Читать книгу Othello, the Moor of Venice - Уильям Шекспир, William Szekspir, the Simon Studio - Страница 5

ACT II

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SCENE I. A seaport in Cyprus. A Platform

[Enter Montano and two Gentlemen.]

MONTANO

What from the cape can you discern at sea?


FIRST GENTLEMAN

Nothing at all: it is a high-wrought flood;

I cannot, 'twixt the heaven and the main,

Descry a sail.


MONTANO

Methinks the wind hath spoke aloud at land;

A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements:

If it hath ruffian'd so upon the sea,

What ribs of oak, when mountains melt on them,

Can hold the mortise? What shall we hear of this?


SECOND GENTLEMAN

A segregation of the Turkish fleet:

For do but stand upon the foaming shore,

The chidden billow seems to pelt the clouds;

The wind-shak'd surge, with high and monstrous main,

Seems to cast water on the burning Bear,

And quench the guards of the ever-fixèd pole;

I never did like molestation view

On the enchafèd flood.


MONTANO

                                      If that the Turkish fleet

Be not enshelter'd and embay'd, they are drown'd;

It is impossible to bear it out.


[Enter a third Gentleman.]

THIRD GENTLEMAN

News, lads! our wars are done.

The desperate tempest hath so bang'd the Turks

That their designment halts; a noble ship of Venice

Hath seen a grievous wreck and sufferance

On most part of their fleet.


MONTANO

How! is this true?


THIRD GENTLEMAN

                            The ship is here put in,

A Veronessa; Michael Cassio,

Lieutenant to the warlike Moor Othello,

Is come on shore: the Moor himself's at sea,

And is in full commission here for Cyprus.


MONTANO

I am glad on't; 'tis a worthy governor.


THIRD GENTLEMAN

But this same Cassio, – though he speak of comfort

Touching the Turkish loss, – yet he looks sadly,

And prays the Moor be safe; for they were parted

With foul and violent tempest.


MONTANO

                                                 Pray heavens he be;

For I have serv'd him, and the man commands

Like a full soldier. Let's to the sea-side, ho!

As well to see the vessel that's come in

As to throw out our eyes for brave Othello,

Even till we make the main and the aerial blue

An indistinct regard.


THIRD GENTLEMAN

                                 Come, let's do so;

For every minute is expectancy

Of more arrivance.


[Enter Cassio.]

CASSIO

Thanks you, the valiant of this warlike isle,

That so approve the Moor! O, let the heavens

Give him defence against the elements,

For I have lost him on a dangerous sea!


MONTANO

Is he well shipp'd?


CASSIO

His bark is stoutly timber'd, and his pilot

Of very expert and approv'd allowance;

Therefore my hopes, not surfeited to death,

Stand in bold cure.

[Within.]                 A sail, a sail, a sail!


[Enter a fourth Gentleman.]

CASSIO

What noise?


FOURTH GENTLEMAN

The town is empty; on the brow o' the sea

Stand ranks of people, and they cry, "A sail!"


CASSIO

My hopes do shape him for the governor.


[Guns within.]

SECOND GENTLEMAN

They do discharge their shot of courtesy:

Our friends at least.


CASSIO

                                 I pray you, sir, go forth,

And give us truth who 'tis that is arriv'd.


SECOND GENTLEMAN

I shall.


[Exit.]

MONTANO

But, good lieutenant, is your general wiv'd?


CASSIO

Most fortunately: he hath achiev'd a maid

That paragons description and wild fame,

One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,

And in the essential vesture of creation

Does tire the ingener. —


[Re-enter second Gentleman.]

How now! who has put in?


SECOND GENTLEMAN

'Tis one Iago, ancient to the general.


CASSIO

He has had most favourable and happy speed:

Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling winds,

The gutter'd rocks, and congregated sands, —

Traitors ensteep'd to clog the guiltless keel, —

As having sense of beauty, do omit

Their mortal natures, letting go safely by

The divine Desdemona.


MONTANO

                                      What is she?


CASSIO

She that I spake of, our great captain's captain,

Left in the conduct of the bold Iago;

Whose footing here anticipates our thoughts

A se'nnight's speed. – Great Jove, Othello guard,

And swell his sail with thine own powerful breath,

That he may bless this bay with his tall ship,

Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms,

Give renew'd fire to our extincted spirits,

And bring all Cyprus comfort!


