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IAGO A good wench, give it me.
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IAGO Good girl, give it to me.
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EMILIA What will you do with ’t, that you have been so earnest
325To have me filch it?
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EMILIA And what are you going to do with it? Why did you want it so much
that you begged me to steal it?
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IAGO Why, what is that to you?
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IAGO What’s it to you?
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EMILIA If it be not for some purpose of import,
Give ’t me again. Poor lady, she’ll run mad
When she shall lack it.
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EMILIA If you don’t need it for some important reason, then
give it back to me. Poor lady, she’ll go crazy when she
sees it’s missing.
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IAGO Be not acknown on ’t,
330I have use for it. Go, leave me.
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IAGO Don’t admit to knowing anything about it. I need it.
Now go, leave me.
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Exit EMILIA
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EMILIA exits.
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I will in Cassio’s lodging lose this napkin
And let him find it. Trifles light as air
Are to the jealous confirmations strong
As proofs of holy writ. This may do something.
335The Moor already changes with my poison.
Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons
Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,
But with a little act upon the blood
Burn like the mines of sulfur.
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I’ll leave this handkerchief at Cassio’s
house and let him find it.To a jealous man, a meaningless little
thing like this looks like absolute proof. This handkerchief may be
useful to me. The Moor’s mind has already become infected
with my poisonous suggestions. Ideas can be like poisons. At first
they hardly even taste bad, but once they get into your blood they
start burning like hot lava.
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Enter OTHELLO
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OTHELLO enters.
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I did say so.
340Look, where he comes. Not poppy nor mandragora
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,
Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
Which thou owedst yesterday.
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Here he comes. No drugs or sleeping pills will ever give you the
restful sleep that you had last night.
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OTHELLO Ha! Ha! False to
me?
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OTHELLO Argh! She’s cheating on me?
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IAGO Why, how now, general? No more of that.
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IAGO Oh, general, please, no more of that!
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