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Good heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend,
From jealousy!

Oth. Why, why is this?

Think'st thou I'd make a life of jealousy,

To follow still the changes of the moon

Is

With fresh suspicions? No: to be once in doubt
once to be resolved: 'Tis not to make me jealous,
To say
my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances well;
Where virtue is, these are more virtuous:
Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
The smallest fear, or doubt of her revolt,
For she had eyes, and chose me: No, Iago,
I'll see, before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;
And, on the proof, there is no more but this
Away at once with love, or jealousy.

Iago. I am glad of this, for now I shall have reason

To show the love and duty that I bear you

With franker spirit: therefore, as I am bound,
Receive it from me- I speak not yet of proof.
Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio,
Wear your eye-thus, not jealous, nor secure :
I would not have your free and noble nature,
Out of self-bounty, be abused; look to't:

I know our country disposition well;

In Venice they do let heaven see the pranks

They dare not show their husbands; their best conscience Is—not to leave undone, but keep unknown.

Oth. Dost thou say so?

Iago. She did deceive her father, marrying you; And when she seem'd to shake, and fear your looks,

She loved them most.

Oth. And so she did.

Iago. Why, go to, then :

She that, so young, could give out such a seeming,

To seal her father's eyes up close as oak

He thought 'twas witchcraft:

- But I am much to blame;

I humbly do beseech you of your pardon,

For too much loving you.

Oth. I am bound to thee for ever.

Iago. I see this hath a little dash'd your spirits.

Oth. Not a jot, not a jot.

Iago. Trust me I fear it has.

I hope, you will consider, what is spoke

Comes from my love: But I do see you are moved;
I am to pray you, not to strain my speech

To grosser issues, nor to larger reach

Than to suspicion.

Oth. I will not.

Iago. Should you do so, my lord,

My speech should fall into such vile success

As my thoughts aim not at. Cassio's my worthy friend: My lord, I see you are moved.

Oth. No, not much moved :

I do not think but Desdemona's honest.

Iago. Long live she so! and long live you to think so! Oth. And yet how nature erring from itself

Iago. Ay, there's the point:— As, to be bold with youNot to affect many proposed matches,

Of her own clime, complexion, and degree;

Whereto, we see, in all things nature tends :
Foh! one may smell in such a will most rank,
Foul disproportion, thoughts unnatural -
But pardon me; I do not, in position,
Distinctly speak of her: though I may fear,
Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,
May fail to match you with her country forms,
And (happily) repent.

Oth. Farewell, farewell:

If more thou dost perceive, let me know more;
Set on thy wife to observe: leave me, Iago.
Iago. My lord, I take my leave. (Going.)

Oth. Why did I marry? This honest creature, doubtless, Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.

Iago. My lord, I would I might entreat your honor,
To scan this thing no further; leave it to time :

And though it be fit that Cassio have his place
(For, sure, he fills it up with great ability)
Yet, if you please to hold him off awhile,
You shall by that perceive him and his means :
Note, if your lady strain his entertainment
With any strong or vehement importunity ;
Much may be seen in that. In the mean time,
Let me be thought too busy in my fears

(As worthy cause I have, to fear I am)
And hold her free, I do beseech your honor.
Oth. Fear not my government.

Iago. I once more take my leave. (Exit.)
Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty,
And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings: if I do prove her haggard,
Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings,
I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind,
To prey at fortune. Haply, for I am black,
And have not those soft parts of conversation
That chamberers have; - Or, for I am declined
Into the vale of years; yet that's not much —
She's gone; I am abused: and my relief
Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage
That we can call these delicate creatures ours,
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad,
And live upon the vapor of a dungeon,

Than keep a corner in the thing I love,
For other's uses.

SHAKSPERE.

HAMLET, HORATIO, MARCELLUS, AND BERNARDO.

Horatio. Hail to your lordship.

Hamlet. I am glad to see you well:

Horatio or I do forget myself.

Hor. The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever.

Ham. Sir, my good friend; I'll change that name with you. And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?

Marcellus?

Marcellus. My good lord

Ham. I am very glad to see you; good even, sir. (to Bernardo.) But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg?

Hor. A truant disposition, good my lord.

Ham. I would not hear your enemy say so:

Nor shall you do mine ear that violence,
To make it truster of your own report
Against yourself. I know you are no truant.
But what is your affair in Elsinore ?

We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.

Hor. My lord, I came to see your father's funeral.
Ham. I pray thee, do not mock me, fellow-student;
I think, it was to see my mother's wedding.

Hor. Indeed, my lord, it followed hard upon.
Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio: the funeral-baked meats
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.
Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven
Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio !
My father Methinks I see my father.
Hor. Where,

My lord?

Ham. In my

mind's eye, Horatio.
Hor. I saw him once, he was a goodly king.
Ham. He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again.

Hor. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.

Ham. Saw! who?

Hor. My lord, the king your father.

Ham. The king my father!

Hor. Season your admiration for a while, With an attent ear; till I may deliver, Upon the witness of these gentlemen,

This marvel to you.

Ham. For God's love, let me hear.

Hor. Two nights together had these gentlemen, Marcellus and Bernardo, in their watch,

In the dead waste and middle of the night,
Been thus encounter'd. A figure like your father,
Armed at point, exactly, cap-a-pie,

Appears before them, and, with solemn march,
Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd,
By their oppress'd and fear-surprised eyes,
Within his truncheon's length; while they, distill'd
Almost to jelly with the act of fear,

Stand dumb, and speak not to him. This to me,
In dreadful secresy impart they did;

And I with them, the third night, kept the watch,
Where, as they had delivered, both in time,

Form of the thing, each word made true and good,
The apparition comes: I knew your father;
These hands are not more like.

Ham. But where was this?

Hor. Upon the platform where we watch'd.

Ham. Did you not speak to it?

Hor. My lord, I did;

But answer made it none; yet once, methought,
It lifted up its head, and did address

Itself to motion, like as it would speak:

But, even then, the morning cock crew loud;

And at the sound it shrunk in haste away,

And vanished from our sight.

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