Gentlemen, the case seems serious. What would you propose? SEWARD. Let's hear the Sage. NORTH. Open Shakspeares. Act II.--Scene I. BULLER. All ready, sir. NORTH. A Sea-port Town in Cyprus--not Nicosia, the capital of the Island, which is inland--thirty miles from the Sea--but Famagusta. TALBOYS. So says in a note Malone--what's that to the purpose? NORTH. I wish to be precise. Ship ahoy! TALBOYS. "The ship is here put in, A Veronese; Michael Cassio, Lieutenant to the warlike Moor, Othello, Is come on shore"-- NORTH. "A sail--a sail--a sail! My hopes do shape him for the Governor." BULLER. "'Tis one Iago, Ancient to the General." TALBOYS. "The riches of the ship is come on shore!" BULLER. "Ye men of Cyprus, let her have your knees. NORTH. The Moor! I know his trumpet." There's the power of poetry for you--I do pity poor prose. The sea-beach--town--fortifications--all crowded with people on the gaze-out--_for hours_. For ships on the stormy sea. But not a ship to be seen. Obedient to the passion of the people, one ship after another appears in the offing--salutes and is saluted--is within the Bay--inside the Breakwater--drops anchor--the divine Desdemona has landed--Othello has her in his arms-- "O my soul's joy! If after every tempest comes such calms, May the winds blow till they have waken'd death! And let the labouring bark climb hills of seas Olympus-high; and duck again as low As hell's from heaven!" all _in five minutes_--in three minutes--in one minute--in no time--in less than no time. TALBOYS. What's your drift? NORTH. Handle Shakspeares! Scene II.--A Street--On the day of Othello's arrival--the Proclamation is issued "that there is full liberty of feasting for this present hour of _Five_, till the bell has told Eleven"--for besides the mere perdition of the Turkish Fleet, it is the "celebration _of his nuptials_." TALBOYS. We all know that--go on. SEWARD. His nuptials! Why, I thought he had been married at Venice! NORTH. Who cares what you think? Scene III.--a Hall in the Castle--and enter Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, and attendants. Othello says-- "Good Michael, look you to the guard to-night: Let's teach ourselves that honourable stop, Not to outsport discretion." And before retiring for the night with Desdemona, he says-- "Michael, good night: _To-morrow, with our earliest, Let me have speech with you._" TALBOYS. Why lay you such emphasis on these unimportant words? NORTH. They are not unimportant. Then comes the Night Brawl--as schemed by Iago. Othello, on the spot, cashiers Cassio--and at that very moment, Desdemona entering disturbed, with attendants, he says-- "Look if my gentle love is not rais'd up.-- Come, Desdemona; 'tis the soldiers' life, To have their balmy slumbers wak'd with strife."