Othello. William Shakespeare

is stopp’d;

       Honest Iago hath ta’en order for’t.

       DESDEMONA

       O, my fear interprets!—What, is he dead?

       OTHELLO

       Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge

       Had stomach for them all.

       DESDEMONA

       Alas, he is betray’d, and I undone!

       OTHELLO

       Out, strumpet! Weep’st thou for him to my face?

       DESDEMONA

       O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not!

       OTHELLO

       Down, strumpet!

       DESDEMONA

       Kill me tomorrow; let me live tonight!

       OTHELLO

       Nay, if you strive,—

       DESDEMONA

       But half an hour!

       OTHELLO

       Being done, there is no pause.

       DESDEMONA

       But while I say one prayer!

       OTHELLO

       It is too late.

       [Smothers her.]

       EMILIA

       [Within.] My lord, my lord! what, ho! my lord, my lord!

       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

       [Within.] What, ho! my lord, my lord!

       OTHELLO

       Who’s there?

       EMILIA

       [Within.] O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you!

       OTHELLO

       Yes:—‘tis Emilia:—by and by.—She’s dead.—

       ‘Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio’s death;

       The noise 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 the affrighted globe

       Should yawn at alteration.

       EMILIA

       [Within.] I do beseech you

       That I may speak with you, O, good my lord!

       OTHELLO

       I had forgot thee: O, come in, Emilia:—

       Soft,—by and by:—let me the curtains draw.—

       Where art thou?

       [Unlocks the door.]

       [Enter Emilia.]

       What’s the matter with thee now?

       EMILIA

       O, my good lord, yonder’s foul murders done!

       OTHELLO

       What, now?

       EMILIA

       But now, my lord.

       OTHELLO

       It is the very error of the moon;

       She comes more nearer earth than she was wont

       And makes men mad.

       EMILIA

       Cassio, my lord, hath kill’d a young Venetian

       Call’d Roderigo.

       OTHELLO

       Roderigo kill’d?

       And Cassio kill’d?

       EMILIA

       No, Cassio is not kill’d.

       OTHELLO

       Not Cassio kill’d! then murder’s out of tune,

       And sweet revenge grows harsh.

       DESDEMONA

       O, falsely, falsely murder’d!

       EMILIA

       Alas, what cry is that?

       OTHELLO

       That! what?

       EMILIA

       Out, and alas! That was my lady’s voice.—

       Help! help, ho! help!—O lady, speak again!

       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 murder’d?

       EMILIA

       Alas, who knows?

       OTHELLO

       You heard 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 kill’d her.

       EMILIA

       O, the more angel she,

       And you the blacker devil!

       OTHELLO

       She turn’d to folly, and she was a whore.

       EMILIA

       Thou dost belie 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 tup her; ask thy husband else.

       O, I were damn’d beneath all depth in hell,

       But 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. Nay, had she been true,

       If heaven would make me such another world

       Of one entire and perfect chrysolite,

       I’d not have sold her for it.