth. Who is't you mean? Des. Why, your lieutenant, Cassio. Good my lord, If I have any grace, or power to move you, His present reconciliation take; For, if he be not one that truly loves you, I pr'ythee call him back. Oth. Went he hence now? Des. Ay, sooth; so humbled, That he hath left part of his grief with me; I suffer with him. Good love, call him back. Oth. Not now, sweet Desdemona; some other time. Des. But shall't be shortly? Oth. The sooner, sweet, for you. 1 i. e. "take his present atonement," or submission. The words were formerly synonymous. 2 Cunning here signifies knowledge, the ancient sense of the word. |