s'
stories would so enchain the attention of Desdemona, that if she were
called off at any time by household affairs, she would despatch with
all haste that business, and return, and with a greedy ear devour
Othello's discourse. And once he took advantage of a pliant hour, and
drew from her a prayer, that he would tell her the whole story of his
life at large, of which she had heard so much, but only by parts: to
which he consented, and beguiled her of many a tear, when he spoke of
some distressful stroke which his youth had suffered.

His story being done, she gave him for his pains a world of sighs: she
swore a pretty oath, that it was all passing strange, and pitiful,
wondrous pitiful: she wished (she said) she had not heard it, yet she
wished that heaven had made her such a man; and then she thanked him,
and told him, if he had a friend who loved her, he had only to teach
him how to tell his story, and that would woo her. Upon this hint,
delivered not with more frankness than modesty, accompanied with
certain bewitching prettiness, and blushes, which Othello could not but
understand, he spoke more openly of his love, and in this golden
opportunity gained the consent of the generous lady Desdemona privately
to marry him.

Neither Othello's colour nor his fortune were such that it could be
hoped Brabantio would accept him for a con-in-law. He had left his
daughter free; but he did expect that, as the manner of noble Venetian
ladies was, she would choose ere long a husband of senatorial rank or
expectations; but in this he was deceived; Desdemona loved the Moor,
though he was black, and devoted her heart and fortunes to his valiant
parts and qualities; so was her heart subdued to an implicit devotion
to the man she had selected for a husband, that his very colour, which
to all but this discerning lady would have proved an insurmountable
objection, was by her esteemed above all the white skins and clear
complexions of the young Venetian nobility, her suitors.

Their marriage, which, though privately carried, could not long be kept
a secret, came to the ears of the old man, Brabantio, who appeared in a
solemn council of the senate, as an accuser of the Moor Othello, who by
spells and witchcraft (he maintained) had seduced the affections of the
fair Desdemona to marry him, without the consent of her father, and
against the obligations of hospitality.

At this juncture of time it happened that the state of Venice had