untrue suspicion of her, that a weight-like
sleep came over her, and she only desired her attendant to make her bed,
and to lay her wedding-sheets upon it, saying, that when people teach
their babes, they do it by gentle means and easy tasks, and Othello
might have chid her so; for in good faith she was but a child when she
was chidden. And this was all the complaint which this gentle lady
made.

Desdemona being retired to bed expecting her lord would follow her, soon
fell into a slumber, the effect of her troubled spirits, when Othello
entered the chamber, full of the black purpose which he had meditated of
putting his lady to death. But when he saw her asleep, he thought he
would not shed her blood, nor scar that white skin of hers, more white
than alabaster. But he was resolved she should die; else (as he said)
she would live to betray more men, as she had done him. Then he kissed
her for the last time (as he said), and that kiss was so sweet, that he
must needs kiss her again: and he wept, but he said they were cruel
tears.

Desdemona was awakened with his kisses, and she looked upon Othello, and
she saw him gnaw his under lip, and roll his eyes, and she knew he was
always fatal when he looked so: and he bade her prepare for death, and
to say her prayers, for he would not kill her soul. And this innocent
wife, as she lay at his mercy, begged for compassion, and to know her
fault, and then he named Cassio, and the handkerchief which (he said)
she had given him; and as the guiltless lady was proceeding to clear
herself he suddenly would hear no more, but covering her up in the
bed-clothes, stifled her till she died.

In this instant of time was brought into the house Cassio, wounded and
bleeding, whom Iago had set one of his creatures on to assassinate; but
the fellow not succeeding in his attempt to kill Cassio (whom he
wounded, but not mortally,) and being himself killed by Iago to prevent
discovery, in his pockets were found certain letters, which made the
guilt of Iago, and the innocence of Cassio, clear beyond all doubt; and
Cassio now came to beg pardon of Othello, and to ask wherein he had
offended him, that he had employed Iago to murder him.

This discovery was as a thunderstroke to Othello, who now plainly saw
that he was no better than a murderer, and that his wife (poor innocent
lady) had been ever faithful to him; the extreme anguish of which
discovery making life insupportable, he fell upon his swor