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.