SCENE I.
Before the castle.
Enter Cassio, with Musicians.
Cas.
Masters, play here, I will content your pains,
Something that's brief; and bid—good-morrow, general.
[Musick plays; and enter Clown.
Clown.
1 noteWhy, masters, have your instruments
been at Naples, that they speak i' the nose thus?
Mus.
How, sir, how!
Clown.
Are these, I pray you, call'd wind instruments?
Mus.
Ay, marry, are they, sir.
-- 515 --
Clown.
O, thereby hangs a tail.
Mus.
Whereby hangs a tale, sir?
Clown.
Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument
that I know. But, masters, here's money for you:
and the general so likes your music, that he desires
you, 2 noteof all loves, to make no more noise with it.
Mus.
Well, sir, we will not.
Clown.
If you have any music that may not be
heard, to't again: but, as they say, to hear music,
the general does not greatly care.
Mus.
We have none such, sir.
Clown.
Then put up your pipes in your bag, 3 notefor
I'll away: Go; 4 notevanish into air; away.
[Exeunt Mus.
Cas.
Dost thou hear, my honest friend?
Clown.
No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear
you.
Cas.
Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillets. There's a
poor piece of gold for thee: if the gentlewoman
that attends the general's wife, be stirring, tell her,
there's one Cassio entreats her a little favour of
speech: Wilt thou do this?
Clown.
She is stirring, sir; if she will stir hither,
I shall seem to notify unto her.
[Exit Clown.
Enter Iago.
Cas.
Do, good my friend.—In happy time, Iago.
Iago.
You have not been a-bed then?
Cas.
Why, no; the day had broke
Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago,
To send in for your wife: My suit to her
-- 516 --
Is, that she will to virtuous Desdemona
Procure me some access.
Iago.
I'll send her to you presently:
And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor
Out of the way, that your converse and business
May be more free.
[Exit.
Cas.
I humbly thank you for't. I never knew
A Florentine more kind and honest.
Enter Æmilia.
Æmil,
Good morrow, good lieutenant: I am sorry
For your displeasure; but all will soon be well.
The general, and his wife, are talking of it;
And she speaks for your stoutly: The Moor replies,
That he, you hurt, is of great fame in Cyprus,
And great affinity; and that, in wholsome wisdom,
He might not but refuse you: but, he protests, he loves you;
And needs no other suitor, but his likings,
To take the safest occasion by the front5 note,
To bring you in again.
Cas.
Yet, I beseech you,—
If you think fit, or that it may be done,—
Give me advantage of some brief discourse
With Desdemona alone.
Æmil.
Pray you, come in;
I will bestow you where you shall have time
To speak your bosom freely.
Cas.
I am much bound to you6 note.
[Exeunt.
-- 517 --
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].
