“The abbess at the nunnery where I grew up knew I would never escape the fate pronounced me by the bishop, so he put a heavy belt around my waist, rigged a noose so it appeared to go around my neck; but my weight was held by the rope tied to the belt under my shepherd’s tunic. Then, in the morning, under the watch of the entire village, he had me hanged in the barn, with priests to witness that the deed had been done. When they left, Basil cut me down, gave me coin, and sent me out into the world a free spirit. Really, all that bollocks about resurrection had some sound fucking reasoning in it after all.”

“Your abbess was a man?”

“Mother Basil, as sturdy a blue-bearded bloke as you’ve ever known, but he found life dressed as the nun in charge a much more pleasant way to pass these dark ages. He told me that he, himself, had died, in much the same way, which freed him to his avocation.”

“And you tell me this why?”

“Because even now, I am dead to Venice, which frees me to find and free my apprentice, and avenge my Cordelia. You will only know your true enemies, Othello, when they reveal themselves by killing you. Because you are my friend, I would have you pick the time and the circumstances for your defeat. If I am wrong, then you can have a laugh at my expense.”

The Moor took me by the forearm and slapped my back in the manner of comrade warriors.

“Good-bye, silly fool.”

“Adieu, thou sooty-bosomed devil,” said I.

Twenty: The Art of Persuasion

TWENTY

The Art of Persuasion

CHORUS: With the fool’s words still echoing in his ear, Othello did call to his chart room Iago, who thought the moment was upon him to take the command and position of the shamed Michael Cassio, but instead of promotion, he was met with the Moor’s ire.

“Iago, if thou slandered Desdemona only to torture me, and there is no proof of her betrayal, then never pray again for mercy, and never hold thyself safe from any violence, for the pain you have brought upon yourself cannot be more dire than the fate you have set if these doubts you raise be false. Am I plain enough in my speech?”