Arise, I say. BRABANTIO What, have you lost your wits? RODERIGO Most reverend signior, do you know my voice? BRABANTIO Not I what are you? RODERIGO My name is Roderigo. BRABANTIO The worser welcome:
I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors:
In honest plainness thou hast heard me say My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness, Being full of supper and distempering draughts, Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come To start my quiet. RODERIGO Sir, sir, sir,-- BRABANTIO But thou must needs be sure My spirit and my place have in them power To make this bitter to thee. RODERIGO Patience, good sir. BRABANTIO What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is Venice;
My house is not a grange. RODERIGO Most grave Brabantio, In simple and pure soul I come to you. IAGO 'Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to do you service and you think we are ruffians, you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you'll have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have coursers for cousins and gennets for germans. BRABANTIO What profane wretch art thou? IAGO I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs. BRABANTIO Thou art a villain. IAGO You are--a senator. BRABANTIO This thou shalt answer; I know thee, Roderigo. RODERIGO Sir, I will answer any thing. But, I beseech you, If't be your pleasure and most wise consent, As partly I find it is, that your fair daughter, At this odd-even and dull watch o' the night, Transported, with no worse nor better guard But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier, To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor--
If this be known to you and your allowance, We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs;
But if you know not this, my manners tell me We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe That, from the sense of all civility, I thus would play and trifle with your reverence:
Your daughter, if you have not given her leave, I say again, hath made a gross revolt;
Tying her duty, beauty, wit and fortunes In an extravagant and wheeling stranger Of here and every where. Straight satisfy yourself:
If she be in her chamber or your house, Let loose on me the justice of the state For thus deluding you. BRABANTIO Strike on the tinder, ho!
Give me a taper! call up all my people!
This accident is not unlike my dream:
Belief of it oppresses me already.
Light, I say! light!
Exit above IAGO Farewell; for I must leave you:
It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place, To be produced--as, if I stay, I shall--
Against the Moor: for, I do know, the state, However this may gall him with some cheque, Cannot with safety cast him, for he's embark'd With such loud reason to the Cyprus wars, Which even now stand in act, that, for their souls, Another of his fathom they have none, To lead their business: in which regard, Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains.
Yet, for necessity of present life, I must show out a flag and sign of love, Which is indeed but sign. That you shall surely find him, Lead to the Sagittary the raised search;
And there will I be with him. So, farewell.
Exit Enter, below, BRABANTIO, and Servants with torches BRABANTIO It is too true an evil: gone she is;
And what's to come of my despised time Is nought but bitterness. Now, Roderigo, Where didst thou see her? O unhappy girl!
With the Moor, say'st thou? Who would be a father!
How didst thou know 'twas she? O she deceives me Past thought! What said she to you? Get more tapers:
Raise all my kindred. Are they married, think you? RODERIGO Truly, I think they are. BRABANTIO O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the blood!
Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds By what you see them act. Is there not charms By which the property of youth and maidhood May be abused? Have you not read, Roderigo, Of some such thing? RODERIGO Yes, sir, I have indeed. BRABANTIO Call up my brother. O, would you had had her!
Some one way, some another. Do you know Where we may apprehend her and the Moor? RODERIGO I think I can discover him, if you please, To get good guard and go along with me. BRABANTIO Pray you, lead on. At every house I'll call;
I may command at most. Get weapons, ho!
And raise some special officers of night.
On, good Roderigo: I'll deserve your pains.