For such proceeding I am charg'd withal,- Bra. A maiden never bold; Blush'd at herself; and she,-in spite of nature, Against all rules of nature; and must be driven Why this should be. I therefore vouch again, He wrought upon her. Duke. To vouch this, is no proof, Did you by indirect and forced courses Subdue and poison this young maid's affections? Oth. I do beseech you, Send for the lady to the Sagittary, And let her speak of me before her father: If you do find me foul in her report, The trust, the office, I do hold of you, Not only take away, but let your sentence Duke. Fetch Desdemona hither. Oth. Ancient, conduct them; you best know the place.[Exeunt Iago and Attendants. And, till she come, as truly as to heaven I do confess the vices of my blood, Duke. Say it, Othello. Oth. Her father lov'd me; oft invited me; I ran it through, even from my boyish days, Of hair-breadth scapes i' the imminent deadly breach; And sold to slavery; of my redemption thence, Wherein of antres vast and deserts idle, Rough quarries, rocks, and hills whose heads touch heaven, It was my hint to speak,-such was the process; And of the Cannibals that each other eat, The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads Do grow beneath their shoulders. This to hear Would Desdemona seriously incline: But still the house-affairs would draw her thence; Devour up my discourse:—which I observing, Whereof by parcels she had something heard, And often did beguile her of her tears, When I did speak of some distressful stroke That my youth suffer'd. My story being done, She gave me for my pains a world of sighs: She swore,-in faith, 'twas strange, 'twas passing strange; "Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful: She wish'd she had not heard it; yet she wish'd That heaven had made her such a man: she thank'd me; And bade me, if I had a friend that lov'd her, I should but teach him how to tell my story, And that would woo her. Upon this hint I spake : And I lov'd her that she did pity them. Here comes the lady; let her witness it. Enter DESDEMONA, IAGO, and Attendants. Duke. I think this tale would win my daughter too. Good Brabantio, Take up this mangled matter at the best: Than their bare hands. Men do their broken weapons rather use I pray you, hear her speak: Bra. If she confess that she was half the wooer, Where most you owe obedience? Des. My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty: Το you I am bound for life and education; My life and education both do learn me How to respect you; you are the lord of duty,- To you, preferring you before her father, Bra. God be with you! (8)-I have done. I here do give thee that with all my heart, I am glad at soul I have no other child; For thy escape would teach me tyranny, To hang clogs on them.-I have done, my lord. Duke. Let me speak like yourself; and lay a sentence, Which, as a grise or step, may help these lovers When remedies are past, the griefs are ended By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended. Is the next way to draw new mischief on. What cannot be preserv'd when fortune takes, The robb'd that smiles steals something from the thief; Bra. So let the Turk of Cyprus us beguile; We lose it not, so long as we can smile. He bears the sentence well, that nothing bears Being strong on both sides, are equivocal: That the bruis'd heart was piercèd (9) through the ear.- Duke. The Turk with a most mighty preparation makes for Cyprus -Othello, the fortitude of the place is best known to you; and though we have there a substitute of most allowed sufficiency, yet opinion, a sovereign mistress of effects, throws a more safer voice on you: you must therefore be content to slubber the gloss of your new fortunes with this more stubborn and boisterous expedition. Oth. The tyrant custom, most grave senators, I find in hardness; and do undertake Most humbly, therefore, bending to your state, Due reference of place and exhibition; As levels with her breeding. Duke. Be 't at her father's. Bra. Oth. Nor I. Des. If you please, I'll not have it so. Nor I; I would not there reside, To put my father in impatient thoughts By being in his eye. Most gracious duke, To my unfolding lend your prosperous ear; And let me find a charter in your voice, To assist my simpleness. Duke. What would you, Desdemona ? Des. That I did love the Moor to live with him, A moth of peace, and he go to the war, By his dear absence. Let me go with him. Vouch with me, heaven, I therefore beg it not, Nor to comply with heat (the young affects And heaven defend your good souls, that you think My speculative and offic'd instruments, And all indign and base adversities Make head against my estimation! |