Free Othello by William Shakespeare

piece of work 161 , that you should find it in your chamber and
     know not who left it there. This is some minx 162 ’s token, and I
     must take out the work? There, give it your hobby-horse 163 :
     wheresoever you had it, I’ll take out no work
     on’t.
    She gives him
the handkerchief
    CASSIO    How now, my sweet Bianca? How now? How now?
    OTHELLO    By heaven, that should 167 be my handkerchief!
    BIANCA    If you’ll come to supper 168 tonight, you may: if you
     will not, come when you are next prepared for.
    Exit
    IAGO    After her, after her.
    CASSIO    I must: she’ll rail 171 in the streets else.
    IAGO    Will you sup there?
    CASSIO    Yes, 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    How shall I murder him, Iago?
    Comes forward
    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 184 woman your wife! She gave it him, and he hath giv’n
     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 tonight,
     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 194 .
    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 198 !
    IAGO    She’s the worse for all this.
    OTHELLO    O, a thousand, a thousand times! And then, of so 200
     gentle a condition!
    IAGO    Ay, too gentle 202 .
    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 205
     to offend, for if it touch 206 not you, it comes near nobody.
    OTHELLO    I will chop her into messes 207 . 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 212 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 217 : you shall
     hear more by midnight.
    Enter Lodovico, Desdemona and Attendants
    OTHELLO    Excellent good.
    A trumpet within
         What trumpet is that same?
    IAGO    I warrant something from Venice.
     ’Tis Lodovico: this comes from the duke.
     See, your wife’s with him.
    LODOVICO    Save you, worthy general!
    OTHELLO    With all my heart, sir.
    LODOVICO    The duke and the senators of Venice
    Gives a letter
           greet you.
    OTHELLO    I kiss the instrument of their pleasures 227 .
    Opens letter
and reads
    DESDEMONA    And what’s the news, good cousin 228
       Lodovico?
    IAGO    I am very glad to see you, signior.
     Welcome to Cyprus.
    LODOVICO    I thank you. How does Lieutenant Cassio?
    IAGO    Lives, sir.
    DESDEMONA    Cousin, there’s fall’n between him and my lord
     An unkind breach 234 : but you shall make all well.
    OTHELLO    Are you sure of that?
    DESDEMONA    My lord?
    Reads
    OTHELLO    ‘This fail you