Act Four scene 2

 

The Moor's abused by some most villanous knave,

 

Emelia, Desdemona, Iago

 

 

EMILIA                  Alas, what does this gentleman conceive?
How do you, madam? how do you, my good lady?

 

DESDEMONA       'Faith, half asleep.

 

EMILIA                  Good madam, what's the matter with my lord?

 

DESDEMONA       With who?

 

EMILIA                  Why, with my lord, madam.

 

DESDEMONA       Who is thy lord?

 

EMILIA                  He that is yours, sweet lady.

 

DESDEMONA       I have none: do not talk to me, Emilia;
I cannot weep; nor answer have I none,
But what should go by water. Prithee, tonight
Lay on my bed my wedding sheets: remember;
And call thy husband hither.

 

EMILIA                  Here's a change indeed!

 

                               [Exit]

 

DESDEMONA       'Tis meet I should be used so, very meet.
How have I been behaved, that he might stick
The small'st opinion on my least misuse?

 

                               [Re-enter EMILIA with IAGO]

 

IAGO                      What is your pleasure, madam?
How is't with you?

 

DESDEMONA       I cannot tell.

 

IAGO                      What's the matter, lady?

 

EMILIA                  Alas, Iago, my lord hath so bewhored her.
Thrown such despite and heavy terms upon her,
As true hearts cannot bear.

 

DESDEMONA       Am I that name, Iago?

 

IAGO                      What name, fair lady?

 

DESDEMONA       Such as she says my lord did say I was.

 

EMILIA                  He call'd her whore: a beggar in his drink
Could not have laid such terms upon his callat.

 

IAGO                      Why did he so?

 

DESDEMONA       I do not know; I am sure I am none such.

 

IAGO                      Do not weep, do not weep. Alas the day!

 

EMILIA                  Hath she forsook so many noble matches,
Her father and her country and her friends,
To be call'd whore? would it not make one weep?

 

DESDEMONA       It is my wretched fortune.

 

IAGO                      Beshrew him for't!
How comes this trick upon him?

 

DESDEMONA       Nay, heaven doth know.

 

EMILIA                  I will be hang'd, if some eternal villain,
Some busy and insinuating rogue,
Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office,
Have not devised this slander; I'll be hang'd else.

 

IAGO                      Fie, there is no such man; it is impossible.

 

DESDEMONA       If any such there be, heaven pardon him!

 

EMILIA                  A halter pardon him! and hell gnaw his bones!
Why should he call her whore? who keeps her company?
What place? what time? what form? what likelihood?
The Moor's abused by some most villanous knave,
Some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow!

 

IAGO                      Speak within door.

 

EMILIA                  O, fie upon them! Some such squire he was
That turn'd your wit the seamy side without,
And made you to suspect me with the Moor.

 

IAGO                      You are a fool; go to.

 

DESDEMONA       O good Iago,
What shall I do to win my lord again?
Good friend, go to him; for, by this light of heaven,
I know not how I lost him. Here I kneel:
If e'er my will did trespass 'gainst his love,
Either in discourse of thought or actual deed,
Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense,
Delighted them in any other form;
Or that I do not yet, and ever did.
And ever will--though he do shake me off
To beggarly divorcement--love him dearly,
Comfort forswear me! Unkindness may do much;
And his unkindness may defeat my life,
But never taint my love. I cannot say 'whore:'
It does abhor me now I speak the word;
To do the act that might the addition earn
Not the world's mass of vanity could make me.

 

IAGO                      I pray you, be content; 'tis but his humour:
The business of the state does him offence,
And he does chide with you.

 

DESDEMONA       If 'twere no other—

 

IAGO                      'Tis but so, I warrant.

 

                               [Trumpets within]

 

Hark, how these instruments summon to supper!
The messengers of Venice stay the meat;
Go in, and weep not; all things shall be well.