William Shakespeare: Othello, Moor of Venice

ACT III. 1. SCENE I. Cyprus. Before the Castle.

[Enter Cassio and some Musicians.]

CASSIO.
Masters, play here,--I will content your pains,
Something that's brief; and bid good-morrow, general.

[Music.]

[Enter Clown.]

CLOWN.
Why, masters, have your instruments been in Naples, that
they speak i' the nose thus?

FIRST MUSICIAN.
How, sir, how!

CLOWN.
Are these, I pray you, wind instruments?

FIRST MUSICIAN.
Ay, marry, are they, sir.

CLOWN.
O, thereby hangs a tale.

FIRST MUSICIAN.
Whereby hangs a tale, sir?

CLOWN.
Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument that I know. But,
masters, here's money for you: and the general so likes your
music, that he desires you, for love's sake, to make no more
noise with it.

FIRST MUSICIAN.
Well, sir, we will not.

CLOWN.
If you have any music that may not be heard, to't again:
but, as they say, to hear music the general does not greatly
care.

FIRST MUSICIAN.
We have none such, sir.

CLOWN.
Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away:
go, vanish into air, away!

[Exeunt Musicians.]

CASSIO.
Dost thou hear, mine honest friend?

CLOWN.
No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.

CASSIO.
Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor piece of
gold for thee: if the gentlewoman that attends the general's wife
be stirring, tell her there's one Cassio entreats her a little
favour of speech: wilt thou do this?