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Wooed me to steal it, but she so loves the token
(For he conjured her she should ever keep it)
That she reserves it evermore about her
305To kiss and talk to. I’ll have the work
ta'en out
And give ’t Iago. What he will do with it
Heaven knows, not I.
I nothing but to please his fantasy.
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hundred times. But she loves it so much (since Othello told her
she should always keep it with her) that she always keeps it near
her to kiss it and talk to it. I’ll copy the embroidery
pattern and then give it to Iago. Heaven knows what he’s
going to do with it. I only try to satisfy his whims.
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Enter IAGO
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IAGO enters.
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IAGO How now! What do you here alone?
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IAGO What’s going on? What are you doing here alone?
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EMILIA
310Do not you chide. I have a thing for you.
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EMILIA Don’t snap at me. I’ve got something for
you.
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IAGO A thing for me? It is a common thing—
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IAGO You’ve got something for me? It’s a common
thing“Thing” was slang for vagina. By saying that Emilia\’s “thing” is “common,” Iago implies that she lets anyone have sex with her thing — |
EMILIA Ha?
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EMILIA What?
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IAGO To have a foolish wife.
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IAGO —to have a stupid wife.
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EMILIA Oh, is that all? What will you give me now
315For the same handkerchief?
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EMILIA Oh, is that so? And what would you give me for the
handkerchief?
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IAGO What handkerchief?
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IAGO What handkerchief?
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EMILIA What handkerchief?
Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona,
That which so often you did bid me steal.
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EMILIA What handkerchief? The one the Moor gave to Desdemona, which you
asked me to steal so many times.
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IAGO
320Hast stolen it from her?
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IAGO You stole it from her?
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EMILIA No, but she let it drop by negligence
And, to th' advantage, I being here, took ’t
up.
Look, here it is.
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EMILIA No, actually. She dropped it carelessly, and, seizing the
opportunity, since I was here, I picked it up. Look, here it
is.
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