书城公版OTHELLO
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第24章 SCENE I. Cyprus. Before the castle.(2)

I was the other day talking on the sea-bank with certain Venetians; and thither comes the bauble, and, by this hand, she falls me thus about my neck-- OTHELLO Crying 'O dear Cassio!' as it were: his gesture imports it. CASSIO So hangs, and lolls, and weeps upon me; so hales, and pulls me: ha, ha, ha! OTHELLO Now he tells how she plucked him to my chamber. O, I see that nose of yours, but not that dog I shall throw it to. CASSIO Well, I must leave her company. IAGO Before me! look, where she comes. CASSIO 'Tis such another fitchew! marry a perfumed one.

Enter BIANCA

What do you mean by this haunting of me? BIANCA Let the devil and his dam haunt you!

What did you mean by that same handkerchief you gave me even now?

I was a fine fool to take it. I must take out the work?--A likely piece of work, that you should find it in your chamber, and not know who left it there!

This is some minx's token, and I must take out the work? There; give it your hobby-horse: wheresoever you had it, I'll take out no work on't. CASSIO How now, my sweet Bianca! how now! how now! OTHELLO By heaven, that should be my handkerchief! BIANCA An you'll come to supper to-night, you may; an you will not, come when you are next prepared for.

Exit IAGO After her, after her. CASSIO 'Faith, I must; she'll rail in the street else. IAGO Will you sup there? CASSIO 'Faith, I intend so. IAGO Well, I may chance to see you; for I would very fain speak with you. CASSIO Prithee, come; will you? IAGO Go to; say no more.

Exit CASSIO OTHELLO [Advancing] How shall I murder him, Iago? IAGO Did you perceive how he laughed at his vice? OTHELLO O Iago! IAGO And did you see the handkerchief? OTHELLO Was that mine? IAGO Yours by this hand: and to see how he prizes the foolish woman your wife! she gave it him, and he hath given it his whore. OTHELLO I would have him nine years a-killing.

A fine woman! a fair woman! a sweet woman! IAGO Nay, you must forget that. OTHELLO Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned to-night; for she shall not live: no, my heart is turned to stone; I strike it, and it hurts my hand. O, the world hath not a sweeter creature: she might lie by an emperor's side and command him tasks. IAGO Nay, that's not your way. OTHELLO Hang her! I do but say what she is: so delicate with her needle: an admirable musician: O! she will sing the savageness out of a bear: of so high and plenteous wit and invention:-- IAGO She's the worse for all this. OTHELLO O, a thousand thousand times: and then, of so gentle a condition! IAGO Ay, too gentle. OTHELLO Nay, that's certain: but yet the pity of it, Iago!

O Iago, the pity of it, Iago! IAGO If you are so fond over her iniquity, give her patent to offend; for, if it touch not you, it comes near nobody. OTHELLO I will chop her into messes: cuckold me! IAGO O, 'tis foul in her. OTHELLO With mine officer! IAGO That's fouler. OTHELLO Get me some poison, Iago; this night:

I'll not expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again: this night, Iago. IAGO Do it not with poison, strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated. OTHELLO Good, good: the justice of it pleases: very good. IAGO And for Cassio, let me be his undertaker: you shall hear more by midnight. OTHELLO Excellent good.