t from
him.

Thus did Iago's first artifice succeed completely; he had now undermined
his hated rival, and thrust him out of his place: but a further use was
hereafter to be made of the adventure of this disastrous night.

Cassio, whom this misfortune had entirely sobered, now lamented to his
seeming friend Iago that he should have been such a fool as to transform
himself into a beast. He was undone, for how could he ask the general
for his place again? he would tell him he was a drunkard. He despised
himself. Iago, affecting to make light of it, said, that he, or any man
living, might be drunk upon occasion; it remained now to make the best
of a bad bargain; the general's wife was now the general, and could do
anything with Othello; that he were best to apply to the Lady Desdemona
to mediate for him with her lord; that she was of a frank, obliging
disposition, and would readily undertake a good office of this sort, and
set Cassio right again in the general's favour; and then this crack in
their love would be made stronger than ever. A good advice of Iago, if
it had not been given for wicked purposes, which will after appear.

Cassio did as Iago advised him, and made application to the Lady
Desdemona, who was easy to be won over in any honest suit; and she
promised Cassio that she should be his solicitor with her lord, and
rather die than give up his cause. This she immediately set about in so
earnest and pretty a manner, that Othello, who was mortally offended
with Cassio, could not put her off. When he pleaded delay, and that it
was too soon to pardon such an offender, she would not be beat back, but
insisted that it should be the next night, or the morning after, or the
next morning to that at farthest. Then she showed how penitent and
humbled poor Cassio was, and that his offence did not deserve so sharp a
check. And when Othello still hung back, "What! my lord," said she,
"that I should have so much to do to plead for Cassio, Michael Cassio,
that came a courting for you, and oftentimes, when I have spoken in
dispraise of you, has taken your part! I count this but a little thing
to ask of you. When I mean to try your love indeed, I shall ask a
weighty matter." Othello could deny nothing to such a pleader, and only
requesting that Desdemona would leave the time to him, promised to
receive Michael Cassio again in favour.

It happened that Othello and Iago had entered into the room where
Desdemona was, just as Cass