I am to die? To die right now? Surely it can wait? Perhaps a few years... A few decades?

Right now? For my sins? I don't understand. What sins?

Alright, so maybe the other day I said a rather unkind word to a silly little knave who nearly tripped me, but these things slip out sometimes. You understand.

Strumpet? I beg your pardon! Cassio? My handkerchief? Oh dear, you've got me all wrong. Cassio's a nice man. Very attractive. That is, well you know what I mean. But I did no such thing. I never gave the man anything. Yes, I dropped my handkerchief. Never found it. Obviously, someone else did. But I did NOT give it Cassio. In his dreams.

Oh, he confessed to it, did he? I'll bet he did. He's wanted some of this for a very long time, believe me. Everyone has, at some time. But he never got any, trust me. I'm NO desperate housewife, if that's what you think.

Alright, so you're going to kill me, but you want to make sure I've confessed me sins so I don't go to hell? First of all, that doesn't make any sense. When you want to get revenge on someone, you don't ask them to pray for forgiveness, otherwise there'd be no reason to kill them for what they did! Otherwise that Hamlet kid would've just killed his uncle on the spot, even though he had been praying right? You remember that story. Second of all, I am going to heaven.

Do you have any idea what it's like living with you? I've never known a more disagreeable temper. Everyday, it's 'oooh this man did so and so and that man wronged me and nothing ever seems to work out the way I want it' -- so very picky about everything. So you come home and you whine and moan and hiss and take it all out on me and I just sit there and let you abuse me and I don't say a word. And then at night you apologize and cry and beg and it's always the same old story. Sure, once I fell under the spell of your daring war stories and your battle scars, but I was a child then. I've met the real you. And I've been miserable ever since!

So perhaps now and then I dreamt of other romances. What wife hasn't? Maybe I've always had a certain liking for Sir Cassio. He's terribly charming after all. So perhaps we've become dear friends and yes, when he asks for my help I'm there for him, but that's all! I swear it. At our wedding, I made a vow to you and to heaven and to all that I would never leave you, no matter what. I would stay true to you always, and I am a woman of my word, I tell you! So I endured the abuse and the misery and torment and said nothing, and did nothing except stay faithful to the man I married. I never once cheated on you! So go ahead and kill me if you're so bent on it. But I'll be happier where I'm going. I'm going where all those who have suffered for doing good are sent. I'm going to heaven, where the martyrs go. That's right. I never cheated on you. I wanted to. But I did not. But oh well, you don't believe me. Have it your way then. Farewell.

......................................................

Emilia? Is that you dear? Would mind calling the cops? I've just been murdered.

By who? Who do you think? No, that'll be all, I have to die now. No really, I mean it this time. Farewell! Oh, and close those curtains again, it's awfully chilly. Alright, this time for real. Farewell.