[Enter Desdemona, Emilia, Iago, Roderigo, and Attendants.]

                                                 O, behold,

The riches of the ship is come on shore!

Ye men of Cyprus, let her have your knees. —

Hall to thee, lady! and the grace of heaven,

Before, behind thee, and on every hand,

Enwheel thee round!


DESDEMONA

                                  I thank you, valiant Cassio.

What tidings can you tell me of my lord?


CASSIO

He is not yet arrived nor know I aught

But that he's well, and will be shortly here.


DESDEMONA

O, but I fear – How lost you company?


CASSIO

The great contention of the sea and skies

Parted our fellowship: – but, hark! a sail.


[Within.] A sail, a sail!

[Guns within.]

SECOND GENTLEMAN

They give their greeting to the citadel:

This likewise is a friend.


CASSIO

                                       See for the news.


[Exit Gentleman.]

Good ancient, you are welcome: – [To Emilia.]  Welcome, mistress: —

Let it not gall your patience, good Iago,

That I extend my manners; 'tis my breeding

That gives me this bold show of courtesy.


[Kissing her.]

IAGO

Sir, would she give you so much of her lips

As of her tongue she oft bestows on me,

You'd have enough.


DESDEMONA

                                 Alas, she has no speech.


IAGO

In faith, too much;

I find it still when I have list to sleep:

Marry, before your ladyship, I grant,

She puts her tongue a little in her heart,

And chides with thinking.


EMILIA

You have little cause to say so.


IAGO

Come on, come on; you are pictures out of doors,

Bells in your parlours, wild cats in your kitchens,

Saints in your injuries, devils being offended,

Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds.


DESDEMONA

O, fie upon thee, slanderer!


IAGO

Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk:

You rise to play, and go to bed to work.


EMILIA

You shall not write my praise.


IAGO

                                                No, let me not.


DESDEMONA

What wouldst thou write of me, if thou shouldst praise me?


IAGO

O gentle lady, do not put me to't;

For I am nothing if not critical.


DESDEMONA

Come on, assay – There's one gone to the harbor?


IAGO

Ay, madam.


DESDEMONA

I am not merry; but I do beguile

The thing I am, by seeming otherwise. —

Come, how wouldst thou praise me?


IAGO

I am about it; but, indeed, my invention

Comes from my pate as birdlime does from frize, —

It plucks out brains and all: but my Muse labours,

And thus she is deliver'd.

If she be fair and wise, – fairness and wit,

The one's for use, the other useth it.


DESDEMONA

Well prais'd! How if she be black and witty?


IAGO

If she be black, and thereto have a wit,

She'll find a white that shall her blackness fit.


DESDEMONA

Worse and worse.


EMILIA

How if fair and foolish?


IAGO

She never yet was foolish that was fair;

For even her folly help'd her to an heir.


DESDEMONA

These are old fond paradoxes to make fools laugh i' the alehouse. What miserable praise hast thou for her that's foul and foolish?

IAGO

There's none so foul and foolish thereunto,

But does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do.


DESDEMONA

O heavy ignorance! – thou praisest the worst best. But what praise couldst thou bestow on a deserving woman indeed, – one that, in the authority of her merit, did justly put on the vouch of very malice itself?

IAGO

She that was ever fair and never proud;

Had tongue at will and yet was never loud;

Never lack'd gold and yet went never gay;

Fled from her wish, and yet said, "Now I may";

She that, being anger'd, her revenge being nigh,

Bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly;

She that in wisdom never was so frail

To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail;

She that could think and ne'er disclose her mind;

See suitors following and not look behind;

She was a wight, if ever such wight were; —


DESDEMONA

To do what?


IAGO

To suckle fools and chronicle small beer.


DESDEMONA

O most lame and impotent conclusion! – Do not learn of him, Emilia, though he be thy husband. – How say you, Cassio? is he not a most profane and liberal counsellor?

CASSIO

He speaks home, madam: you may relish him more in the soldier than in the scholar.

IAGO

[Aside.] He takes her by the palm: ay, well said, whisper: with as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon her, do; I will gyve thee in thine own courtship. You say true; 'tis so, indeed: if such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenantry, it had been better you had not kissed your three fingers so oft, which now again you are most apt to play the sir in. Very good; well kissed! an excellent courtesy! 'tis so, indeed. Yet again your fingers to your lips? Would they were clyster-pipes for your sake!

Othello, the Moor of Venice

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