No Fear Shakespeare: Othello: Act 3, scene iv

Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA, and CLOWN

DESDEMONA, EMILIA and the CLOWN enter.

	DESDEMONA
	Do you know, sirrah, where Lieutenant Cassio lies?

DESDEMONA

Excuse me, do you know which room Lieutenant Cassio lies in ?

	CLOWN
	I dare not say he lies anywhere.

CLOWN

I wouldn't dare say he lies anywhere.

	DESDEMONA
	Why, man?

DESDEMONA

Why do you say that?

	CLOWN
	He's a soldier, and for one to say a soldier lies, 'tis stabbing.

CLOWN

He's a soldier. If I accused a soldier of lying, he'd stab me.

	DESDEMONA
5	Go to. Where lodges he?

DESDEMONA

Oh, come on. Where does he sleep?

	CLOWN
	To tell you where he lodges is to tell you where I lie.

CLOWN

Telling you where he's sleeping is like telling you where I'm lying.

	DESDEMONA
	Can anything be made of this?

DESDEMONA

What on earth does that mean?

	CLOWN
	I know not where he lodges, and for me to devise a lodging and say he lies here, or he lies there, were to lie in mine own throat.

CLOWN

I don't know where he's staying, so if I told you he's sleeping here or there, I'd be lying.

	DESDEMONA
	Can you inquire him out and be edified by report?

DESDEMONA

Can you ask around and find out?

	CLOWN
10	I will catechize the world for him, that is, make questions, and by them answer.

CLOWN

I'll go ask questions everywhere.

	DESDEMONA
	Seek him, bid him come hither. Tell him I have moved my lord on his behalf, and hope all will be well.

DESDEMONA

Find him and tell him to come here. Tell him I've spoken to my husband on his behalf, and I think everything will be all right.

	CLOWN
	To do this is within the compass of man's wit, and therefore I will attempt the doing it.

CLOWN

I think I can do that. It's not too much to ask.

Exit

CLOWN exits.